Page 18 of Ghosted in Arkadia
“And then you just go home to your one-bedroom house? No wonder the mateless are so depressed,” Killian scoffs, fanning the flames of rage inside me.
“Welcome to your future,” I bite back with a sarcastic smile.
“Don’t you think there’s more to life than just being with a soulmate?”
“Says the man who wanted off this rock after losing his,” I say, unsure how the topic turned to this subject. Then again, it seems like the only topic anyone discusses.
“But that’s my point. You haven’t felt that pain. You have a gift, Kira. Use it.” Killian’s words come out sharp, cutting me deep inside as he finishes by turning his head to watch the warehouse.
An hour passes, and the only sound in the cruiser is Rex’s snores from the backseat.
My bladder urges me to break the stalemate with a trip to the restroom, but a call comes through the moment I open my mouth.
“Blackwell. You copy?” James’ voice sounds through the speakers of the Hellcat, and I quickly hit the button to take the call back to the hand radio.
“Yeah. What’s up?” I ask, noticing Killian turn his head to look my way.
“We’re about to bust a hive. Thought you might have your stomping boots on.”
Even with the glasses blocking his eyes, I can tell Killian is deeply confused.
“You said you wanted a little more excitement,” I taunt rather than clearing things up for him. “Send us the location,” I say into the radio.
A moment later, a notification pops up on the Hellcat’s screen, and Killian pushes it to start the navigation. The car moves on its own while the message on the screen tells me we will be there in fifteen minutes. I could make it in eight. Thankfully, my bladder has decided to go back to a slumber now that something interesting is happening.
I allow the computer to drive while I offer Killian a boon.
“Switch out to rubber bullets. That’s what stomping boots mean.” I dig into the center consul to switch out my magazines. “Hives are what we call pockets of hackers. So congratulations, you get to go on your first raid.”
“Non-lethal shots?” Killian asks, breaking the silence as he holds one of the rubber rounds between his fingers for inspection.
“The computer bugs aren’t big on arming themselves. They rely on computer code and weird booby-traps to slow us down while they escape.”
“No real danger, then?” Killian asks as he holds the bullet up to the light.
“There are always ways to run into pain,” I say, knowing firsthand what it’s like to be on the other end of one of those rounds. “No one should die today, but maybe someone slips in a puddle and breaks their head open. I can’t really make promises one way or another.”
“Guess that’s fair,” Killian says, seeming content.
The Hellcat pulls up to a warehouse in the mateless district. Dark clouds gather above the roof of the building, darkening the sky while a thunderstorm looms. Tommy’s Mustang is parked infront of us, empty. The door to the warehouse sits half open and at an angle from the top hinge, breaking loose. Smoke billows from the doorway, along with flashing neon lights.
“Booby traps are active,” I say to Killian overtop of the Hellcat after assessing the situation. “I want you to watch the front door and detain anyone that tries to escape.”
“And where are you going?” Killian asks with an edge as he steps toward the front of the car.
“I’m gonna see how many bugs I can catch.” I grin.
While everyone in the department calls them bugs, I’ve always thought of it as more like a game of cat and mouse. And I’m a tiger.
“You’re free to come in and try to grab them,” I say, not wanting Killian to think I’m benching him. “But mind the traps. My record is eight.”
“And mine is twelve,” James boasts, hauling a man through the door. He heads for the large black van and opens the backdoor to secure the man inside.
Tommy comes out of the building with a thrashing blonde woman barely contained.
“Killian. Want to help me out here?” Tommy manages nearly losing his grip.
Killian jogs over, and I smile, knowing the boys will help me babysit.
