I was nothing if not thorough in my life and my work.
Which is exactly why I had a hired team watching over Quinn's every move the moment she would step through the hotel doors outside the car. She cast me a flash of concern but none of it was for herself.
"Remind me you are bulletproof."
"I'm bulletproof." I confirmed with a slow smile.
She nodded and cast a wary look outside the tinted window as if assailants would suddenly descend. I placed a hand over hers and caught her attention. When she opened her hand I slipped a platinum card into it.
"Anything you need." I nodded down to it.
"I need a call from you as soon as you can–or I'm taking the jet." She threatened.
I chuckled and opened the door to step into the humid air. I moved swiftly to her side and opened it. She slipped her ray bans over her eyes and refused to take her eyes off me.
"I'm quite fond of you, Fletcher." She deadpanned. "Make sure your work goes well."
I dipped close to her suddenly and felt the shudder before my lips came near her ear.
"You realise you just asked me to kill mortals faster, yes?" I murmured.
She didn't back down. She pulled a hand up to the back of my neck surprising and freezing me in place to kiss the side of my cheek. The fire that ripped through me was indescribable but so was the feeling of elation. A strange electric cocktail of bright energy. She drew back without another word and walked off in the direction of the lobby doors. A man opened them to her with a nod.
I shook myself out of the stupor and slipped back into the dark vehicle.
I uploaded the blue GPS signal to the driver and we raced through the hot darkening streets for the immortal. The city had changed much and not at all in the years passed. Animals still carted goods and people but smart phones and fast cars dotted around the streets. A strange collision of sudden capitalism and the old ways struggling for purchase amount the people.
The sun had dropped beneath the buildings when we arrived in the run down edges of the city. No mortal in their right mind walked alone in these streets. Would never dare to drive through in a car like this. But I was no mortal.
I thanked the driver with a murmur and stepped out into the warm night. A few distant street lights flicked in dusty orange. I heard the rattle of music in apartments above. Voices whispered in rushed Hindi. I smiled as the mortals decided whether or not they would use the broken bottle to attempt a robbery.
I walked with quick strides and crossed the street blocking out their indecision.
A shop with neon blue glowed offering second hand electronics. A drunk slurred and spat outside it before saluting my shadow with the bottle. The earlier whispers drew closer. I sighed through my nose hoping they would leave me to find the Paragon member in peace.
But before I could whirl on them I heard a snap.
I watched a body drop to the ground crossing the road mid stride. His companion screamed and stumbled away from the shadow that lowered his hands.
"Road accidents are known to be bad in this country." A male voice drawled.
"William." I noted, watching in disgust as he flexed his gloved fingers and stepped over the dead mortal like a sack of grain fell in his path. "Let's not make this any more difficult than it needs to be." I almost growled.
"I happen to speak the common tongue here. They wished to–"
"I speak it well enough." I interrupted in Hindi.
A savage grin tore from his dark beard. It was finely cut. As was his hair. As was his suit. He emerged from the shadows with an almost black set of eyes. The only immortal trait prominent was the ring of gold.
"Finally, a worthy assistant."
I did not bother to satisfy him by looking offended at the title. "I'm not here for your company. Please, to business." I pressed in a cold tone. His grin did not diminish.
"Oh, I grow fond of you by the moment." He uttered, crossing the road to walk ahead of me and lead us down a darker alley between shops. A few rapid heartbeats of rats scuttled away. I stalked behind him silently.
We dropped down a set of stairs midway and he opened a metal door with a set of keys. Within was a small armoury. A map splayed on a table and several screens on the wall. I cast my eyes around unimpressed.
"I can't imagine how you faired before technology." I stated dryly.
"I did not need to wait long." He quipped with a knowing smile. That meant he was turned after my time. Perhaps he was hardly a few decades younger–yet he conducted himself with arrogance and condescension. Perhaps he was French...
"We've been assigned an extraction." He interrupted my thoughts.
"To whom?" I stated.
The screens flicked on and glowed with rows of intelligence and information about one man. A presidential candidate for the next election. I knew his face. The one contender and set to win. A true people's man. Rags to riches and with some highly controversial opinions on the country's future.
"In one week the results for the next President come in. Unfortunately they will come in default if we do not act tonight. The front runner has been captured and held under the pubic eye. All of his moves–his sudden resignation from politics–will roll out soon and this cannot happen."
"Let me guess..." I drawled, leaning against the table and crossing my arms. The cool metal of the weapons pressed into my shirt. "–this is outside manipulation from another very powerful country who would like to keep the current political affairs going a bit longer."
That vicious grin reappeared on William's face and he pointed a finger at me.
"She speaks the language and connects dots. How wonderful."
The low growl did leave my throat this time and his expression melted into innocence. "Now, now. I do jest in good nature–"
"Do you enjoy the sound of your own voice? Or can we just get on with it." I murmured, edging my fingers closer to the weapon. It would not kill him but it would be satisfying to watch the bullet casing bounce off.
He turned to the weapons under the flickering glow of LEDs. He went straight for a fully automatic submachine gun and I rolled my eyes out of my head. Laser sights, holographic sight, extended clips...
