Page 2 of Nitro

Panic hit him at his tone. “Who?”

“Jake and Ray Drysdale. Along with a Noc-tam-bule.”

“What?”

“Seer recognized him.”

“What’s the plan? Why the fuck are they here?”

“Not sure yet. For now, we’re watching them. They’re not leaving here till we find that out. You want to call this off?”

“Fuck,” he muttered, thinking. “I’d hoped to find out what those bats were capable of.”

“Hmm,” he muttered. “Maybe you still can. Wait for my call. I have an idea.”

CHAPTER ONE

Nitro had ideas too. His guess was those three devils were there to see what kind of leverage they needed or could get. He’d give them something better than that. Like a fuck-around-and-find-out lesson.

He couldn’t have enough walls around Felix and those bats just became another barrier he’d use to protect her. He just hoped they did that when it came time. He’d have to make damn sure those nasty birds knew he was being aggressive.

For thirty minutes, Nitro’s gaze swung like a pendulum from Felix to those men, then to Eveque, waiting for some kind of signal. He finally got a text.

Eveque:Do what you came here to do. I have other ideas for our friers. Don’t worry, they’re surrounded.

He pocketed his phone. Good. That simplified things.

Nitro turned his attention to his Beautiful Rebel. He let her bird performance have its way with him till his blood surged with excitement and awe. Never saw anything like it. Various hand gestures, whistles, and cape flaps sent the birds flocking in impressive formations followed by that sweet smile he wanted to kiss all fucking day. She clapped her hands, and an immenseboomrocked the air, followed by shocked cries from the crowd. Roaring applause followed and Nitro realized her birds had created the sound. “Holy shit!” he laughed, remembering Seth mentioning something about it. He never would’ve guessed it to be that fucking loud and real sounding. Imagine an enemy encountering that in the woods at night.

With a single whistle and wave of her cape, the birds flew high above then dove down before entering their cage again. She took a bow and fuck if the swamp hoards didn’t eat that shit right up.

The Grand Aboyeur came onto the field and spoke to her then announced what everybody was there for. The Bat-tie. Man against bats. That was surely a fucking first.

“Alright, we’re up,” Nitro muttered, glancing behind him as his men got off their asses. “Fenwick, I’ll send you first. We want to see what we’re up against with these birds. Just need you to do your damndest to capture that flag.”

“You sure?” he double checked, like it might be simple.

Nitro considered those unlikely odds. “If you see they’re easy to get through, maybe don’t trysodamn hard. I want this to look like a real fight.”

He saluted. “Got it.”

“And if it turns out to be a fight, then I’ll send Jagger and Boomer to test their power. If they’re a brick wall, then I’ll send the rest of you out and I’ll hide behind you. When they come, you get me as close as you can so I can get the flag.”

“So, youwantto win?” Boomer asked.

“Ihaveto win. But I want it to look like it was the hardest thing I’ve ever won. Got it?”

They all nodded, giving their game cry chant, and kicking against the metal wall, bringing the crowds to their feet with clapping.

“They’re ready, I’m ready,” Fenwick said.

“Issheready is the question,” Bastille wondered with a huge grin.

“We’re about to find out,” Nitro said, watching the Grand Aboyeur walk off the field.

“Where’s all her devil birds?” Fenwick muttered.

She suddenly made a noise and spun with her cape wide open, and the crowd cheered as a small flock of bats flew out from under it into the air. She let out a high-pitched whistle and waved her cape like wings. Every eye locked on the erratic birds above and the deafening nightmarish sounds they created. A moment later, another sound had everybody searching the skies. The hell was that? Gasps filled the park as the sky above gradually turned black. “Holy shit,” Nitro whispered, his phone buzzing. He pulled it out.

---