Sunset or not, it was scorching outside, and our wet clothes suddenly became a blessing. “Where are we?” I asked.
“Death Valley,” said Marcus. “You can’t say the Alchemists don’t have a flair for the dramatic.”
“That, or the land was cheap,” I said.
Trey astonished me by suddenly engulfing me in a giant hug. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Melbourne.”
I felt my eyes brim with tears. “I’ve missed you too. Thank you … thank you for this. I don’t know how to repay you.”
“No repayment needed.” A small frown crossed his features as he looked me over. “Except to maybe rest and get something to eat.”
Another hug swallowed me as Marcus took his turn. “Overachiever,” he said, grinning down at me. “Replacing me on their list.”
I smiled back, hiding just how much Sheridan’s words had truly hit home with me. “Thank you, Marcus. I’m sorry for when I said you just talk and don’t act.” I gestured around us. “This … this was some pretty big acting.”
“Yeah, well, you’ve been more than a little inspiring to me and to others,” he said. “And probably to that lot we pulled out of this place too.”
Eddie came last, and as we sized each other up, the tears hovering in my eyes finally spilled. “Eddie, I’m so sorry I lied to you that night.”
He shook his head and pulled me to him. I heard tears choke up his voice. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them. I’m sorry I wasn’t protection enough.”
“Oh, Eddie,” I said, sniffling. “You’re the best protection. No one could have a better guardian than you. Or a better friend.”
Even Marcus looked touched. “You guys, I hate to break this up, but we need to get out of here. We can laugh and cry at the rendezvous spot.”
I wiped my eyes and gave Eddie one last, quick hug. “Do me a favor,” I told him. “Go back to Jill.”
“Of course,” he said. “I will as soon as everyone’s safe. She’s my duty.”
“I don’t mean go back to her because of your assignment. Go back to her because you love her.”
His jaw nearly dropped. I don’t think anyone had ever come out and called him on it like that, but after what I’d been through, niceties and dancing around the truth suddenly seemed like a waste of valuable time. I stepped back to join Adrian, and the one named Grif held up a set of keys.
“I brought the Mustang around while I was out. Who’s driving it?”
“We are,” I said, surprising everyone. I took the keys from him. “That is … you have another car?”
“A Prius,” said Adrian dismally.
I did a mental headcount, verifying they’d all fit, and then put on what I hoped was a lovesick smile. “Is it okay if Adrian and I drive separately and meet the rest of you there? I … I’d like some alone time.”
“There’s going to be no legroom in that thing,” exclaimed Trey. But then he looked at me, and his expression softened. “But far be it from me to stand in the way of true love. I’ll suffer for your happiness, Melbourne. Like always.”
Adrian got a bag out of the Prius and then gave the keys to Marcus. In return, Marcus gifted me with something unexpected. “I had these made up for you a while ago,” he explained. “Take them now, just in case. I’m going to get some for the other detainees too.”
He handed me two driver’s licenses. One was my original from Utah, which I’d hardly used in Palm Springs while living as Sydney Melrose. I was amazed he’d managed to get a hold of a copy from the DMV. But that wasn’t nearly as startling as the second license, a fake one from Maryland with a most unexpected alias.
“Really?” I asked. “Misty Steele?”
Marcus shrugged. “It was Adrian’s suggestion.”
“It’s badass,” insisted Adrian.
I gave Marcus a quick hug of thanks. One thing we’d learned among the Alchemists was that when trying to blend in with the modern world, identification was critical. Good fake IDs were hard to find, but the work on the Misty Steele one was flawless. He and the others piled into the car, and Eddie shot me one last parting smile that nearly choked me up again.
“I never thought I’d see Castile brought to tears,” said Adrian as he started up the Mustang. “This really hit him hard. Hell, it hit all of us hard, but he really beat himself up for it. He never forgave himself for you giving him the slip.”
“Let’s hope he can,” I said, putting my seatbelt on. “Because it’s about to happen again. We aren’t meeting them at the safe house.”
CHAPTER 18
Adrian
FOR A MOMENT, there was a part of me that was a little more in love with her than ever. You had to admire a woman who’d just walked out of incredible, horrific conditions and had wielded magic without missing a beat, not to mention standing strong in the face of her tormentors. Someone else might’ve broken down or immediately started expounding on their terrible experiences. But, no. Sydney was not only ready for action, she was also ready to defy carefully made, well-reasoned, and safe plans.
It was admirable. Also, out of the question.
“Sydney, no. Marcus has this under control. What we did back there? The planning that involved? Hell, Eddie and I were good backup, but most of the work there … that was all Marcus, all his foresight. He’s looked into this place we’re meeting at. It’s safe until he can find a way to hide all of us out there in the world.” When she still looked stubborn, I added, “This is what he does. He’s hidden others. He’s hidden himself! He knows what he’s doing.”
“He’s hidden a few people at a time, Adrian,” she said calmly. “Never more than a dozen. That’s not going to be easy, and it’ll be a while before he can split them up. Those people fresh from solitary can’t be on their own! They need guidance, not just a place to hide. He’s got his work cut out for them, and I’m a liability.”
Across the parking lot, I saw the Prius pull out. I knew where the rendezvous spot was, but we needed to follow soon. “Sydney, you’re not a liability. You’re the main reason he pulled off this whole operation and rescued them.”
“And now I’m endangering them.” She looked at me, her brown eyes so earnest as the setting sun illuminated her. “Adrian, you heard Sheridan. I’m their target now. If they get even a hint of my whereabouts, the Alchemists are going to throw everything they’ve got at me—and that’ll put the others at risk if I’m with them. It’s safer for them if you and I head out on our own. We’ll have an easier time disappearing if it’s just you and me anyway.”
Now that was a compelling argument, far more than the safety of the others. That wasn’t to say I was a cold-hearted bastard who didn’t care about them—because I did. I hated what they’d been through. But my first and most important priority had always been Sydney, and there was something to be said for two people disappearing instead of twenty. The question was, did having a sound plan offset the numbers? Because right now, a plan was the one thing we were missing.
“Where do you propose we go?” I asked at last.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “First we just need to put some distance between us and this hellhole. I’ll have to think on where the safest place would be—inside or outside of the United States. And I’m not saying we won’t ever get Marcus’s help again. We might very well need it. But splitting off might mean the Alchemists chase us instead of him.”
“You want that?” I asked incredulously.
“No, of course not. I don’t want them to follow any of us. But if they do, I have faith that you and I can lose them easier than the others.” She frowned in thought. “Okay, you get us on the road, and let me see your phone.” I handed it over and pulled out onto the road, more than glad to be getting away from this place. “Where was he taking them?” she asked.
“South. Toward Mexico, though we planned to meet up with each other again about an hour from Death Valley. He didn’t know if he was going to cross the border or not, but there was a place near it he was going to hide out.”