Ryan disappeared through the door in a blur, Jane close on his heels.

  “You, get away from him,” Pain ordered the man and glanced at Chad.

  He gave his flashlight to Dave and drew his—Michael’s—longsword, pushing Dave and Elena into the corner behind him. No one could come at them from the back this way.

  But just as Pain’s brain rushed through all the ways to get them out of here should things go south, she spotted movement across the room.

  Rob and his men. Their backup was keeping an eye on the situation.

  Pain pointed at the big, dark shape to Chad’s right, not sure what it was. “Get behind that thing and don’t touch anything.”

  The building wasn’t abandoned—it had clearly been broken into.

  The strange man hadn’t moved from his spot. He was standing too far for the light to reach his face. Pain gritted her teeth.

  “I said, get away from him, or I will off you, whoever you are. Five steps to the wall, now!”

  He snorted but finally stepped back, his large frame moving with unhurried dignity. Katana in hand, she strode to Marco, keeping one eye on the stranger.

  “He’s knocked out is all,” the man rumbled.

  She crouched over Marco. There was no blood or any other sign of injury. His eyelids fluttered, and she pointed the flashlight at his face. Marco winced and turned away from the light.

  “You all right? What happened?”

  “The bastard tased me,” he muttered, propping himself on an elbow. “Shit, that was un—” He saw the man, and his expression went from the usual scowl to such utter hostility that Pain’s blood froze in her veins.

  She bolted upright and pointed the light at the tall stranger.

  Her eyes widened. “It was you…” she said, memories from that fateful night filling her head. “You were there at Eugene’s. You stopped and stared at me.”

  The man’s gaze finally left Marco’s face, and he gave her a look so strangely familiar it froze her in place. She peered at his face, trying to imagine it without the jagged scar across his lips and chin, and a couple of decades younger.

  Before she could wrap her head around it, the man’s eyes flicked to Marco again, and he gave a curt nod. “Hello, Marcus.”

  She turned to stare at Marco, but his murderous gaze was on the scarred stranger. He got up to his feet, standing just as tall as the man before him.

  “Hello, Father.”

  Chapter 5

  Jane ran through the dark street, pursuing God knew what.

  Somewhere along the way, Ryan must have taken a different turn. A thin but persistent rain shrouded the streets, making flying pointless if she wanted to see anything. Something moved at the edge of her vision, and she turned, finding another running figure in the distance, too short to be Ryan. It disappeared as a long building stretched in between them, and she sped up, planning to intercept the man at the corner.

  Someone grabbed her from behind, sweeping her off her feet and into a side alley.

  She swung her elbow, aiming for the attacker’s jaw, but hit his shoulder instead. He growled something, but the rush of blood in her ears drowned it out. His arms tightened around her and his hand clamped over her mouth. He flattened against the wall just as a group of men ran past their hiding spot in a blur.

  She kicked at him, and he gasped. “Ouch, Jane!”

  Her eyes flew wide open. “Ryan?” she mumbled into his hand, and he loosened his grip, letting her turn around to look at him.

  “Who else?”

  She scoffed.

  “No time, we gotta go.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her farther down the alley, but she yanked it free. He turned to her, exasperated.

  “Where?” she asked. “I saw him, he’s there across the street. And who was that?”

  Ryan’s fingers raked through his wet hair. “It’s not him, because I know where he is. And those are the Black Eagles, I think.”

  “Black Eagles?” she wondered. “I’ve never met one. How do you know?”

  “Oh, I’m sure you have. I’ll explain later.”

  She let him pull her into the darkness, and followed him blindly through the maze of narrow, filthy alleys.

  They came out to a low brick building eventually, and Ryan rose to a window to peer inside. He beckoned her closer, and she hovered in the air next to him, confused beyond measure.

