"Mack." Kane's voice was quiet. Calm. "She told us where he was. Let's go."
They ignored the clerk trying to wave them away from the door marked emergency exit only and pushed their way through. Lucas fell in behind them as they burst out onto the street and into the middle of a crowd. Traffic was backed up and snarling, horns blaring and fingers gesturing obscenely as Ethan kept the Cadillac blocking the lane right off the back door.
Mack and Kane half carried Jaimie as she coughed blood onto the sidewalk. Javier burst through the crowd on his skateboard just as Lucas whirled to face the threat coming up behind him. The skateboarder flashed past Jaimie as Mack simply leaned down and shouldered her, sprinting for the vehicle. Javier kept going and someone in the crowd screamed, hands up in the air as blood sprayed over them. A man stumbled and went down, still clutching his unfired weapon in his hand.
Lucas ran to the downed man. "Call nine-one-one! He's hurt. Does someone have a cell phone?" As a precaution, he pushed the gun away from the limp hand with his elbow, although Javier never missed. His practiced hands went through pockets, Lucas's body hiding the movement. He came up empty just as he knew he would.
Javier was long gone, lost in the crowd, and Ethan stuck his finger out the window, flipping off the angry drivers behind him, and then put his foot on the gas, taking them out of there.
"He was walking toward me," the man covered in blood said. "Then he just coughed and looked at me and fell. You don't think he's got some kind of disease, do you?"
Lucas jumped back away from the body. "I don't know, man. He could have come off a freighter. I'm going to wash my hands."
A siren shrieked in the distance as the circle of people moved back from the slain man. No one had seen what happened, but then, Lucas really hadn't expected any wit nesses. No one had thought a thing of the teen with his skateboard, weaving in and out of the crowd. He backed off more, allowing the talk to swirl around him, and then he simply did what GhostWalkers did best: He disappeared.
CHAPTER 7
"Okay, honey, you're scaring the hell out of me. You've got to wake up for me."
Mack's voice penetrated the layer of pain Jaimie seemed to be drowning in. Her lashes fluttered, but she couldn't quite pry her swollen lids open. Every inch of her head hurt, even her teeth. She detested psychic overloads.
She moistened her dry mouth, ignoring the metallic taste of blood. "Go away." Because she wasn't getting up, not even to hear his voice again.
"Thank God, Jaimie." Relief poured into Mack's voice. "I was about to call for help. Open your eyes."
She swallowed a protest. "What part of 'go away' didn't you understand?" She didn't dare move. Not any part of her body. Certainly not her head.
Top, looks like you're about to have company, Gideon reported. Big son of a bitch. Looks like a model. Really good-looking. There's something about the way he moves . . . There was speculation in Gideon's voice.
Mack signaled to Kane as he slipped a gun out and positioned himself in front of Jaimie's bed. Kane slipped across the room, standing to one side of the window to peer down at the street. Ethan disappeared entirely.
"Jaimie's persistent assistant," he said. "Javier is coming up on him."
Watch yourself, Javier, Gideon cautioned. He knows he's being watched, Gideon added. Boss, you're going to think I'm crazy, but I swear he moves like Superman. I think he's the one watching Jaimie. And that shot yesterday? The winds were ferocious. I had a good angle, but he didn't. To make a shot like that, only a handful of people in the world could do that. If it's him, and I think it is, he's good, Mack.
I don't think you're crazy, Gideon. Javier, don't approach him. Keep moving.
You're taking my fun away.
Kane swore under his breath. "Javier just buzzed by him, doing a few showy tricks. He's got four other kids with him. Jaimie's little friend watched them every step of the way. Never took his eyes off of them. He's not going to be easy, Mack."
Javier, stop playing with fire. That man's the real deal. I need you to get back here in a few when it's safe.
Javier snorted. I can take him, Top. You give the word.
You'll stand down.
Waiting for orders as always, came the prompt reply.
Mack snorted. Javier did whatever the hell he wanted to do and then grinned at Mack sheepishly while Mack lectured him. I need you on the computer telling me everything you can about this guy. I don't want the bullshit cover story. I want his real identity and who sent him.
