Page 21 of Pyre

“No death has meaning.” Ruby sighed. In a way, she could understand the desire to have a lasting impact on a world you would soon depart from. Edward had manipulated a dying woman’s fear of being forgotten, filling her head with lies of importance. Her hatred grew with every passing second. “Not a single one. We’re born. And we die. And there’s no meaning in either, just chance, just luck. But most at least get to die a human. You’ll die a monster. Less than human. And for a coward who hides in the shadows, scribbling out little notes to pass along like a freak.”

Lucas reappeared in the doorway. “They’re here.”

Greta’s stare was unnerving, unblinking, as if she was memorizing her every feature. “He’s right. You’re not ready yet. You don’t understand.”

“You were manipulated by a psychopath who believes god knows what, and curses people to live like him. You’re right, I don’t understand. I will never understand someone who can live the way we do, lose people the way we do, and still want to inflict this pain on others.”

Agents flooded the apartment. Greta hopped down from the counter. Ruby tensed, ready to fight, but Greta only put her hands up in surrender. The agents approached cautiously, hands on guns. She held out her arm pushing away the sleeve of her undershirt. They exchanged confused glances before injecting her with tranquilizers.

She slumped to her knees, her head rolling on her shoulders. “You’re wrong,” she whispered to Ruby. “All human deaths have meaning. All have an impact. All change those around us. But some are senseless. Some are caused by greed.” Her mouth kept moving, but no sound remained as her consciousness slipped.

They dragged her away, Lucas making his way back into the room. He glanced around his destroyed apartment. Beer bottle shards scattered the floor. A slice of pizza stuck to the television. Water coated every surface in the kitchen.

He took a deep breath and scrubbed his hand over his face. “I think I have to move now.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“I DON’T UNDERSTANDhow they even found his apartment,” Ruby started, trying to draw the conversation back to subjects that actually mattered.

“Cut.” Kavya barked, shaking her head and gesturing toward the camera perched on her shoulder. “You know we’re filming. No mention of the TCA or thermies. Please focus on the hunt at hand.”

Ruby had done a lot of ridiculous things in her life—marriage to a virtual stranger at 20, pretending to be an orc so Lucas could map out a DND campaign, fighting a thermophile on top of an ice cream truck—but standing in her hotel room while a bounty hunter unpacked cosplay costumes might take the crown.

She leaned against the edge of the dresser, arms crossed, her expression fixed somewhere between confusion and contempt. Jonah, all grins and swagger, held up a nondescript shopping bag as if it were a prize trophy.

“Start again, from your question about cosplay.”

“So,” Ruby drawled, ignoring the camera and scowling at Jonah's smug face, “cosplay is when people dress up as fictional characters… for fun?” She tilted her head, her lips curling into a smirk. “And here I thought bounty hunting was your nerdiest hobby.”

Jonah’s grin didn’t falter. It would be endearing to anyone else, Ruby decided. The fans were sure to eat up a dorkier side of the otherwise intimidating man. “Correct. Cosplay is a wayto show appreciation for the character and the world they come from.” He threw a wink at the camera and ran his hands through his sandy hair. “It’s fandom culture at its finest.”

Kavya scoffed. “Nerd.”

Jonah turned, his tone dripping with mock offense. “I’ve seen the fanfiction tabs on your browser, Mrs. Producer. Should we go there?”

Kavya froze, her ears turning an unmistakable shade of red. “I was doing research,” she snapped.

Ruby’s laugh came fast and sharp, surprising even herself. It was hard to imagine the stoic woman as a closet nerd. She pointed at Kavya, shaking her head. “Oh, you’re not getting out of that one, sweetheart. Jonah: one. Camera girl: zero.”

“Camera girl?” Kavya muttered, her grip tightening on the camera. There was a hidden temper in her temporary boss, Ruby noted. “My name’s Kavya, thanks. And I’m the one who makes sure Jonah doesn’t spill government secrets online. Which, trust me, is a full-time job.”

The carpet squished beneath Ruby’s feet as she walked toward the bed. “I thought we weren’t supposed to use your name on camera?”

Kavya blinked. Sighed. Cracked her neck to the side and gestured for them to continue.

Ruby raised an eyebrow but let it slide, turning her attention back to Jonah. “Great. So you two are nerds. What does this have to do with the case?”

Jonah’s grin stretched wider, the kind that made Ruby’s fingers twitch with the urge to smack it off his face. “Albert Serati, our target, is a die-hard cosplayer. And thanks to his very public Reddit account, we know he’ll be strutting his stuff at Denver Comic Con this afternoon.”

Ruby blinked, her lips parting in disbelief. “You’re telling me we’re hunting down a wanted criminal… based on a Reddit post?”

Jonah shrugged. “The guy’s got a bunch of warrants, but he can’t resist posting his progress pics. It’s all there—photos of the costume, timestamps, even the panel schedule he’s attending.”

Ruby’s laugh came low and incredulous. “This guy’s an idiot.” She glanced at Kavya. “Is this what y’all usually deal with? Petty thieves and cosplay enthusiasts?”

Kavya’s face remained neutral, but there was a flicker of unease in her eyes. “He’s dangerous enough,” she replied curtly, adjusting the camera in her hands like it was a shield.

Ruby scoffed, pushing off the dresser and pacing to the window. “Dangerous? Please. The guy steals trading cards. Hardly a threat to society.” She paused, looking back over her shoulder. “Let me guess. You’re planning to storm Comic Con dressed as anime characters to make your little video extra entertaining.”

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