  “He’s in there, a man in a ski mask,” Ryan said. “I saw him duck into an alley, and the others followed a false trail. He walked into this building, but then I saw you right around a corner from them…” He trailed off, and instead of finishing the sentence, headed down to the ground. Jane followed him. “Ready?” he asked, taking position at the door.

  She nodded, and Ryan slammed his foot into the door. He disappeared inside in a flash.

  Someone cursed and a shadow dashed into a corner, visible in the cell phone light, until it winked out, plunging the room into darkness.

  “You’re surrounded! Don’t move!” Ryan shouted from above, his voice echoing off the walls.

  Jane switched on her flashlight, catching the man in its beam even as he snatched something from a table and disappeared right through the wall. She followed him, only to find another door.

  Ryan shoved her out of the way, darting through the opening before her.

  “Careful!” she hissed. The Commando could be armed, but then, Ryan probably was thinking the same.

  A running figure disappeared around the corner even as she made it through the door. They wouldn’t miss him from above this close though, so she darted into the air.

  “In the alley!” She pointed for Ryan as he joined her, though she couldn’t see the man.

  “I can’t see him.”

  “He’s down there.”

  A second later, they landed at a dead end full of dirty boxes and trash.

  Jane looked around in bewilderment. “Where is he?”

  “I told you he wasn’t here,” Ryan said.

  “No, I saw him go down this alley! There was nowhere else to go from here.” She kicked at a cardboard box, seeing Ryan’s disbelieving look. “Let’s check for any doors and windows, come on.”

  She pulled him back down the alley, already knowing they wouldn’t find anything. Once again, the mysterious enemy had fooled them. But still, she kept going.

  “Wait.” Ryan halted, pulling her back. He pointed at a single narrow, broken window.

  “He wouldn’t fit in there,” she whispered, making sure to stay away from the window.

  “You sure? He didn’t seem so big. Maybe we’ll find another way in, if there’s any trace of him inside.”

  “Yeah, and by then, he’ll be in Canada. I’ll just go in and check.”

  She peeked into the window—it was pitch-black inside. If the man had left footprints, they’d need to use the flashlight to see them, and better not point it from the outside.

  She slipped her right arm and shoulder through the opening.

  “Are you crazy?” Ryan yanked her back out, and she stumbled as he set her down on her feet. “You’re not going in there alone.”

  “Then you can try and squeeze in.”

  “I’ll never fit in here,” he whispered angrily, waving at the window.

  “Well, I guess all that muscle is not so helpful, after all?” Jane snapped back and slipped through the opening before he could grab her, some stubborn urge forcing her inside despite Ryan’s raging disapproval.

  “Get back here!” he hissed. His palm slammed into the windowpane, making her flinch, but she turned around and stalked across the small room.

  Focus on the job, she told herself even as her chest heaved with frustration and anger. Taking out her flashlight, she covered it with her hand and let some light spill onto the floor. Nothing. Not a single wet footprint, aside from her own.

  “Jane,” Ryan whispered behind her. “You can’t go in there alone, please.”

  He was right, of course. Peter had made it abundantly clear—no one was to wander off on their own at night. And why were they fighting, anyway? It was all the strange things in Ryan’s behavior lately. They had piled up like toxic waste, eating her up from the inside. As if it wasn’t enough that her sister now often forgot about her existence, her best friend had suddenly forgotten how to talk to her.

  She let out a long breath, closing her eyes. There was no one here but the two of them, soaking in the rain like idiots. The Commando must have taken some other turn and was long gone by now.

  Slipping her flashlight into its pocket, she turned around and retraced her steps. Ryan’s tense figure relaxed at the sight of her, and he helped her out of the window, gently this time.

  “There’s nothing here,” she said, not bothering to keep her voice down anymore.

  Ryan’s arms fell to his sides, and he stepped back, the space between them cold and awkward. “It’s okay. We can search some more around here.”

  She nodded without meeting his gaze. Her earpiece clicked, and she hid a sigh of relief.

  “What is it?” she asked, catching Ryan’s troubled look.

