BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (e book reader txt) 📕

"Are we not?"

She locked eyes with him. "Not yet."

The door clicked as the lock released it, and she helped it slidethe rest of the way open with her foot.

"Good evening, Mrs. Muldoon." Sergeant Armstrong had hishat in his hands, held to his barrel-chest in a quaint gesture, not meaning tointrude. In contrast, the Blackshirts behind him chomped at the bit, eager toget past futile formalities. With their clean-shaven faces and scalps, theylooked straight out of the academy, more than ready for their first big arrest.

"Sergeant." She forced a smile, one as close to pleasantas she could muster. "What brings you out this way tonight?"

His splotchy face contorted, lumps of fat shifting as he smiledand slurred his words in a thick brogue, "Well," he chuckled,"much as I hate to say, it'd be you...and your friend there."He looked past her shoulder at Cade, and his jovial expression faded."Seems he was caught on video destroying some expensive property over atThe Pit this evening. Not long ago, actually."

Cade stared back. Expressionless. Motionless.

Armstrong turned his bloodshot eyes back to Irena, andthe overly warm smile returned. "We'll just need you to come in for alittle while, take care of some things. Mr. Lennox isn't pressing any charges,long as you pay the damages. So that's good news, for your sakes. He's a realgentleman, that one." A dry chuckle. "Said it was all just a bigmisunderstanding."

How could he? He'd vanished beforetheir eyes. Had he returned?

Armstrong stepped forward and took her shoulder in his large hand.He lowered his voice, and there was a cautionary look in his sagging old dog'sgaze.

"So you just come on in now, and we'll get this all takencare of." He looked past her at Cade, who also had stepped forward."Both of you."

Irena glanced back, and in her mind she saw Cade spring intoaction, taking down the Blackshirts with a shower of blood, his blade strikingtoo fast for them to retaliate, their bodies sprawling to lie still in maimeddeath poses. What would happen then? Would Armstrong call for backup? WouldCade have to kill him, too?

Harry trusted this man.

She looked into the police sergeant's eyes. They held a warning,that much she could see. They darted only once toward the Blackshirts, thenreturned to her.

"I'll come with you." She stepped into his arm as it slidacross her back in a protective posture.

"Good, good," he said, chuckling awkwardly and seemingto relax a little. He turned and strode away, escorting her alone down thehall.

"We'll take care of this one, Sergeant," the most eagerof the Blackshirts called after him with menace in his tone.

Irena did not look back.

Cade did not watch her go.

"What do you say, holy man?" the Blackshirtsneered as he strode into the apartment and whipped out his charged prod. Ithissed and crackled down at his side like an electric rattlesnake. The otherthree men crowded in behind him, exchanging looks, their jackboots landingheavily, prods emerging from folds in their long overcoats. "Ready to bejudged?"

Cade looked at the one who spoke, but he did not reply. He did notmove.

"Let's see what he's got under that bathrobe."

They laughed. They mocked him, surrounding him. The prods sparkedwith a fervor matched only by their jeering insults.

"I hear theydon't have anyballs, these monks." Snickering.

"No woman will have 'em."

"So what's he doing with that piece of ass?"

The prod came up under Cade's chin, sparking a millimeter away.

"Tell us, holy man. What does that bitch see in you?"

Cade met the man's derisive stare. "I am herprotector," he said.

"You're doing a real standup job!" They laughed out loud.

The lead Blackshirt frowned and licked his lips, glancing outside."Maybe you missed it, but your fair lady was just taken to headquarters.Some don't come back from that. They'll have her confessing to all kinds ofgod-awful stuff in no time. By morning, she'll have gone throughso many full-cavity searches, she won't be able to sit down for a week!"More raucous laughter. "But as for you...herprotector," he lowered his voice as he pressed against the monk. "We've got something a little more special in store."

Cade inhaled, exhaled. His eyes held no fear, no anxiety, nofight-or-flight response. He was perfectly at ease as they closed in with theirprods extended. They would hit him with everything they had. They would beathim and kick him with their heavy boots. They would strip him and abuse him.But he would not raise a hand against them.

Not until Irena was safely out of the building.

NEWCITY FEDERAL POLICE—TO PROTECT THE RULE OF LAW

The lettering on the black and white sedan caught her eye asSergeant Armstrong palmed the door open.

"If you please." He gestured inside and turned away,heaving his bulk around the front of the vehicle toward the driver's side.

Irena glanced back at the imposing concrete tenement, at thelight on the eighth floor. Cade could take care of himself, she knew. He wouldgo into hiding and contact her when it was safe. She hoped she had been rightto leave him.

"Quiet tonight," she remarked as she buckled on thesafety harness. The vehicle's doors swung shut and locked themselvesautomatically.

Armstrong started the engine and shifted his weight in the seat. It seemed too smallfor him. He left his harness unbuckled, dangling on either side of his broadchest.

"Yeah."He didn't say more than that. The chuckles and smilewere noticeably absent now. He kept his eyes to himself as he pulled away fromthe curb and accelerated onto the empty street.

She looked out the window at the darkness, punctuated by theoccasional streetlamp that stubbornly insisted on flickering. HellTown wasn'thigh on the list for municipal infrastructure improvements. The potholes wereanother sign, difficult to see in the dark despite the squad car's blindingheadlights. Armstrong cursed and apologized as he hit one after another.

"Some things can't be avoided," she said.

He grunted, jerking the steering grips and crossing into theopposite lane to bypass one of the larger asphalt craters. He shook his head,frustrated.

"Aye, that'd be true." He cursed again and apologizedagain as the car was rocked by another hole he hadn't seen in time. "Idon't come out here much, I must