Airborne (20 page)

“And why would I give you this information?” Eva didn’t stop the verbal roulette. Her voice was light and carefree but Avery knew that she was testing her limits and learning her options. The girl may have been insane but she had yet to strike Avery as stupid.

“Let me remind you, the case against you is a bad one. If you give us any information, I’ll make sure the prosecutor is aware of your cooperation and you may get a lesser sentence.”

“How bad?” Eva questioned.

“Well, how about I tell you what evidence we’ve already gathered. Then we’ll see how cocky you are about turning me down.”

Avery could hear the distinct sound of paper shuffling and a chair being pulled along a hard tiled floor. She squinted through the grates but could only spot distinctive moving shadows. One, probably Eva, sat localized in the center of the room. Another shadow maneuvered in front of her before settling there.

“We’ve linked you red handed to the death of Prince Jericho. The motive was to steal the amulet of Willow-- an intention which was unsuccessfully fulfilled.”

“Open and shut case huh. What exactly do you want me to help you with then pops? What information, if not about the Band, could you possibly want?” Eva asked with sarcasm dripping.

“There are two incidents we need clarification on and don’t act innocent. First up, Prince Jericho’s death. We have a recorded call from Mason to Jericho at ten forty five at night asking for him to come out to the California coast line. Eleven thirty three, the Band had found his position and killed him. Now we’re not dumb enough to think it’s a coincidence. It’s no coincidence that Mason called Jericho out in such a rush that Jericho would leave without personal protection. He’d do anything for his children and it...” The male harpie slowed when his voice wavered.

Whoever he was, he certainly had some affiliation with Jericho. In fact, that odd thought brought a picture of a harpie to Avery’s mind. Short for a harpie, he was heavy set like most guards. Older, he had a square wrinkled face and large brown eyes. The image in her mind struck her with such certainty that she knew the memory had to come from the part of Jericho infused in her.

“It’s no coincidence that the entire Band knew exactly where Jericho would be down to the exact time. They set him up to walk into an ambush.”The male said.

“What do you want me to say? So far you’re just talking at me man, I don’t think its working.”

Avery could hear a crash and could see the shadows shift. It appeared that the guard, the bigger figure, boxed Eva in threateningly.

“You were there the night Jericho died, I need you to confirm or deny that Mason had any part in it. I need you to confirm or deny our suspicion that he did it as a trade off for Adalyn’s fiancé being put in the ground.” He said.

Avery went cold when she heard it. The male harpie had it almost down to the detail. Now whether or not he’d have agreed that it was an accident was a different matter. Her heart sunk as she listened. Eva would rat Mason out and then he’d have no chance of ever coming back from his banishment.

Avery could hear the guard gasping and sputtering, apparently just as shocked as she was. Avery didn’t know Eva very well, but it just didn’t seem like something that the girl would do.

“I didn’t think Mason could have done it. Not Mason.” The male harpie confessed. Avery could picture the pale shaking guard in her mind but couldn’t put a name to him. Rather, she listened to the relief rip through his voice.

“Haha! I’m not saying that’s what happened. I’m just saying that it’s a theory. I’ll never confess a word to you bastard. My friends are coming for me and then I’ll kill you on my way out of this joint.” Eva said then. In a flurry of movement, she tore at the bonds that kept her pinned. Chains screeched in protest and she kicked her feet out. Knocking the male’s chair back, the wood flew and crashed into the wall with a deafening smash.

“You will regret this! I swear you will regret this!” Eva screamed with a maniacal voice.

The male harpie’s shadow suddenly moved and disappeared from the room. Eva’s screaming followed him all the way out. Only in the wake of his presence, did Eva calm her thrashing and let her screaming become silence. Avery sent a last glance through the grate before readjusting Jericho’s book and quietly pushing forward. The chilly air rushing through the vents had practically frozen her. The amulet continued to protect her from the cold but it didn’t prevent the tips of her fingers from turning blue. She was ready to move on when Eva’s voice stopped her.

“You know, it’s funny how you always find things when you’re not looking for them.” Eva’s voice floated into the vents. Avery stilled. “I’m surprised though. The island was the last place we’d look for you. I bet this was Mason’s idea.”

Avery paled, knowing that Eva was officially talking to her. Still, Avery kept quiet while she thought about her next move.

“I know exactly what that magic feels like now. I can sense it from a thousand miles away so naturally ten feet is nothing. And it was great timing on your part too. You just got to hear exactly what they had in mind for us.” Eva’s tone showed she enjoyed this. Avery only listened.

“So I’ll make you a deal. My brethren are coming to rescue me. And if you officially cooperate then we’ll let you live, if possible.” Eva said.

Avery drew her nerves together.

“No way.” Avery whispered, just loud enough that Eva could hear and just quiet enough that her voice wouldn’t attract outside attention. “I’ve heard you say that before.”

The Band had made no bones about wanting her dead when this was done. Why start now?

“So tell me then. What are your other options? The harpie government knows about you now and if that magic can’t be removed then you’re going to become a danger to them. Let me tell you something. There is nothing in harpie law that prevents a harpie from killing humans. So if you think for a second that you’re safe with them, you’re out of your mind.”

