Page 49 of The Honor Society

“Wow, careful with the compliments.” I turn on my blinker and go to the right, then left. I basically take the most dizzying and complicated way to get to the warehouse where I keep my offices. It’s right on the water, has a great view of the port and is also exactly a quarter of a mile from my favorite coffee shop.

Nobody has ever been able to find my so-called lair. And now, I’m letting her lead them right to it. It makes sense, in the end, to show a side of vulnerability and stupidity. She thinks I’m leading her to Death. Whoever is tailing her wants to know why she’s following The Proctor and why the hell The Proctor is letting her and now, I get to put on a nice little show and tell.

I finally pull in. She doesn’t though, she waits near the street.

I briefly stretch my hands over my head and walk towards the dark building and click in my passcode. I wait until she’s right behind me. “It’s seven, seven, zero, seven.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I marked you. If you’re ever in trouble or I’m dead, I’d hide here, no place safer than where monsters sleep.”

“Do they though? Sleep?” She wonders out loud.

I chuckle and shove the door open. “That depends on if I’ve gotten my fill of action or not.”

She rolls her eyes just as a car pulls up followed by seven more. Oh shit. I didn’t expect that many. And we can’t exactly hide out in the building and wait for them to surround it.

“Change of plans.” I grab her by the arm and close the door then rush her down the middle corridor between the buildings.

I quickly call Jenner. “You got eyes?”

“It’s them alright.” Jenner grumbles. “I swear if they blow up this car, I’m going to find a way to come back and kill you.”

“They won’t blow up a car.” I’m not entirely sure of that. “Just stay hidden.”

“Trust me, I’m too injured to move too fast.” He grunts. “Looks like they’re just seeing where she went and looking around the building.”

“Shit.” I eye the strip club down by the pier. “I’m going into Syn, it’s past nine, they should start piling in right about now, and they open at eight.”

“You can’t wear a mask.” Jenner points out.

Shit. “I’ll figure it out.”

I hang up. “Let’s go.”

“W-what...”

I stop. “First, the note, for safekeeping.”

She hands it back to me. “Fine.”

“Second.” I grip her hand. “Go along with it.”

“Along with⁠—”

“There!” Someone yells. “I think I saw them go this way.”

Stupid death dealers, literally, thinking they can track me, corner me, seeing if she’s gotten to me. Interesting.

We hurry past the shoreline and then down the dock.

“What!” She shrieks looking up at the sign. “I’m not going into a weird strip club!”

“Yes. You are. Because you need to stay alive. And while I’m pretty good with my fists and all the weapons, I cannot in fact take out seven cars full of angry mobsters hell bent on finding out who Death is and willing to capture Famine and break every bone in my body to do it. They aren’t supposed to touch me, you,” I grip her hand tighter. “They just might, despite me marking you. And you are a risk I cannot take, Charlie.”

The doors are open. I nod to the bouncer. He lets us in then blocks the way. It won’t buy us a ton of time but it should do enough. Every club in the city knows this mask. Every sinister asshole fears it.

I tug her through throngs of people already gathering around the base of the stripper poles sitting at the small tables and take her into a private room in the back. I flick off the lights and pull her onto my lap. When she’s there, I tear at the bottom of her shirt.