Page 73 of Addicted in Blood
ChapterThirty-Five
“Tell them not to touch it.”Devon opened the back door.“Will the earbuds work if I run to the house?”
“Yes,” Roxie said.“Do you want me to move closer?”
“No.You need to keep your distance.Cressa, tell Sergi to call the Eliminators and Sentinels and give them the account information to access the pictures.Can you patch me to Harlow?”
Roxie nodded.
“Do it.And I need to know where Gheata is every minute.”The back door slammed shut, and he was gone.
I wanted to follow but focused on the video feed and tried to control my breathing.
“Harlow.”Devon must have been racing down the street, yet his breathing was even.“You need to listen to me very carefully.I’m on my way.Keep Trudy still, but I need you to see if there’s anything you can take a picture of that would prove the pictures came from Gheata’s house.”
“I didn’t see anything with a name on it other than the files, and nothing with his name.”His voice was remarkably calm, but Trudy’s eyes were wide, when she wasn’t squeezing them tight.
“I saw something I think.”Trudy’s voice quivered, and her breathing sounded labored.“Far right side of the desk.Under a stapler.Or maybe one of those heavy tape dispensers.”After a few seconds, she coaxed him.“It’ll be okay, baby.Devon will get us out.You know those vamps know everything.”
He snorted.“They just think they do, luv.They just like to impress.”A bit of the fear left his voice, and he stood next to the desk, the camera moving back and forth.“I don’t see anything.”
“Wait,” I said, and wiped beads of sweat from my forehead.“Back to your right.Under the mug, next to the stapler.It looks like a note.”I switched the mic.“Sergi, what’s the status?We need a blow-by-blow every minute.And I’m sending you the account information with Devon’s instructions.”
“He’s just now moving past the accident.”Sergi mumbled something, probably to the cadre, then he was back.“We have control of the stoplights, and we’re stopping him every other block.You have fifteen minutes.”
“Devon.Did you hear that?You have fifteen minutes.”
“Got it.”His breath was coming faster now.
Harlow jumped and turned.“Christ, man.Did you fly here?”
Devon chuckled.“It appears we have a bit of a time crunch.”He knelt in front of Trudy, studying whatever she’d stepped on.After a few seconds, he said, “It’s an incendiary device.”
“Oh my god.”Trudy’s camera shook, and her breathing became raspy.
“Hold still,” Devon commanded.“Any motion could set it off.”
Her camera stilled, and she blew out a long, slow breath.
“This type won’t destroy the room, just whoever’s standing on it.I’m sorry to put it that way.”
“That’s all right,” her voice was a shaky laugh.“Harlow always said I had an explosive personality.”
“Now she jokes,” Harlow growled.
“Ten minutes.”Roxie was as cool as the proverbial cucumber.
“Harlow, you get everything you needed?”Devon moved around the device, continuing to study it.His forehead wrinkled, or it appeared that way from the angle of Harlow’s camera.I hoped the issues he’d been having with his foggy brain wouldn’t be a problem now.
“Uh, yeah, right.There’s a note with the name Boris on it.Then it might be the letter G, but the rest of it’s hidden under the mug.”
“That’s good enough.Take a couple pictures, then I need you to wait at the top of the stairs.”
“I’ll wait right here with you, mate.”
“Gheata is ten minutes out.We’re going to cut this close.You need a head start to get the back door open and leave us a clear path.I’ll be close behind with Trudy.Roxie, I need you to contact Jamal and tell him we’re coming in five minutes and will need cover.”
“Aye, aye, boss.”Roxie switched her mic.“Jamal.Five minutes.Team of three requires cover.Over.”
