Page 20 of Velvet and Valor
Jax smiles reassuringly. “Don’t worry. Everybody who’s come through this office door has made it out alive.”
So far,I think but do not say. Let’s hope I’m not an innovator in this regard.
Jax turns to Axel. “Are you going to be able to handle this one? Right out of the box? There is no overstating how important this job is to me, and even more so to my wife.”
“Yeah, I can handle it,” he says quickly, eyes flashing over to me for a brief moment. “I won’t let anyone hurt June.”
“Make sure that extends to innocent bystanders. You can hurt the bad guys all you want, but keep collateral damage to a minimum,” Jax says, giving Axel a serious glower.
“Got it,” Axel replies, not sounding the least bit flip for once.
I sign the contract and obtain my protection. Not what I was expecting when I got off the plane this morning, but it could be worse. I could be dead, would be dead if it weren’t for Axel.
Axel is raring right away to go find Moorcrock. But I have other plans.
“I’m covered in sweat and debris from the limo wreck,” I say, gesturing to myself. “I desperately need a shower and a change of clothes. Also, I need to replace everything that was inmy luggage, like a phone charger. I’m down to single digits on charge.”
“Okay,” Axel says.
“So, you need to take me to my place.”
“Not okay!” he says, eyes widening. “That’s the first place Moorcrock is going to look for you.”
“How do you know Moorcrock even knows my real identity?” I counter. “I never told him.”
Axel arches his brows.
“I swear, I’m not trying to be a dick right now,” he says. “But check it out.”
He shows me his phone. The limo chase, wreck, and gun battle are all over social media. Including many, many close up shots of my face. They even have footage of an interview with Bob the Bartender.
“Maybe if you didn’t have such a strong presence on the internet,” he says. “But you have an Insta, an X, a Reddit--you even have a Quora account? Wow, I didn’t know they were still around.”
“I’m an independent film producer, I have to rely on word of mouth and engaging with the public is the best way to do that,” I say, a little miffed.
“I’m not judging!” he says quickly, holding up his hand. “I’m not judging at all. I’m just saying that it will take Moorcrock or more likely a Gen Z working for Moorcrock about five seconds on Google to reverse image search and dox you.”
My heart sinks. He’s probably right.
“So, I can’t go home?” I ask.
“Not for the moment, I’m sorry,” he says as he bats his eyelashes at me. “But I can take you to get some new clothes, and we can shower at a place I know.”
I give him a long look.
“I mean, soyoucan take a shower,” he amends hastily. “I mean, I don’t need a shower…or do I? Do I smell?”
He sniffs his own armpit and I slap a hand over my face. Unreal.
“Do you think I need a shower? I mean, obviously, I won’t take it at the same time you do, but if I need one don’t be afraid to?—”
I slap my hand onto his face, and I cover his mouth.
“Shut. Up.”
I hold my hand there for a moment until I’m sure he gets my meaning. Then I take it away. He starts to open his mouth, probably to say sorry but I start to reach for his face again and he stops.
Note to self: Telling Axel to shut up has an efficacy of about four minutes. Not two miles down the road from the security office and he starts talking again.
