He held up his hand. “You also didn’t use any sort of experimental magic. That bullshit lie was obvious. The fire didn’t burn your skin. That’s not possible, that I know of. Not just that, but the way you handled that aswang speaks of a completely different magical person than I typically employ. You’re not like them. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. I long suspected that, but now I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I don’t know what you are, Reagan Somerset, but I know it’s more than a leather-clad woman with a fanny pack and no eyebrows.”
I groaned. “For the last time, it is a pouch, not a fanny pack. How come no one sees the difference?”
“There is no difference. That’s why no one can see it. Anyway, we’ll table the issue of your unique powers for now.” He pushed forward the red card. “You know what this is, and why you’re getting it.”
“Because I punched my hero in the nose, yeah. Some bitch I am.”
“Yes, some bitch is right. Garret is a twerp most times, so I get the feud. Regardless, it was completely out of line. As you know, I’ve raised your tally to five red cards. Most people only get three.”
“Yep.”
“Usually, we allow an employee to lose a red card after a clean year of service. You’ve received all five in two months.”
“But it’s been three weeks since the last one. I’d say that’s progress.”
“Are you trying to talk yourself back into the job?”
“Nope.” I shook my head. “I’m just pointing out my awesomeness.”
“Garret has two red cards on file. He’s gotten three in the six years he’s worked here. The first was in his first year for hot-dogging. The second—”
“Let me just stop you right there to express how much I honestly do not care.”
His eyes twinkled and the corner of his mouth tweaked into a half-smile. “Be that as it may, my point is that Garret is the next highest red card holder, and that is largely because of you.”
“I’m inspiring.”
“Something like that, yes.” The captain picked up the red card. “Despite your affinity for collecting these, most people don’t cross the hard lines easily. It takes willful disobedience. I, myself, collected four in my tenure on that side of the desk.” He pointed at the chair I was sitting in. “That was in four years. I was great at what I did, but I was unruly.”
“I hope this doesn’t turn into a job offer.”
He shook his head and flung the red card across the desk so that it landed right in front of me. “Eventually, it probably will.” He tapped the white sheet of paper. “This is a pardon for all five red cards. A full pardon. Not increasing your number, like last time, but wiping them out altogether. This comes from my superior.”
I felt the knot work into my brow. “Why?”
“Because you have extremely powerful friends.” He pushed the sheet across the desk. “I’ll need your signature on both. You know how it goes.”
“So…wait.” I grabbed the piece of paper. “In addition to not losing my job, I also get to start over?”
“I doubt I’ll ever be able to fire you, no matter how often you punch Garret. As I said, you have some powerful friends.”
“That’s absurd. I don’t have any frie—” The words dried up as it hit me. “Darius.”
“Mr. Darius Durant. An extremely influential elder vampire.” The captain nodded slowly. “Since you were hired, he’s made this office his project. He has no real affiliation with us, but his donations and business sense give him the ear of our board. He’s actually helped out in restructuring, which has saved the organization a lot of money. What he wants, he gets. Without anything being written down, it has come to the board’s attention that one of the things he wants is your happiness. That translates into: what Reagan wants, Reagan gets.” The captain held up a hand. “That wasn’t written anywhere, as I said, but that’s what the board has unofficially decreed.”
Anger boiled up my middle. This was going a step too far. I did not need my life messed with on this score. Food in my fridge, laundry, dinner delivered—I didn’t like it, but those things saved me money and aggravation. Sometimes it was even kind of nice. But this? No. This was a level of controlling that did not fly. Not at all.
“Anything else?” I asked with a rough voice.
“Yes.” The captain shifted in his seat. “You used to keep a pretty low profile. I was a little surprised you let me bring you on, to be honest, but you had the paperwork, so fine. But now, after seeing what I’ve seen, and knowing it won’t be long before everyone else sees it, too—you are possibly walking a dangerous line. Possibly, because I don’t know what you’re hiding.” He held up his hands. “And I don’t want to. But you have the attention of a ruthless elder vamp. His type, as a rule, don’t get involved with humans to this degree unless said human is extremely valuable. That means something if nothing else does. Given the contract from that big case you solved for the vampires, you don’t have to work. Not regularly, anyway. I can’t fire you, Reagan, but I’d strongly suggest you think about whether this job is really the right place for you.”
I stared at him for a moment, speechless. “But then Garret would win,” I blurted.
The captain laughed and shook his head. “I think you have bigger things on your plate than worrying about your feud with Garret.”
“Yeah, but none quite so infuriating.” Though Darius was starting to get close.
Purposefully, I lifted the piece of paper and ripped it in two before flicking the red card back at him.
“So you quit, then?” he asked.
“No. I got fired because I earned the final red card allowed me.” I stood and moved toward the door.
“What are you going to do now?” the captain asked.
“Right now, I will attempt to kick this bitch down.” I gleefully faced off with the door. “After, who’s to say?”
Anger sped up my heart and rushed through my body. I kicked his door. The metal bent. I kicked it again, and a third time, before grabbing the handle and ripping it toward me. It wouldn’t come away. “Damn it, captain. Good call on this door.”
“You almost got it.”
Panting, because it was hard work, I kept going. I looked like a complete idiot, but this was going to happen. I anticipated the sweet rush of kicking a door open.
“It would probably be easier from the other side, you know,” the captain said. Very helpful, the captain.
“I got it.” I kicked again, this time near the hinges. Metal squealed. After the next kick, it groaned. “Screw you, door!”
“It’s the vampire you should be taking your aggression out on, not the door, but you’ll get there. With age brings wisdom.”
A bit nosy, too, the captain.
I jump-kicked, putting all my power behind it. Finally, the thing bowed in. Like a ruler bent too far, it snapped.
“Ha! There was wood on the inside.”
“Normal people wouldn’t be able to kick down that door, you know. The salesperson was very clear on that. Hence the subject of this entire meeting.”
“Don’t talk logic now, captain. It’s too late.” I yanked on the handle. The metal knob came off in my hand. I grabbed the side where it bowed away from the frame and ripped. Finally, it pulled free, launching toward me.