Page 28 of Kindred Spirits

“I’m Agent Jones,” said the one who’d spoken before. “And this is Agent Jackson. We’re here from the Department of Homeland Security about a matter of national security.”

Fuckfuckfuckfuck. This was bad. Really bad. Homeland Security? Didn’t they deal with terrorists and shit? I doubted they were actually from HS. They were probably ESCU in disguise. The Elite Specimen Containment Unit was the groupthat had run the secret facility that went tits up out in the woods not long ago. Parker had been working for them. If they were looking for me…

“Let’s see some ID,” Ursula demanded.

Agent Jones smiled and tried to flash his badge quickly, but Ursula, bless her, grabbed it before he could tuck it away, scrutinizing it with an expert eye.

“Homeland Security, huh?” She glanced up at him. “Well, the only Axel Rose I know of is in a band. You might try his mansion. Out west. Far away from here.”

Agent Jackson’s lips twitched back, almost as if he wanted to smile, his icy blue eyes falling on me. “What about you, son? You want to do your country proud and help us out?”

I was frozen in place, too terrified to answer. They knew. They had to know. Why else would they be there? How the fuck had they found me?

Shit, I should’ve been more careful online.

“I just told you he’s not here.” Ursula to the rescue again. “Now, unless you’ve got a warrant, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. This is private property and you’re disturbing our business.”

Jones whipped out a business card out of nowhere and held it out to her. “If you suddenly happen to remember where we can find Mr. Axel Rose, we’d appreciate it if you’d give us a call.”

Ursula turned and snatched a membership flyer off the desk, thrusting it at him. “We’re having a holiday sale on our group classes. I recommend the beginner yoga, although…maybe the exercise for idiots class is more your speed?”

God bless goth lesbians.

Ursula was a fucking angel.

Jones smirked and leaned forward to plant his card on the desk behind her. “I’ll just leave this here, then.” He turned to me and tipped an imaginary hat. “Be seeing you around,” hesaid with a wink that turned my insides to ice. Then he and his partner left.

“What the fuck was that?” Ursula asked once the door had closed behind them. She gave my chest a shove. “This better not have anything to do with your new boyfriend.”

“How the fuck should I know what they wanted?” I said, putting my hands up in surrender. “Last I checked, selling weed wasn’t a federal crime.”

She sighed. “Well, they were bad news. That’s for sure. Bunch of government bozos sniffing around. That’s the last fucking thing this town needs.”

“Fuck.” I walked over and sank into the single seat behind the counter, spinning it around lazily. “What the fuck am I going to do? Those assholes definitely knew who I was. Don’t you think?”

“Probably,” she agreed with a shrug.

“And they’re going to follow me home.”

“Most definitely.”

“Fuuuuck.” I collapsed, leaning back on the chair until it stopped spinning and I was thoroughly dizzy. “What should I do?”

She shrugged again. “Get a good lawyer?”

I glared at her doubtfully. “I work in a gym part time and sell weed on the side. I can’t afford Legal Zoom, let alone a lawyer.” I rolled my head in her direction. “That lesbian army offer still good?”

She smirked, canted a hip, and crossed her arms. “Pretty sure I can rustle up some bad bitches if you need a couple of bodyguards.”

I considered it, if for no other reason than to piss off Honor. He’d be livid. The look on his face would bepriceless.

But the risk that one of them would get hurt was too high, either because Ghost perceived them as a threat or because thegovernment assholes took things too far. I didn’t want anyone getting hurt on my account.

“Nah, I’m a big strong man. I can take care of myself,” I said, and flexed my biceps to drive home the point. “Though I imagine an army of lesbians would be pretty damn scary.”

“We’re here if you need us,” she said, pitching the agent’s card into the trash. “No Agent Dickhead from the Men in Black is going to cart off my spotting partner. Now, how about we run backward on the treadmills until one of us pukes or passes out?”

I grinned at her. Ursula always knew just how to cheer me up. “You’re on!”

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