ALEX
There wasa sort of guilt that swept in once we walked into Nightmyre PD.
I’d been so focused on the hospital and distracting myself from any thoughts of Joon that I nearly forgot about them. Leo and Reed tailed me, both dressed in street clothes rather than their Hero suits. A secretary whose face I remembered but name I couldn’t place smiled as soon as she saw me. She was a physical type Variant; large canines, and elephant shaped ears that hung down to her shoulders.
“Alex,” she cooed. “It’s been a while. How are you?”
Her eyes cast behind me, to the two men that followed, and a blush washed over her cheeks. I cocked my head, attempting to gain her attention.
“I’ve been busy, but good. Is Gabriel around?”
It took her a moment to process my question before she blinked and smiled again. “Of course, he’s?—”
“Mija!” My shoulders tensed immediately at the tone. “Where have you been? Minnie’s been worried sick, you know.”
If Doctor B gave off dad energy, Gabriel Hernandez had him beat by miles. He was only in his mid thirties, but at this point,I was an adopted daughter. After Joon died, he was the one who recommended that I start seeing his wife, Minnie. I took contracts with Gabriel and saw Minnie on Wednesdays.
Oh… shit. Today is Wednesday.
Minnie was going to kill me.
“Gabriel,” I slapped on a grin and held out my arms as he brought me into a quick hug. “I’m sorry, the VIA captured me for the day. Can you tell Minnie I’m sorry? Or is she…you know?”
Gabriel was only a few inches taller than me, and his thick black hair had wisps of gray already edging at the sides of his head. The lines around his eyes creased as if he were in pain.
“Unfortunately, I’m going to leave that task up to you. I’m afraid to go home, to be honest,” he chuckled nervously, and I couldn’t help but smirk.
“I’ll call her when we’re done.”
He leaned in, whispering in my ear as if we had a secret to share. “If you don’t, I’m never bringing you leftovers again. I’m serious—I barely made it out of the house alive.”
I couldn’t help but rear my head back and laugh. After Joon, the Hernandez family took to feeding me. It was their love language. Gabriel, Minnie or their children would leave freshly cooked meals at my doorstep, and after a few weeks, I actually started eating them. Even when I got better, they never stopped. I could never find the right words to thank them.
Someone cleared their throat behind us, and I spun around to find Leo staring daggers at me.
And here I thought we were actually starting to become friendly. Woe is me.
“Friends?” Gabriel paused, assessing the boys with suspicion.
“We’re agents with the VIA,” Reed lied through his teeth, and I was grateful that Minnie wasn’t around to sense it. “Alex is going to help us with the latest haul.”
“Ah, so that’s where you’ve been,” Gabriel nodded. “First the hospital, and now the VIA. Everyone’s trying to steal my best asset, huh? I hope you’re paying her well.”
Not at all, actually. Just hoping for my freedom at this point,I groaned inwardly.
Leo shifted on his feet before crossing his arms with a pout. “We don’t want to take up too much of your time. Can you show us where they are?”
Gabriel hesitated; his face had no filter. It screamed at me, asking if I was safe, if I needed an out. I definitely did.
“We’ll be out of your hair soon,” I tried to make my laugh less nervous. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
Gabriel gave me a pat on the shoulder before giving Leo a sarcasm filled smile. “Never too much trouble for you,Mija.Come on, I’ll bring you down.”
I could swear the air got hotter, and I snapped a glare to Leo, who only stood with a blank face. In the Academy, I always wondered what made him so fuckinggrumpy.I didn’t bother to wonder anymore. Some people were meant to be miserable. Unfortunately, I’d become one of them, too. At least I wasn’t a pyromaniac to boot.
We made our way to the elevator that would take us to the Variant containment unit. I’d made the trip too many times to count; I knew exactly which floor they’d be held on, which doors Gabriel would need to swipe his badge on to get us through. When the elevator opened on the seventh floor below ground, and the air got cool, we approached my second home.
White walls and tile floors spanned down the hallway. Guards with bulletproof gear and heavy guns held in front of them stood in formation, nodding their heads as we passed. Gabriel murmured soft greetings before we finally reached my favorite room—interrogation.
