“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes. “Mist woke up, and we were able to follow and watch where you landed. We suspected that something strange was going on. Like Jake says.” She points at the human male. “You didn’t act like an out-of-control rogue dragon overtaken by rage. You went easy on us. You could have killed Jake’s dragon and really hurt Mist, but you didn’t. I went back for Jake, and we came to investigate. We saw them open fire on you after you surrendered.”
“Thank you for coming. Thank you for following your gut and for doing the right thing,” I tell her.
“Any time. I’d better get going. I can’t believe all of this.” She shakes her head. “Do you have any idea what they’re putting in the vaccinations?”
“No,” Drake says. “I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough. We just need to expose those bastards.”
“Okay, then. Let me go and do just that,” Becca says as she walks away. She mounts her dragon.
The male does the same. Then we watch them take off.
“Do you think this friend of yours will be able to restore the memory?” I ask Drake.
“If anyone can do it, it’s Vulcan.” Drake starts walking toward his truck. It’s slow, and he’s limping. “Are you coming?” he asks.
“Where to?” Wren asks.
“The Council buildings,” he tells us, like we’re idiots. “If we hurry, we might still catch Vulcan in action.”
“Yeah…of course,” I mumble.
“You two need a hospital,” Wren says. “You’re both bleeding.”
I look down, and sure enough, the wound on my leg is oozing blood again. Not much.
Drake is bleeding between his fingers, which are pressed to his wound.
“We’re fine,” Drake says.
Wren rolls her eyes. “I’d better drive.”
44
Grim
We pull up behind the Council buildings. The back entrance is up ahead, and above it, a single security camera sweeps the area in lazy arcs.
Drake digs around in the trunk, taking out a gym bag.
“Here.” He hands me a pair of shorts and Wren a T-shirt, which she pulls over her head.
“Thanks.” I carefully pull the shorts up, grimacing as I bend over, and then again when the elastic touches my back.
By the time I’m finished, Drake is dressed in a pair of sweatpants.
“You okay?” Wren asks. It’s the first time she’s spoken directly to me since we left.
“Yeah.” I give her a smile, which she doesn’t return. It’s clear that she’s still pissed off with me, which I completely understand.
“Stay close,” Drake tells us, his voice tight. His limp is no longer as pronounced. “We need to try to avoid the camera.” He points at the device.
“What if someone sees us?” Wren whispers.
“Then we’re fucked,” I tell her.
Drake shoots me a look. “We won’t be seen. Come on. Stay close, and we’ll be just fine.”
We move quickly, avoiding the camera. Drake swipes a card at the door, and it clicks open. We go inside, moving quickly down a hallway. The building is quiet, most of the staff long gone for the day.
