Rise & Fall (THIRDS 4)

“Forget it, Daley. If you’re determined to play John McClane, I’m going to be there to make sure you don’t lose your fucking shoes.”

Dex held back a smile as he started the ignition. “Actually, John McClane didn’t lose his shoes, he took them off.”

“Don’t correct me.”

“But you’re wrong.”

“Not about you being a pain in my ass,” Ash growled.

Dex opened his mouth, and Ash jabbed a finger at him. “I hear one sexual innuendo come out of your mouth, and I swear you won’t have to worry about Hogan because I’ll kill you myself. Now get me up to speed.”

“What makes you think I have anything?”

“Because if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be on Destructive Delta. I saw you drop that dude off at HQ. Now stop dicking around and fill me in.”

“Okay. Fine. Where am I dropping you off?”

“Home. I followed you in a cab.”

“How cliché.”

“Fuck off. I’m not supposed to be driving yet. Fucking Therian meds are bullshit. It’s like they’re purposefully trying to tranquilize us or something.”

Dex rolled his eyes. It was true Therian medicine had a ways to go and a good deal of cures were still under development, but he hardly thought a bunch of painkillers were out to tranq them. As they headed north in the direction of Ash’s apartment, Dex brought Ash up to speed, telling him everything he’d done up to this point without filling him in on where he was working from. If Ash decided to rat him out to Sloane, the last thing he needed was either of them showing up at Clove Catering. Lou would have a fucking heart attack. He’d need to be extra vigilant from now on knowing Ash was spying on him.

“I gotta say, I’m pretty impressed.”

Dex shot him a glance. “But…?”

“No but. Good work.”

“Maybe I should pull over. I feel kind of faint.”

Ash actually chuckled. Well, today was just full of surprises. He’d turned onto FDR Drive when his phone rang. He tapped the Bluetooth button on his steering wheel to answer.

“Daley here.”

“It’s me.”

“Austen. Just the guy I wanted to talk to.”

“Aw, I feel loved.”

Not touching that. It would be like waving a red flag in front of a horny bull. “According to Perry, Jackson’s in the wind. Got himself a new name and is heading for Cali.”

“I’ll have confirmation by tonight. Now it’s my turn. I found you a lead.”

“Fucking ace. What is it?”

“It’s going to take some reconnaissance. Keeler, you up for it?”

Dex and Ash exchanged glances. “How’d you know Ash was with me?”

“It’s what I do, baby. Ash, Sweet Cheeks, how’s it hanging?”

Dex burst into laughter while Ash rolled his eyes and answered in his usual pleasant growl. “Get on with it.”

“Okay, we have a way to possibly get to Hogan. He’s got a new second-in-command. Drew Collins. To get to Collins, we’ve got to get to Collins’s boyfriend, Felipe Bautista. But you’re going to need help.”