  Her sister’s sharp voice filled her ear, “You got anything?”

  “No,” Jane said with a frown.

  “Okay, then go straight home. Backup and forensics are on their way, and we’re leaving.”

  Jane paused, glancing at Ryan. He looked as if all energy had suddenly left him.

  “Forensics? How’s Marco?”

  “He’s okay. Long story, talk to you later.” Pain hung up before Jane could reply.

  She ground her teeth, annoyed, then looked at Ryan. “Marco’s fine.”

  “Good,” he murmured. His face looked too white, as if it wasn’t just the moonlight that washed out his color.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  “Just a bit dizzy. Must be my arm.” He sounded tired, too.

  She stepped closer, raising her hand, but he caught it before it could reach his forehead.

  “You don’t look all right,” she protested.

  “I’m fine. It’s you we need to get somewhere warm. Look, your hair is all—”

  “What’s this?” She peered at the dark smear on her gloveless hand, where he’d touched her. When she looked up into his eyes, he just raised his eyebrows.

  Her fingers slipped under the cuff of his jacket, feeling at the sleeve underneath, sticky with blood.

  “Ryan, you’re bleeding! Don’t you feel it?” Her panicked voice echoed off the buildings. At least the rain had stopped.

  “Not really.” He began to unzip his jacket to look at the wound.

  “Don’t.” She zipped it back up. “It’s the stitches. You can’t fly like this. Let’s go back to that warehouse, get someone to drive us home.”

  She took his other hand and closed his fingers around his right bicep, hoping the pressure would slow the blood loss. He’d already lost a lot, if it had soaked through the whole sleeve.

  “Okay.” He gave her a long look that she couldn’t decipher and followed her down the alley.

  After only a few steps, something caught under her boot with a clink. She stepped back and peered at the gleaming object—a small key with a plastic label on it.

  Crouching over it, she probed around in her memory. What had the Commando grabbed from the table? Something square, like a box, and a big key ring with a bunch of jangling keys.

  “What is it?” Ryan asked, slowing down.

  Jane couldn’t know if it was the Commando who’d dropped it. She also couldn’t imagine how a key without the lock could be of any help. But she knew that their forensic team had found something. So, unless she was told otherwise, she would gather every piece of the puzzle she could lay her hands on.

  She used her own keys to retrieve the thing from the puddle—she was no expert, but who knew what they could find on it—and dropped it into a plastic baggie she’d previously emptied into her pocket.

  “Found something,” she said with a shrug.

  Wrapping her arm around Ryan, she nudged him forward, wondering what her sister and the others had discovered at the old warehouse.

  Chapter 6

  “Well, shit.”

  Pain’s gaze darted from Marco to his father as she stepped away, wishing that instead of flying, Alan the Archer had asked his gods for instant teleportation.

  “Wait a minute…” Marco drawled, tapping his index finger on his chin. “I promised I’d never call you Father again. I should probably call you Martin, but then, it doesn’t really matter, ’cause in a minute your ass will be out of here.” He took a step forward, holding Martin’s gaze.

  Pain expected Martin to look hurt, but all she saw was anger—and disdain. If it wasn’t for the scar on his chin, Martin would look exactly like a twenty-year-older version of Marco.

  If the two of them got into a fight, she wouldn’t be able to do shit about it.

  Martin stepped forward, only to freeze when the katana pressed into the collar of his coat.

  “No one said you could move,” she said. Irritation flashed across his face. “There’s nothing here for us. We’re leaving.”

  Marco snorted. “There’s nothing here for him. I say we stay and finish the job.”

  Her head turned toward Marco, but her eyes stayed focused on his father. “We’re finished here. Let’s go.”

  “Fine. I don’t care, as long as he’s out of my face.”

  She lowered the blade.

  Martin let out a dry, derisive laugh. “You wouldn’t answer to me,” he said, taking his time with every word. “But you’re fine taking orders from this girl.” He folded his arms on his chest. “What’s she to you, anyway? Everywhere you go, she’s with you. If this is your girlfriend, then I really did fail as a father.”

