Chapter Twenty-Four

It turned into a bad situation.

Henri held up his hands so the woman outside the car wouldn’t shoot him. But before he did, he pressed the door lock, locking him and Echo inside.

“What should we do?” Henri didn’t have a clue. He hoped Echo did.

But it was the woman outside who gave them options. She had long hair hanging down her back and rings on almost every finger. A necklace with a locket hung around her neck. She appeared as if she were in her twenties, but she had a world more experience than most people her age. The gun she pointed at them spoke of violence in her past.

She held the gun with one hand and fished in her pocket, pulling out a key, which she dangled as if it were a carrot in front of the window. “Pay for it and I let you drive away. Continue to fuck with those wires and I’ll shoot you through the window.”

It was a concrete jungle. No plants. Not even the weeds struggling for life through the cracks on the sidewalk were close enough for Echo to help the situation.

Still, the woman wasn’t messing around. Henri could tell based on the firm set of her jaw.

“How do we know we can trust you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Like you have a fucking choice.”

Henri knew she had a point.

“Does the car even start?” The thing appeared as if he had seen better days, which was why they’d chosen it.

“Yep. It’s a Buick. The body will fall off before the motor goes out.” She pressed the keys to the glass. “Now pay for it or die. It’s up to you.”

Echo grabbed the money out of his pocket and handed it to Henri. Henri rolled down the window, slipping the money through the crack. It was big enough for a set of keys to fit through. “It’s all we have.”

She slid the keys through and then stuck the gun back inside one of the biggest purses he’d ever seen. “Next time, make sure you get the keys before handing someone money. Most people would take advantage around here.”

“Thanks?” Henri wasn’t sure if it was sound advice or not, but he didn’t intend for there to be a next time.

She walked out of the small parking lot between buildings without turning back.

He stuck the key inside the ignition and turned it. Sure enough, the car came to life. And it sounded as though it was a much younger model than the clunky metal body suggested.

They headed out of the city, following the signs for the highway, when Echo spoke. “We should have hitched a ride from a trucker.”

“Given our luck, it would have been a serial killer.” Henri turned on his blinker, merging into the other lane. “Did you know the Happy Face killer was a truck driver?”

Echo sighed. “It’s weird that you know that.”

“I read—”

“A book about it.” Echo sighed. “I know you did.”

Henri turned when the signs told him to. “I’ll admit it could have gone better. But at least she wasn’t a cop.”

Echo snorted. “Oh look, a bright side.”

At least they were on their way home. “We’ll be home inside of an hour.”

“A home overrun by humans.” Echo wasn’t wrong. They had problems on top of their problems. Their current situation felt as though they were wading through mud.

Henri couldn’t see a clear solution. “The alternative is…?”

“Worse.” Echo wiped his eyes when the tears fell. “It’s not your fault. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“You’re just trying to save my life. Again.”

“And my own. I believe we’re in what’s called survival mode.” For Henri to not only survive but to thrive, he would need Rocky’s continued presence in his life. Getting back to him had to come first. He’d figure everything else out afterward.

They didn’t even make it ten miles before he heard a siren. He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the police lights. Cursing, he pulled over onto the side of the road.

What he didn’t expect was for a sleek black car to pull in behind the police car. “What the hell is going on?”

Echo turned in his seat. His eyes widened. “I think I know who’s in the black car.”

“Would you please fill me in?” Henri’s hands started to shake as he put the car into gear again. They might have to make a run for it.

The thought of a police chase made him think about those reality shows he’d seen where the police always got the bad guy.

“Do you know who Spider Sylvain is?”

Henri shook his head. “Should I?”

“He’s a mob boss. His crew are notorious.” Echo said it as though the mob didn’t bother him. He sounded relieved to see them.

Henri’s gaze snapped to Echo’s. “The mob is behind us?”

“Yes.”

“In the black car?”

“Yes.”

“The Mafia?”

Echo nodded. “Don’t worry. They’re here to help us.”

“‘They’re here to help us’.” Henri wasn’t sure why he was repeating everything Echo said. His brain had lost all function and he didn’t know how to reboot it.

He waited for the cop to step out of his vehicle and either ask the person in the black car what they were doing or approach Henri’s vehicle. But the officer shut off his lights and pulled onto the highway again, passing them.