"Take what you need." He stated over his shoulder with an amused smile.
"That's okay. I only need one bullet to silence a mortal." I retorted in heavy implication as he loaded a fifty round magazine into his gun with a snap. That did however cut under that cool demeanour and make a challenge glint in his eyes.
"I suppose we shall see Miss..."
I ignored his request for my name again and moved for the laptop with the satellite info. I scanned the area–no the compound. It's no wonder they wanted a bulletproof extraction. No mortal team would escape this without serious tolls. Then there was the small detail that we were affiliated to no one. No government could be blamed for what we did. So we worked in the darkness to keep the unknowing world shining.
"Two clicks away. Would you prefer a car or a run?"
I turned to him slowly and tilted my head. "Depends if you can keep up."
His returning smile promised me that this would be the race I wanted to the target. If I could goad the immortal into speed all night I would. Anything to get me back to her faster.
* * * * *
It started silently. It ended bloodily.
We had vaulted inside the compound with little effort and removed guards in the night with silenced shots. When enough bodies fell and the radios became silent the mortals became aware. But all too late. Dozens fell under our unforgiving accuracy. The mortal couldn't even make it to the alarm before he took a bullet to the back of the head.
We breached every heavy door before us with a simple kick. Moving faster. Lower underground. Pieces of bullet bounced off our skin like sawdust. Only holes in our clothes gave anything away. I snarled when a mortal's gun fired off after he dropped to the ground and holes riddled my jacket. William sniggered.
I shouldered past him in a storm of speed and efficiency. I took no pleasure in the spilt blood. Only moving to step closer to our goal so I could be rid of him. Until the final kick presented us with a bound mortal and a white sack over his head. I ripped it back and confirmed his identity before knocking him out and throwing him over my shoulder. I took up a long stride with William back up the way we had come.
It was a brutal and effective dance with death.
Any remaining guards that hid and tried to ambush us in the shadows were hopelessly outmatched and William often took the time to show them as much. His methods made my teeth grind. When a final mortal tried to lash into his neck with a blade he let the blade bounce off his skin. It severed his silk tie. His eyes dropped down to it slowly before ripping the guard off his feet and tearing out his throat with his teeth.
The hot red splashed over his suit and he sucked in a mouthful grinning through red teeth. I grit my own as they lengthened but it was nothing next to the pure, impossible scent of Quinn Adams. It could have covered me and I would still be restrained.
Unfortunately my partner showed no such restraint.
We leapt over the compound fence and found more were waiting with guns propped on SUVs. I snarled and spun so my back took a number of bullets and protected the mortal I hunched over. William roared and let his full speed show. None would walk from this.
His fist crippled the front of the first car and he launched it into the other shooters while pulling his gun out with his free hand and cutting them down. When his bullets ran dry his mouth became the next line. I did not care to stand and watch the massacre.
I yanked open the door of a non-destroyed SUV and flung the mortal in. Then took the driver seat and hot wired the old vehicle. It took a few tries and finally groaned to life. I flicked the lights off and reversed quickly before spinning the car around. I did not bother to wait for him. I rushed down the dark roads with the mortal unconscious in the seats. It only took a few minutes.
Then I heard a dull thud on the roof. I sighed.
William opened the passenger door from the roof and flung himself in like it was all a part of the plan. He kicked his bloody shoes onto the dash and started licking his fingers. I tried not to look too disgusted in the darkness.
"Are we in a hurry to be somewhere?" He quipped, sucking another finger.
I clenched the steering wheel tighter.
"Where is he to be dropped?" I asked simply.
"Dump him outside the embassy. They have people waiting for him." He drawled, leaning back further into the seat. Then he suddenly cast me a curious look. "I was planning on dinner... Perhaps you would like to join me?"
My lip twitched and I resisted the urge not to set the handbrake on to watch him fly out the windshield. But that would cost me time away from Quinn and potentially a fight with an immortal. I sighed through my teeth.
"I have arrangements."
His smile twisted and he nodded. "A shame. It's not often we share the company of exquisite immortals these days." He sighed.
"I am not exquisite. I am exasperated."
He laughed loudly and lolled his head out the window like a dog. I threw him a disgusted look.
"Was subtly too great of an art for you?" I snapped, glancing around as the streets grew more busy and populated. only a few bullet holes riddled the SUV. It would pass.
"Come now, immortal. You and I could be fast friends if you only allow it!" He called over the winds before dragging his head back inside. His well kept hair was now blown back.
I slammed the breaks hard and his nose smashed into–through the dash. His amusement quickly melted into something much better. Annoyance. I finally smiled and resumed our speed again. The embassy was minutes away.
"It would seem like you need to be somewhere." He muttered, patting down his suit.
"I have arrangements." I repeated flatly.
He snorted and wafted his hand before us. "Don't we all immortal. Don't we all." He finished darkly.
I checked the mortal in the back seat. Still alive. No bullet wounds. My part was played. Let it be another ten years before they come and find me. I punched the acceleration harder and took us to the extraction point.