Avery cursed herself. Eva was just getting answers. She let out a breath, ready to end the conversation and finish sneaking out of the vent. Eva then said something that prevented her.

“So you won’t cooperate with us to help yourself? I envy that. Take your chances. You have a lot of nerve for a human. But what about your little girlfriend? Would you cooperate with us to save her?”

Avery’s heart skipped a beat. The Band did have Leela. She shifted hard and smashed the metal until the resonating clank ripped through the vent line.

“Touch her and die.” Avery hissed through the grates.

“Sorry, girl. I’m not trying to hit a sore spot. I’m just making it easy. Besides, now I don’t think you’re getting off this island without help so when you realize that you need me... Well, I’ll find you.”

Avery opened her mouth to retort, to threaten, to think of something completely nasty, but she never got the chance. The door in the room clicked open and Eva’s attention turned elsewhere. Without another moment of hesitation, Avery pushed her way through the vent.

Leaving the grate behind her, she turned another corner and saw a dead end. She scooted up to the final grate and prepared herself to melt through the screws again, but this time the grate gave way when she barely touched it. Avery scrambled to catch the metal before it shattered on the floor. Now forced to move quickly, she popped her head into the open and glanced around anxiously.

The room was empty. Deeming it safe, she wedged her way out and touched the concrete floor gratefully. Her muscles eagerly stretched in the new space but the appreciation was short lived.

The vent trail had let out into an empty storage room. The room only had the single door and lacked any windows. If Avery’s internal compass put her right, the vent had led her along the perimeter of the building and dumped her in the back corner. She’d have to walk right back through the hallways or worse, the lobby. Without Adalyn, that ruse wouldn’t work well twice. Plus, she completely lacked the ability to call Adalyn. Mulling on her limited options, Avery was forced into deciding on one. She dusted herself off and made her way for the waiting door.

Nineteen

Avery closed her eyes and listened intently over the pounding of her own heart beat. The door had led to a short hall from which she couldn’t peer around the corner, but she’d heard the sounds of abundant activity outside. Footsteps stomped the carpet floor, people laughed, and doors creaked open and shut. The sharp scent of coffee and sweet baking pastries wafted in the air. There had to be at least a dozen people. Maybe more.

Avery opened her eyes and stared at the ugly floral wall paper across the hall. Just from the décor on this side of the building, she didn’t think she’d come out anywhere near the police headquarters. Rather the offish green, pink, and tan color scheme seemed more like a home with an atrocious decorator.

Chase had once told her that if you acted like you belonged, then people didn’t question it. Of course, he’d used it to cut school and sneak into the girl’s dorm rooms. But, the theory probably presumed the same. Avery decided it was that or attempting to blow them out of the way with her barely contained magic. Neither sounded very appealing but the former sounding less dangerous all around, she decided.

Sucking a deep breath into her chest, Avery turned the corner. She could see now that people lined the hallways. The most predominant of them were the harpies that chatted and laughed until their voices echoed off the high ceilings. Stark white uniforms and coffee cups in hand, the harpies looked like working stiffs on break. The smaller people in the hall must have been human. They lingered nearby and stayed quiet. Avery let out a breath, disbelieving her own luck. All the other humans resembled her down to the correct clothing and it made it easy for Avery to blend in.

Speeding up her pace, Avery began to maneuver between the shifting crowds. She knocked into a few feathers and elbows but if the harpies ever even gave her a second look, she didn’t know about it. The shocking wave of success saw her all the way to the end. That was about when her luck ended. Avery had slipped around the side of one last harpie when something compelled her to look up. The blue uniform struck her first. Only then did the harpie’s familiar face sink in. The same guard that had given Adalyn and Avery a hard time coming in stared back with wide eyes and arched brows.

She slid out of the hallway into the main three story lobby. Flashes of white came from everywhere. Harpies descended from the air with the heavy flapping of wings. Footsteps rushed in her direction. Avery saw them in glimpses. She kept moving. With help from her initial charge, she knocked the first two harpies backwards. Their lanky bodies sprawled to the ground and they were, at least temporarily, impeded. She dashed through the opening but the harpies were gaining on her fast.

Hands tore at her hair and shoulders. The flying harpies struggled to get a working grasp on her. Using her burning magical arm, she swiped at them. Then something caught her eye. A window sat open just at the end of the lobby. Too small for a harpie, the irrational part of her mind told her to go for it. Yanking Jericho’s journal from the draw band of her pants, she held tight.

Just as another harpie dove for her, she jumped out the window. She clipped the upper sill and the glass shattered. Smashing into the ground outside, she absorbed the force of the crippling impact with her shoulders and rolled on the floor. Glass rained down.

Just as shock had swept over her, the harpies behind her came to a dead halt. Knowing she’d earned only precious seconds to escape, Avery forced her aching body to its feet. She’d stumbled into a garden but didn’t take in the scenic view. She took off down the stone trail. The pavement took a sharp left and just as Avery could see the next corner, she skidded to a stop.