But Ezra was a huge, muscle-bound man sitting shotgun.
Slipping his seatbelt off, he started to recline his seat, but appeared to think better of it — it would be too obvious with a seat laid back — and ended placing his head on my lap.
After readjusting my seat so he wasn’t squashed against the wheel, I rested my right hand on the side of his face, nervously running my thumb back and forth across his cheek as I saw the town ahead. Squinting to evaluate the wafting smoke I detected in the dying light, I warned, “There’s another fire. This could get a little bumpy. Hang on.”
Jack and Pearl assented, hunkering further on each other.
Ezra grunted. “Don’t get shot.”
Speaking of which, his huge frame was covering my weapon. “My gun.”
He lifted a smidge and grabbed my firearm, then re-positioned himself easily, holding my gun against my knee. “Let me know if you need it.”
I hummed in agreement, placing both my hands on the wheel as the main road into the tiny town, full of white and blue shops, came into open view. Panting became my way of breathing as I saw what the townsfolk were doing. Even though I had seen plenty of death that day, the sun now set and only a slight scarlet coloring the darkening horizon, my body still broke out in a heated perspiration. Tears swelled in my eyes, and I had to quickly blink their burning dampness away to see the road properly.
Smack in the center of town were two buildings on fire. I wished that had been all.
Directly opposite those once homey establishments, now blackened and burning, were eight Mysticals of various factions, their swaying bodies illuminated by the flickering flames. Each deceased Mystical hung high in the air from silvered nooses tied to picturesque shops signs, their necks broken from where the Commoners had tied the debilitating ropes around their throats.
In the street, Coms were celebrating. Drunk on their sadistic accomplishment.
“Give me my gun,” I growled softly, my voice dry and cracking. I began rolling my window down. “I’m not stopping, but those fuckers are dying.”
Ezra’s head rapidly lifted, and he stilled as he assessed the main street.
“Roll your window up,” he whispered, and rolled his down. “Drive. I’ll shoot.”
I nodded, quickly agreeing this was best. Turning off my lights, I stepped on the gas.
Pearl and Jack shot up, no longer able to be submissive at hearing the fury in our predators’ intermittent growls. They were motionless for all of a heartbeat before their windows began lowering noiselessly. Silent, no words were needed.
As I knew they were going to have a little fun, just like the front end of my Hummer was going to, I ordered quietly, “Seatbelts back on.”
Mute, they obeyed.
I stomped on the gas even harder, roaring into the town.
The Coms were so intoxicated from the alcohol held in their murdering hands, and so high on endorphins from their massacre that they didn’t notice the procession of cars headed their way.
Ah…but they did notice when my Hummer rammed their wretched bodies.
The minute Ezra started shooting the butchers.
The exact second Pearl blasted the slaughterers straight into the air.
Directly as Jack blew water into their mouths and drowned the heartless bastards.
I sped through the packed street. Coms tumbled over the hood of my Hummer to hit the windshield, cracking it, and then flew over the roof into the air. It was a simplistic eruption of Com bodies. My tires bumped along at our accelerated pace as I ran them over.
I kept my vehicle moving, minding Antonio’s instructions. Not stopping.
But damn, these Coms were going to die.
By the time I glanced into the rear-view mirror three minutes later, I could see the Coms weren’t celebrating any longer. The vehicles behind us had taken care of the few we had missed, and the streets were flooded with Com corpses. In death, they now lay at the feet of the suspended Mystical departed.
We drove in soundlessness, the minutes passing by in our new reality.
Until Jack muttered, “How the hell did the MIA miss this?”
Instantly, Ezra answered, “Elly.” His Vampire growled softly. “If their leader was sleeping with her, he could have had access to alter our intel. I’m pretty sure Lily’s right that Elly’s father is a major player inside the MIA, and like any other prominent man within the organization I’m sure he brought technology home for his work. Their leader could have broken into our databases from her house easily enough.”
I damn near ripped the steering wheel off, my fingers creating categorical divots. “If she’s still alive, her death will be all-encompassing.”