Kade looked somewhat abashed. “Sorry, man. Okay, let’s finish this.”
“How’re you—” Blane started, but Kade interrupted.
“Péng, you’re really irritating me now, and that’s hard to do.” He paused and scrunched up his face a little. “Well, actually, it’s not hard to do as I’m not really known for being a patient kind of guy. But I do have this one thing, call it a ‘hot-button’ issue for me.” He used quotey fingers for hot-button.
“Really?” Péng asked. “Do tell.”
Kade’s voice turned to ice. “It’s pointing a fucking gun at my brother, dickhead. Now, Terrance.”
Barely had Blane processed the words before the entire rock wall directly behind Péng blew up. Kade tackled him to the ground as bits of rock and debris, along with other bloody bits he didn’t want to consider, rained down on them. Smoke and rock dust clouded the room and it took a few moments for things to settle.
“Off,” Blane said, coughing at the dust in his mouth and nose. His little brother had shielded him from harm. Why didn’t Blane just hand over his fucking man card. It should be the other way around—Blane protecting Kade, though it sounded like Kade needed more protection from himself than anything else.
“Nice work,” Kade complimented Terrance as they all got to their feet. “And fast.”
Terrance shrugged. “Just following orders.”
Blane looked at Kade. “When did you…”
Kade stared innocently back. “When did I what?”
Blane held up a hand. “You know what? Never mind. Forget it. I don’t want to know. Let’s just get out of here.”
They left out the front doors, one of which was hanging slightly askew from the blast. If the explosion had been overheard, there wasn’t a way to tell. No one was running to help and no sirens sounded in the distance.
“Hey! Guys!”
Mannie was calling to them. He and Liz were standing by a cab. In a moment, Blane, Kade, and Terrance had approached.
“Did you see that?” Mannie gushed. “There was like this huge explosion and I thought for sure you guys were goners, but then out you come through the doors like you’re fucking Bruce Willis or some shit like that. Cool!”
“Mannie, I thought you were going to get Liz to the hospital?” Kade asked. “You just been standing out here?”
Mannie looked hurt. “I didn’t just wanna leave you guys, you know? Not without making sure you were okay.”
Kade rolled his eyes. “Please. Was there any doubt?”
All three men turned to look at him.
Kade cleared his throat. “Okay, so anyway, I can take her to the hospital.”
“No,” Liz said, tightening her grip on Mannie’s arm and sliding closer to him. “I want him to take me.” She looked down at him, her face softening. “He saved me.”
“He saved you?” Kade said, sounding insulted. “I was the one who—”
“Let’s get you guys a cab,” Blane interrupted. Liz was looking at Mannie as though he were a seven foot tall knight in shining armor. It was kind of sweet.
Terrance flagged down a passing taxi and Mannie and Liz got inside. She was clinging to him like a vine and Mannie didn’t seem to mind one little bit. Terrance slammed the door shut, but just as the cab was about to pull away, Mannie leaned out the window.
“I haven’t forgotten about that audition, Kade!” he yelled. “You owe me!” Then they were gone, speeding down the road.
Terrance looked at Kade. “What audition?”
“Don’t ask.”
Terrance shrugged. “Whatever.” He held out a hand to Kade. “Nice working with you, man.”
“Ditto,” Kade said. “If you’re in the market, I might be in touch.”
“Sounds good.” He turned to Blane. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
Flagging down another cab, Terrance climbed in. A moment later, Blane and Kade were left alone in the lot.
“Now what?” Blane asked.
Kade sighed. “Now we’re done. Girls are safe, Péng is dead and so is Raymond. There’s no one left to connect me to the device, so all’s well that ends well.” He gave Blane a crooked smile.
“I don’t know if I’d say this ended well,” Blane replied dryly. “And we still don’t know where that thing is. Are you sure you can’t think of where you would have hidden it?”
“No clue.”
The warm evening breeze brushed over them and Blane tipped his head back to look at the stars, except very few could be seen. The lights of the city were just too bright.
“I’m starving and I want a shower,” he said.
“Sounds like a plan.”
A few minutes later they were ensconced in a cab heading back to the MGM. Traffic was heavy and Kade had leaned his head back against the seat, his eyes shut. Blane thought he might be sleeping. That sounded good. He was exhausted. But they both couldn’t sleep at the same time without either of them being awake and aware, so he stayed alert, watching the people and scenery go by.