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Jun shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Hal. I didn’t know where to go.”

“Okay, so what we are not going to do is panic,” Hal calmly reassured him. “He’s just a dude, like any other dude.”

“That’s bigger than you,” Kana added.

Hal scrunched his nose.

“That don’t matter,” Alex called, ducking behind the counter, rooting through the junk drawer until he found what he was looking for.

He raised a semi-automatic handgun and loaded it.

Everyone jumped back with their hands up as Alex planted a kiss on the barrel. “Hey baby, long time no see,” he murmured.

Hal’s face fell. “Augs. Really? Where’s yours?”

“But she’s my favorite one. Grips my hand just right.”

“But it’s mine.”

“Then do a better job locking it up. Like your back door.”

Alex glanced at Kana. She’d gone pale. “Hey, princess.” He jerked his head towards the storage room. “Get in there and hide.”

Without a word, Kana disappeared into the storage room.

He pointed the barrel down the hall at Matt, who jerked back. “Matt. Get two chairs and a rope ready in the garage.”

Matt didn’t ask questions and disappeared into the back.

Outside, the Corvette’s engine cut off. Silence pressed in through the walls.

Jun stood frozen between them, hands clenched at his sides, looking like he didn’t know where to put himself.

Hal squinted at Alex. “What are you getting at, man?”

Alex walked through the counter’s flap door. The gun sat right in his palm. “Shop’s closed, Hal. We’re gonna ask him, ‘Where’s Rachel?’”

Jun scrunched his eyebrows together. “Rachel?”

Hal stared at him. Then his eyes went wide. “No.”

“Yes.”

“If that’s what we’re doing, then I’m Batman,” said Hal, tapping his chest.

“No foo, I’m Batman!” Alex retaliated. He jabbed a finger at Hal. “You’re Gordon. You’re the smooth talker. If it were me, I might end up shooting him.”

Hal let out an exasperated sigh and headed to the back.

“And you,” said Alex, pointing his barrel at Jun, who jumped back. “Get a flashlight.”

“Flashlight?”

Alex gripped the handle tighter, resisting the urge to move his index finger from the barrel. He still had a score to settle with Jun, but this was not the way nor the place.

“Since this mess is all your fault, you’re on light duty.” He walked closer to him. Jun didn’t move. His dark eyes met Alex’s, with a look like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Alex didn’t want to hear it. Not yet. “If you want to make yourself useful, don’t fuck this up.”

***