“I bet that woman told the cops we stole her car. Even after we gave her the money.” Henri wasn’t sure why he was talking about them getting pulled over. It wasn’t as though it mattered as much as having the mob there.

“Nah, Sylvain has the cops on the payroll. He wanted us to stop.” Echo took off his seatbelt and went to open the car door. “Come on. The cavalry is here.”

Henri hesitated. There wasn’t a moment in which he envisioned he would ever knowingly get inside a criminal’s vehicle, but they were the organized type. “They kill people and make it seem like an accident, Echo.”

Echo waved away the comment. He exited the vehicle but stood in the opening, meeting Henri’s gaze. “You’re thinking of the human mob. Sylvain isn’t human. None of his people are. Now, come on.”

Get out of the car, Henri Carpentier.He didn’t recognize the person talking to him. It wasn’t Rocky or Lucas.

Henri stiffened.

Echo smirked as if he were privy to the inside of Henri’s mind as well. “Sylvain is special.”

He didn’t have to say that for Henri to know.

Henri’s hands shook as he exited the car. He ran to Echo, taking his hand. “Let me open the car door.”

Echo rolled his eyes. “I promise, Henri. He’s here to help.”

I’m a friend.There they were again. The person seemed to have a front-row seat to his thoughts when no one should be able to get into his head besides Rocky. While he understood the reason behind Lucas’s ability, it still shouldn’t have been possible, for the same reasons it shouldn’t have been for the stranger. Yet, he’d heard what he’d heard.

Henri pulled open the car door and glanced inside before getting in. He kept Echo behind him as he took in the man in the back seat. He had long black hair and dark eyes. His gaze was calculating, but he smiled, patting the seat next to him.

Henri hesitated to get in. Echo nudged him, prompting him to get inside. It wasn’t as if he had much of a choice.

The seats in the back were bigger, almost like a limousine. Henri sat as far away from the stranger as possible and made sure he was between the man and Echo.

As soon as they closed the door, the driver put the car in gear and they headed down the highway again.

Echo leaned forward and smiled at the man. “How did you know where to find us?”

Henri scowled at him. Echo would live longer if he didn’t interact with the mob boss.

“I believe one of your mates has asked for help, but Taylor Pyke facilitated it, as he often does.”

“Taylor Pyke?” He was the human, mated to Marshall Pyke. Marshall was a deputy in Saint Lakes. Henri wasn’t sure how someone like Taylor, who was a farmer, would know a mob boss, but there had to be a story he hadn’t heard yet.

Sylvain smiled and hummed in a noncommittal way. When he met Henri’s gaze, his smile faded. “So, how are we going to save the world?”

Henri sucked in a breath and put his hand on his chest. “Why would I know?”

Sylvain waved his hand. “Someone as intelligent as you should have some ideas.”

Henri didn’t answer right away. Instead, he gathered his thoughts. He didn’t know Sylvain, but he seemed genuine, if not a little scary and…secretive. Still, they were driving toward Saint Lakes. When he answered, he laid it all out.

“I don’t think the enhancement can be reversed. It deals with altering someone’s genetic makeup. Once it’s done, it can’t be undone. Or if it can, it could be dangerous for the patient. While the humans invading Saint Lakes might not matter, we don’t know how many innocents they altered.”

“Why is that relevant?”

“Because reversing the enhancement is the best-case scenario for the humans affected.”

“What’s the worst?”

“Their death.” But Henri feared they wouldn’t have any other choice. People had to die. It was fall victim to the enhanced humans or kill them.

Sylvain shrugged. “Let them die.”

Henri’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “It’s unnecessary to kill everyone. Some of those men are doing their job. They’re ignorant, not hateful. And then there are the enhanced humans who aren’t part of Fowler’s army. We have to think about them too. But overall, I think the way we’ll make them stop is if Echo and Lucas save us.”

Sylvain smiled, as if something Henri said made him proud.

Henri squeezed Echo’s hand.

Echo smirked. “No pressure.”

Sylvain waved off the comment. “We all have a part to play.”

Had Henri played his part already or was there more he was supposed to do? He shuddered thinking about what came next. Whatever it was, it wasn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.