Page 42 of Dead End

Gun was the next call. “How serious is this?”

“I said red alert. That’s the highest threat.”

“I thought purple was the highest.”

“Why would purple be higher than red? It goes from blue to red. Purple is the two colors combined.”

“But purple is the color of a bruise.”

I couldn’t fault his logic. “Okay, but you know what to do, right? Stay home. Don’t try to be a hero.”

“Have you met me? When do I ever act heroically?”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You have all the makings of a superhero.”

“Icanrock a pair of tights better than most.” A moment of silence hung between us. “What aren’t you telling me?” he asked.

I should’ve known Gun could read between the lines. Steeling myself, I told him about Posy’s head.

“Gangster move,” Gun breathed. “Did you stick it on a pike at the Castle gate?”

I grimaced at the thought. “Yes, because that’s so me. I buried it in the cemetery.”

“You’re kinder than I am. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t owe that harpy anything. You should’ve left it for the vultures.”

“She was a siren.”

“Who acted like a harpy. What would you like me to do?”

“At the moment, stay vigilant. If you see anything suspicious, let me know and keep your cards accessible.”

“That’s it? What about a plan?”

“Working on it. I’ll let you know when I have one that’s fully formed. Talk soon.” I hung up and debated my next call. I knew I had to tell Kane eventually, but every time I had thechance, I chickened out. He’d just been through so much with Lucifer; I hated to tell him another immediate threat had reared its ugly head—literally.

My skin tickled as my phone buzzed. West’s name lit up my screen. “Hey.”

“Clay, I’ve been trying to call you, but I couldn’t get through.”

“You got through now. What’s up?”

“What’s up? How about that red alert you sent to the group chat.”

“I thought it was self-explanatory.”

“And I thought Lucifer and his demons were gone.”

“This isn’t Lucifer. It’s worse.”

He let that nugget sink in. “Should I send out a team?”

“No teams. I want everyone indoors. Anybody who steps foot outside is a target.” To be fair, everyone indoors was also a target, but I was trying my best to mitigate the risk.

“What about the crossroads?”

“Leave it. Whatever comes through, you won’t be equipped to deal with it, and I’m not saying that to be obnoxious.”

“I know. I’ll get Sage and Gran.”

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