“Maybe not, but you know we’ll get stuck in traffic. I’m heading east.”
I sit up and glance out the back window. No one appears to be following us.
“Axel, they know your name, where you work, and where you live,” Durango says. “You need to be under protection now, too.”
“No, I need to call Harding to see if she has a safe house around here we can use.”
I pull my phone from my pocket, ready to make the call.
“No,” Durango says. “Stevens has a place for us to go. First, we need to drop Lightning off.”
Lightning turns around in his seat. “Sorry, I just got back from an assignment this morning and was dropped at the office to report to Reed. I’m supposed to be heading out again tonight on a new assignment.”
“Damn, what did you do to piss off Reed?” I ask. “I thought only Moose was getting back-to-backs.”
Moose is the newest guy in the office, and usually that means he gets not only the worst assignments but a lot of them. Reed likes to make sure we are cut out for the work as soon as possible. Moose has been great and taking it all like a champ.
“No, it’s all related, so it needs to be me,” Lightning says.
“Speaking of Moose,” Durango says. “He’s scheduled to be in the office for a few days and can help us out if we need it. That’s what Reed said earlier.”
“I appreciate all of this,” I say.
“Oh, Reed wanted me to pass on the message that if you see that podcast guy, don’t talk to him. He’s been trying to interview all of us after we leave the office,” Lightning says.
“I have no problem ignoring him,” I say.
“Savvy, you know one of the guys chasing us?” Durango asks.
“Yes, I showed him the property that exploded,” she says.
“He managed to leave just in time. Now we know why,” I say.
I stretch and flinch as pain stabs my side.
“I hope there’s a first aid kit at this place,” Savvy says. “We need to change Hunter’s bandages.”
Lightning turns around and frowns. He’s not used to hearing my first name, either.
“She’s my sister’s best friend,” I explain.
The corner of his mouth curls up, and before I can even warn him not to go there, he speaks.
“Sister’s best friend, huh? I bet Maria told you nothing better happen between you two.”
I sigh. “She did actually.”
Lightning laughs. “No way! That’s hot.”
Durango takes a corner fast, and I push into Savvy.
I roll my eyes. “You’re not helping.”
“Sorry, but I gotta lose these guys.”
That wasn’t what I was referring to. Sensing Savvy’s stare, I glance over.
“Maria really said that to you?” she asks.