Can I come in behind him and use Jaimie's sweet equipment? Javier sounded eager.
Only if you don't mind if she gets mad at you for touching her babies, Mack said.
"At the door, Mack," Kane reported.
On cue the fog horn blared. Mack stabbed his finger on the intercom. "Yes?"
"I want to see her. Jaimie. I want to see her."
"She told you to take the day off." Mack didn't pretend to be oblivious of the man's identity. What was the point?
"Yeah, well, it's me or the cops. I want to see her for myself and if you think I'm bluffing, try me."
He saw us getting her into the car somehow, Kane sent telepathically. He knows she's hurt, probably had a scope on us and saw the blood as we carried her. You'd want to do the same, get a visual checkup. The guy has balls, Mack.
Yeah, well, he'd better watch that he doesn't get them whacked off. "Come on up, then," Mack invited into the intercom and waved Kane over to the door. "But come up unarmed."
"I don't need weapons," Joe said, his voice utterly calm.
Kane flashed Mack a grin. "You got to hand it to the guy." There was admiration in his voice. "He knows he's walking into the lion's den."
"He won't come without a weapon." Mack made it a statement.
"No, he won't," Kane agreed.
Mack put himself in front of Jaimie, reaching down for a moment to wipe strands of hair from her face. She appeared to be sleeping again. He was terrified of her slipping into unconsciousness and then a coma. Bleeding on the brain often occurred with psychic overload and more than one death had resulted. His heart beat too fast and he was edgy as hell, not the perfect time for her friend to show up.
The man was arrogant enough to take the freight lift, not bothering to try to surprise them by silently creeping up the stairs. He stepped out of the elevator looking down the barrel of both guns without so much as blinking.
"Search him," Mack said to Kane.
Joe shook his head. "Not a good idea to put your hands on me. I've got a dead man's switch and you come near me, or m
ake a move for Jaimie, and we all go up." He smiled and there was amusement in his black eyes as they glittered at Mack. "Just to let you know, I don't bluff."
"I don't guess you do," Mack said without lowering his weapon. "You take out the bogey on the roof?"
"I think your man and I hit him at the same time."
"Nice shot." Mack gave credit where it was due.
"Thanks. I don't miss what I'm aiming at."
"You want to tell me what you want with Jaimie?"
"You're the one standing over her with a gun. She looks in bad shape. You tell me who you are and what you're doing here."
"You can find out about us the hard way, just like we're doing with you," Mack said. "You think I'm going to hand it to you?"
"This is going to be a damn long day and she could be in real trouble," Joe pointed out.
"She's my family." My everything. Mack didn't say it aloud, but he might as well have, with the gruff voice he used.
Those black eyes studied him. "I look out for her. Step aside and let me see to her. I have medical training," Joe added.
He'll have to let go of the switch, Kane pointed out.
True, but he'll be next to Jaimie. If he's an assassin . . .
Joe sighed. "Keep the gun to my head. Let me take a look at her."
Mack stepped aside. "I'll kill you without hesitation if you even look like you're going to harm her."
Joe's eyebrow went up. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you." He walked straight across the floor to the bedside, turning his back on Kane without hesitation.
Cocky bastard, Kane observed.
Joe knelt down beside Jaimie, his back to both of them. They knew it had to take courage to do it, but the man ran his hands gently over her face. "Hey, sweetheart, can you open your eyes for me? I need to look into them. I want to hear you talk." He glanced over his shoulder at Mack. "Has she talked? Slurred her words?"
"She told me to go away and let her sleep," Mack admitted, "so she knew what was going on, and no, she didn't slur her words. But she's in pain. She was moaning up until a few minutes ago."
Sweetheart? Who the hell does he think he is, calling Jaimie sweetheart? he demanded of Kane.
Noticed that, did you? Kane shook his head. Let it go, Mack. He's worried about her. She always was more sensitive than the rest of us to violent energy, and someone died back there.