Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 34 - Rook Takes Knight - IV

  "I was an asshole," Jeremy said more firmly. "I'm gonna make sure your daughter comes out of this. You keep her safe." Both of 'em. Or the same one twice. Fuck, I don't know. Whatever you want to call 'em.

  "...Thank you," said Thomas. Jeremy nodded, then sprinted away to join the others. As he ran, Thomas shouted one final question at him, one desperate cry from a confused father. "But which one of you is Wilmore?"

  "She is!" Jeremy shouted back, pointing at Kendra. He got one last glimpse of Thomas' dumbstruck face before he turned to follow Cinza.

  Cinza looked at Jeremy curiously as he caught up, but said nothing. Lani pulled up in a nice-looking car—'cause Lani always has to have the nicest wheels around...—with Makoto already in the passenger seat. Jeremy eyed him, and Makoto got the message right away. He scrambled to the back, and Jeremy sat down next to his partner.

  As soon as Cinza was on board, they shot off onto the narrow London streets. Jeremy sighed as Lani took them smoothly around corners and weaved through traffic like a professional. About time I had a real driver again. Makes me appreciate Jackie even more. I wonder what she's up to right now... Bet she's in even more shit than I am.

  "Two hours after I landed," said Lani, grinning. Jeremy rolled his eyes, but he had to admit he felt better already. "You missed me that much?"

  "You know the bullshit I've been through since you left?" Jeremy groaned.

  "Yeah, Makoto filled me in."

  "Everything happens when you ain't around, Lani," he sighed. "I'm never lettin' you out of my sight again."

  "I got shot with you," he pointed out.

  "Better you than me!"

  Lani laughed. "Where are we headed?"

  "I'm getting a location right now," Cinza reported, phone to her ear. "Nikki's casting the spell again."

  Jeremy frowned, gripping the armrest as the car darted around another corner. Lani was taking them out to a main street, where they could get to any part of the city without too much maneuvering around traffic. "So if distance matters so much with Kendra, how's a girl way back in Rallsburg gettin' locations for someone in fuckin' England?"

  "Knowledge magic doesn't seem to follow that rule," said Lani, twirling the steering wheel beneath his fingers. As motion sick as Jeremy got in helicopters and planes, he didn't feel a thing when Lani drove, for whatever reason. It was strangely comforting to be tossed around by someone he trusted—even if drivin' on the left is fuckin' bizarre. "Nobody knows why."

  "I don't know anythin'," Jeremy grumbled.

  Cinza tapped Makoto on the shoulder, who pulled out his own phone. She rattled off an address, and he soon had navigation open on an app. "Turn left up here," she said.

  Lani took them around the curve easily. "So... we're goin' after Malton," he said.

  ...He's way too fuckin' cheerful. Did Makoto not tell him...? "Kidnapped Lily Laushire," said Jeremy.

  "Wow..." Lani shook his head. "How's Kendra doing?"

  "Blacked out on the plane. We dropped her off with her dad."

  Lani grinned. "You dropped her off personally?"

  "I apologized."

  He glanced over at Jeremy. "No way."

  Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Shut up and drive."

  "Left again up here," said Cinza.

  They sped through the streets, Cinza reading off the directions and Lani taking them in turn. After twenty minutes or so, they got another location update from Nikki to confirm their target hadn't changed. Apparently the girl was getting exhausted from the magic, so they couldn't get too many more, but she was sticking it out as long as she could. Jeremy pulled out his pistol, double-checking the load just in case.

  "Lani, you good?" he asked.

  "Took mine at the gate, as usual," he sighed. Jeremy shook his head in disgust. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the spare he'd packed—way back when he'd set out to visit Kendra at her office.

  He handed the gun over. Lani stuck it into his holster. "Thanks."

  "We're two blocks away," Cinza reported.

  "Pull off here," said Jeremy. Lani did, and they got out. Jeremy shivered again in the winter chill, ducking into an alley and peering out around the corner of the building. The rest of the group piled up behind him, waiting for his next move. "It's that building?" he asked, pointing at a fairly unremarkable grey office building ahead. "You sure?"

  "Nikki saw that exact façade, and the street number," Cinza confirmed. "Lily should be inside, basement level. Two guards plus Riley."

  "Plus... what?" asked Lani, looking around. "They took Riley too?"

  Jeremy shook his head. Jesus... Lani, I'm so sorry... "No, man... Riley took her."

  "Riley... what?" Lani's eyes narrowed. He looked seriously pissed—more than Jeremy had ever seen in their whole partnership. "You're wrong."

  "I really wish I was."

  "You saw her?"

  Makoto put a hand on Lani's shoulder. "Her tracks, her jeep. Straight to the helicopter, and Nikki saw her on the plane."

  "...Maybe Nikki got it wrong," said Lani desperately.

  "She's never wrong," said Cinza softly.

  "Lani," said Jeremy forcefully. Lani glared at him, but didn't say a word. "Riley works for Malton. She took Lily. She lied to you, and lied to all of us too. She's in that buildin' right now. We're about to breach. Are you good?"

  Lani took a deep breath, though his glare didn't subside in the slightest. "...Yeah, I'm good," he said finally.

  Cinza looked at Jeremy, seeking confirmation. Like hell I'm going in there without my partner. Jeremy nodded, and she turned away, satisfied. Jeremy tapped Lani on the shoulder, leaning down next to him. "I'm with you," he murmured. "I got your back, no matter what."

  "...You know I hated being your partner this year?" said Lani quietly.

  "What?"

  "Got assigned to the most famous agent in our whole station, only to find out he's famous for being an asshole who never gets anything done." Lani glanced at him, a weak smile on his face. "Gotta say, they were totally wrong on the second half."

  Jeremy grinned. "That's Special Agent Asshole, motherfucker." He clapped Lani on the back, standing up straight again. "Let's do this."