Page 121 of The Hive Queen

By the time we’re finished, the transportation teams are gone, and we gather the Hive Queen’s remains for the trek back to our vehicles.

I’m surprised when we step out of the cave to find the sun still up, though it sits close to the horizon. It’s been a long day, but the fight left me invigorated, as does the sense of relief that this is finally over.

As we step out of the woods, a flash goes off, and I flinch back, instinctively reaching for a weapon.

Another flash goes off, followed by a shout, “Captain Sharpe, this is Daniel Holt from Clearhelm Evening News! Is this the monster that has been killing men in Clearhelm?”

Light shines in my eyes, and I squint past it to see news vans parked all along the road, with cameras and microphones pointed at us.

“Nadia from Night Watch!” A young woman shoves to the front of the crowd and thrusts her microphone into my face. “What can you tell us about the fight? Were there any injuries? Is this the end of the poisonous bees plaguing our city?”

A barrage of questions follows, one on top of the other, making it impossible to focus on a single person.

I raise my hands, and silence follows, dozens of microphones pointed at me. “To answer your immediate questions, yes, this is the monster that was terrorizing Clearhelm and our neighboring cities. Defeating it was a joint effort between the JTFPI and The Cleaners, who have been hunting monsters since long before the Resurgence.”

Attention shifts to those behind me, and Nadia eagerly asks, “Mr. Boru, is the Conservatory joining forces with the JTFPI?”

Flint steps forward, Anny at his side, and gives everyone a dazzling smile that will win hearts when the story gets posted. “The Conservatory is always happy to offer magical assistance to Clearhelm’s paranormal police force. It is through cooperation with them that we can ensure the safety of all Clearhelm’s citizens, both Others and humans.”

“What about the rumors that the JTFPI will be put under the jurisdiction of the Clearhelm Police Department?” Daniel demands. “What do you have to say about that, Captain Sharpe?”

My gut tightens, but I give the man a smile equal to Flint’s. “Those are only rumors. Chief Lynch personally assembled the JTFPI because he knew it would take a specially trained team to police the Others.”

I pull back my shoulders. “Every officer under my supervision has gone through grueling training on all species of paranormal. We are also all immune to magic, which makes us uniquely qualified for the job, something that Captain Bailey’s team, while exemplary, cannot match. There is a place for both of our departments in Clearhelm.”

“Lieutenant Mayn!” Nadia thrusts her microphone toward my partner. “How does it feel to be an Other working for the JTFPI?”

Mayn steps forward, her spine ramrod straight and her shoulders back. “It is a privilege to work under Captain Sharpe’s supervision. I could not ask for a better superior.”

She cracks a closed-lip smile. “But if you were asking how it is to be an Other working for an organization in charge of policing my kind, I imagine I feel the same as the humans who work for the Clearhelm Police Department. Laws are in place to keep all of us safe, and if an Other crosses the line, I will be there to bring them to justice.”

Before more questions can be thrown out, I raise my voice, “An official press conference will be held in the following days, but for now, my people need to see to their injuries and rest. This was not an easy battle, and we’ve had little sleep over the last several days, but we can all go to bed tonight knowing our city is safe once more.”

Trent, Marc, Darius, and Savannah hold back the reporters while flashes from their cameras go off as O’Hara and Johannsson walk past, dragging the tarp with the Hive Queen’s body.

A second tarp on top hides most of her body from view, but one wing drapes over the side, dragging on the ground, and I’m sure that image will be plastered all over the internet before we make it back to the station.

When we reach the van, Pen hurries ahead to open the back doors, and I grab the trailing end of the tarp to help lift the body inside.

I step close to Pen as she closes the doors. “Did you call the news people?”

She gives me a bland look. “Why would I do that? You’re doingfineat work, right?”

My shoulders slump. “I thought I could handle it myself.”

She glances toward the cameras still pointed toward us and turns so her face can’t be caught on film. “Captain Bailey has a team of people working against you. It’s more than one person can handle. Lean on your team, too. We have your back. He’s not taking down the JTFPI without a fight.”

I resist the urge to pull her into my arms, knowing that won’t look good on camera. “Thank you.”

She dips her chin in acknowledgment while her golden gaze conveys everything she can’t say until we’re alone.

Trent joins us and claps Pen on the shoulder, then looks at me. “So, how about that promised dinner and drinks in celebration?”

“Some of us have paperwork to file, and a body to burn,” I say.

“It’s too late in the day to get a reservation for such a large group,” Pen protests. “How about drinks at Hoppers tonight, and a nice steak dinner on Saturday?”

“So long as there’s booze, I don’t care where we are.” He raises a brow at me. “Are you sure paperwork can’t wait until morning?”

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