  Pain’s eyes narrowed, and Marco lunged forward, his index finger pointed at Martin’s face. “It’s none of your business! You think I don’t know you’ve been following me around? Are you in with the Commandos? ’Cause I wouldn’t be surprised. Go creep out someone else, and stay away from her.”

  He grabbed Pain’s arm and pulled her away, making her stumble. As she restored her balance, she heard Chad’s voice, “Pain?”

  “Not now, Chad,” she said without looking.

  “Like I got nothing else to do,” Martin snapped back at his son. “We’ve been busting our asses for weeks trying to catch at least one of these guys, and now that we finally have the chance, you come and fuck it up. You and your headquarters, a bunch of kids playing warriors!”

  “We?” Marco scoffed, incredulous. “Don’t tell me you brought the whole gang here.”

  “Yes, I did. And don’t worry, your little girl, the other one”—He wiggled his fingers at Pain—“doesn’t stand a chance. My boys will take care of it.”

  “Watch it, Mohawk,” Pain growled.

  Chad’s voice cut in again, “Pain?”

  “Wait a sec!” she snapped over her shoulder.

  Martin turned to his son and opened his mouth, but Marco raised a hand, cutting him off. “I’m not gonna listen to another word from you.” He looked at Pain. “I’m outta here.”

  “You’re not going anywhere alone.” Pain clasped his arm, but he shook her off.

  “I’m not gonna walk,” he muttered, and was out of sight before she could reply.

  Thunder broke in the distance, and the rain picked up.

  “A real gem at work, ain’t he?” Martin smirked.

  “Oh, shut up.” She gave him a dirty look before turning to Chad.

  He was waiting for her, exasperation plain on his face. Her flashlight lingered on the big shape behind him. It looked… like a car, she realized, covered with a black tarp.

  “What’s this?” she hissed, picking up her pace.

  “This is what I’ve been trying to tell you.” He reached down and gripped the tarp’s edge, pulling it up.

  Pain halted at the sight of a tall, black jeep. Eyes wide, she looked back at Chad.

  He grinned. “We must’ve interrupted him when he was leaving to sneak away on foot.”

  “You didn’t touch anything?”

  “No.”

  “Great, call Skull. We need forensics. Could be prints in there.” She paused, looking around in confusion. “Where’s Dave and the other one?”

  Chad grimaced, waving his hand at the car. When she circled it, she found Dave and Elena making out in the corner.

  “Dave!” she barked, startling them. She pinned Elena with her gaze, hooking a thumb over her shoulder to indicate Martin. “If this can’t get him out of your mouth at least for a minute, I don’t know what will.”

  The girl blushed and stepped away from Dave but didn’t let go of his hand.

  “Get away from the car,” Pain ordered before returning to Chad.

  He was on the phone with Skull, so she turned her attention to the big room, scanning it with her flashlight for anything else of interest. Martin was watching them, still like a black statue in the shadows. She suppressed a sigh and walked back to him.

  “You should go.” When he didn’t move, she said, “Anyway, why are you after this gang?”

  He squinted at her with contempt when she pointed the flashlight at his face. “They got a couple of my men.”

  “Why haven’t you responded to Peter’s message?”

  Martin let out a snort. “Do you see what we’re up to? You think anyone’s checked those messages lately?”

  “What do you know about them? Any ideas?”

  “They drive black jeeps, they wear black tactical clothes and sometimes masks. That’s about it. You?”

  “The same. Our backup will be here in a minute, so go. I don’t want your men stomping all over the place and whatever leads we can find here.”

  Martin headed to the exit without another word. He was almost by the door when she cursed under her breath and called out, “They use tasers!” He stopped, turning his head a little, even though he knew that already. “Don’t shield if you run into them, or they’ll fry your ass.”