“Okay,” Owen says, “Let’s see this film.”
Casper remotely starts the footage. Quinn has already seen it and instead watches Astrid. Her arms are crossed defensively. Owen watches the video with rapt interest, elbows propped on his knees. It’s not until the part at the end where she’s in the car with the bodyguard laughing that he straightens up and says, “Wait, were you flirting with that guy?”
“No.” Astrid scowls. “And what the hell, Cas? Stop being a buggy little pervert.”
The video stops. Casper says, “Look, I’m not going to lie. I’ve got every camera on public property rigged so that I can keep track of the city. I have photo recognition running on you guys, Kincade, Demetria, Jensen, and any of their known associates. I’m not being perverted. I’m being smart. It’s my job to watch, to wait, and to listen.”
“I agree it’s intrusive,” Quinn says. “But right now, with things so tense, it’s important we take every precaution. We’ve had a few death threats and the attempt at Owen’s house. Someone has to keep an eye on us when we’re out on the street.”
“Are you ready to hear my side of it now?” she asks.
“Yep. Go for it,” Owen says, leaning back in his seat.
“You saw how they cornered me. And you also saw how big that guy was. There was no getting past him, and when he said Demetria wanted to talk to me, I was curious.” She shoves her hands in the front pocket of the hoodie. “First of all, Quinn, you were right. Girlfriend lives in a straight-up fairytale. You wouldn’t believe her office. It’s like a rainbow-unicorn-fairy vomited in there and then coated the entire place in glitter.”
He can’t help but laugh. “Sounds about right.”
“She’s batshit, but I’m not sure she’s a lost cause. I told her about Kincade and what he wants us to do for him. We agreed to work together.”
“Excuse me?” Owen asks. “You did what?”
“We made an agreement,” she says. “We’ll keep the Swamp safe, help her prove he’s trying to steal her properties on the Harbor Line, and she’ll get Kincade off our back.”
“And what do we get?” Casper asks.
There’s a pause. The slightest hesitation. Her eyes flick between us. “She said she’d back off. Let us do our business and she’ll keep the crazy on a moderate level. No more Pixie Dust or attempts to fleece the rich like at the gala.”
Quinn can’t help but push. “Anything else?”
“She’ll stay away from you. All of you. No more of this Lost Boy shit.”
“While I appreciate you negotiating for us, there’s a huge problem here. You’ve got to commit to being more open with communication—like immediately. No more secret meetings or making deals without everyone involved.” Quinn settles his eyes on Astrid, knowing he’s being harsh and acting like an authoritarian dick, but risking her life isn’t acceptable. “Trust is the only way this team is going to work. The only, fucking, way.”
“Got it, boss,” Owen says. Quinn checks his expression for sarcasm but there is none. He seems to agree completely.
Astrid sighs. “I made a call. I don’t regret it, but I could have looped you in faster.”
“Aww,” Casper says. “You guys should hug it out. Like, really squeeze the shit out of her.”
“Shut up, Goblin,” Quinn says. “Or I’ll mute you.”
“I’ll override it.”
He opens his mouth to retort but a blip sounds from the computer and an aerial map pops up in the corner. It’s a city map, and from a quick glance it looks to be the Harbor Line. Red circles one of the buildings. “Not another fire,” Owen says with a groan.
“Not yet,” Casper says. “I put cameras on all of Demetria’s holdings to keep us ahead of Kincade. This is an abandoned school WIND-E has slated to revitalize as a charter school for the area. My alarm triggers if someone is inside. That one has been going off for the last hour. I think it’s just a bunch of kids tagging the walls or something. But it won’t hurt to suit up and head down there.”
“Sounds good,” Astrid says, already out of her chair. Owen has already moved to the changing room. Quinn reaches for her hand and holds her back.
“Are we okay?”
She nods. “I know you’re just being protective. It’s your nature.”
“You do?”
“I can smell it on you, Quinn. I have since day one. It’s comforting.” She smiles. “And a huge pain in the ass.”
She pushes up on her toes, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before going to change. Following her, Quinn notes the irony in the fact that for all of his worries, she’s the one that steadies him.
Chapter Twenty-four
Astrid
“Great, an abandoned school. Nothing can go wrong here.”
“Scared?” Quinn asks Owen.
“No, I’m not scared,” he replies, “But if something is going to go wrong, it’s in that building. Every horror movie ever told me so.”
Astrid has also seen enough episodes of The X-Files and Supernatural to know he’s right. The dark, broken windows. The chain link over the front door, cut down the middle so people can sneak in and out. Abandoned school is high on the list of terrifying locations, third down the list from an asylum and theme park.
The building is historic, which gives it an even spookier feel. Two stories with a large brick stairway leading to the front door. The windows are huge and during the daytime probably provide a lot of light. Unfortunately, it’s almost midnight and there’s no moon overhead. Owen and Quinn carry flashlights attached to their jackets. Astrid has a small one but with her enhanced eyesight she has no problem seeing.
“Casper’s right,” she says. “It’s probably just a kid’s tagging walls.”
“Thank you, Astrid,” Casper says over the com.
“And it’s dangerous for them to be in here so we should flush them out,” she adds. “Split up?”
Owen shakes his head. “You’re determined to set off the horror movie gods aren’t you? Thank god none of us are still a virgin.”
“What?” Quinn asks.
“In a horror movie, the virgin is always the first to get killed,” he says, smirking at Quinn. “Although it’s probably a good thing Casper isn’t actually here.”
“Hey!” he shouts, blasting their ears. Astrid winces and holds her hand to her ear.
“Don’t do that ever again,” she says to Casper. Then shoots Owen a glare. “And you’re not funny and your punishment for not being funny is to go first.”
Quinn holds back the chain link fence so Owen can slip through. She follows and runs up the steps and into the lobby of the old building. Offices sit on both sides along with long-empty trophy cases. A few murals are still visible beneath the peeling paint. Astrid never went to school. Neither did the others. It’s like walking into a relic of time.
“Crescent City Cavaliers,” Owen reads. The words and mascot are painted on the wall.
Ancient signs hang on the wall. Old but probably still accurate. She points. “Owen, take the hall to the right. Quinn, left. I’ll hit the library and gym.”
“That sounds really stupid,” Owen says. The tense lines on Quinn’s forehead says he agrees.
“Casper?” she asks, “Can you see us? Any concerns?”
“Nope. I’m not even getting any heat sensors other than you guys, but if you stay out of the cafeteria and avoid the ghost of mystery meat stew, you’ll be fine.”
Owen mutters a curse under his breath but heads off.
Quinn leans over and kisses her forehead for luck and does the same.
As their footsteps fade, she opens the door to the library. The books are long gone although the furnishings never were removed. A few sagging posters and faded bulletin boards still cling to the wall. The smell of chemicals hits her nose. Fresh.
“I’m scenting something,” she tells Casper. “Toxic.”
“Spray paint?” he asks. It’s logical. “If they’re tagging inside with no ventilation, then it’s going to get pretty smelly in there.”