I look down at my now-buzzing phone. Two alerts. Nobody on the roof, but there are two large groups entering the building. One at the front and one at the back. I type in a code to release the funds.
“They must have been watching you. Go. The funds are in your possession.”
He shakes his head. “Come with me. There’s so much I have to share with you.”
“It’s better if we split up,” I tell him. When he refuses to budge, I blow out a frustrated breath and grab his arm. “Let’s go. We can argue about it later. They’re closing in on us. Head to the middle stairway. The roof is our best escape option.” I shove him in that direction and pull my weapons.
Two men come around the corner, and I immediately shoot both of them in the head. Silencers muffle the sound of the hits. I turn to follow Letz and see a ball of electricity headed straight toward me. At the last second, it swings around me, and as I turn, it hits a third man. He goes down, body jerking with magic.
I raise an eyebrow. “Nice shot.”
Letz turns and rushes toward the stairway. I follow. Floor by floor, we fight our way up. I holster one gun in order to fling potions. Four men dissolve into a puddle of skin and goo. Letz uses his magic to string up two more like puppets and dance them over a balcony. More men fill the stairs below us.
“Faster,” I yell.
He nods and starts flinging magic right and left. I toss potions with one hand and shoot anything that moves with the other. Letz bursts through the door at the top, and I follow, but instead of the safety I expected, we land in the middle of a war zone. Men in camouflage are fighting men in black fatigues. Bullets and magic are flying everywhere.
Slamming the door shut, I point to the knob. “Can you remove it?”
He waves a hand toward the knob, and it melts into the door. “What now?”
A bullet whizzes by my ear. “Take cover!” I point to the metal shed behind him. Wind whips my hair, and I look up to see a dragon flying by. There are several other beasts flying in the air beside him.
Letz conjures a shield and wraps it around us. Bullets and magic bounce off it, giving us a temporary respite. “What now?”
“We need to find a way out of here,” I tell him. “I don’t know either of these groups, and I don’t like being in the middle of them.”
“I can open up a portal,” he offers.
A chill races down my spine. I’m not ready to extend that much trust. “No. You go. I’ll meet you at the museum tomorrow morning.” When he shakes his head, I sigh. “I promise I’ll be there.”
He thinks about it for a second, then reluctantly agrees. “Fine. I’ll help you escape, then leave.”
I glance around to find the weapons I stashed, but there are too many soldiers around them. I point to the black nylon coiled on the ground. “If you can get me to the edge of the roof where that rope is, I’ll get to safety.”
With his nod, we slowly stand and move toward the side of the building, weaving in and out of the men and creatures around us, Letz’ shield taking the brunt of the hits.
Two men appear behind us, wearing face masks that obscure their features.
“Friends of yours?” I shout, turning around to cover our back. I raise the gun in my hand.
Letz shakes his head. “Not mine.” With enemies at our back, he starts moving faster. He suddenly jerks to a halt.
The two guys behind us start shouting, but with all the noise, I can’t hear what they’re saying. They start to run forward butstop when I raise the gun higher. Turning my head, I glance over my shoulder. Standing in front of Letz is one of the biggest and ugliest guys I’ve ever seen. Muscles stacked on muscles and a face hardened by life. Lips curl in a sneer as he raises his weapon toward Letz.
Protected by Letz’ shield, the gun doesn’t concern me, but the glowing knife held in his other hand is another story. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I have all the latest gadgets.
Letz holds his palms up, releasing a stream of magic. The man stumbles back a couple of feet but remains standing. Changing tactics, Letz conjures a huge fireball, then motions for me to go around him. I slide past, my gaze darting between this new threat and the two men behind us as I grab the rope and throw it over the side of the roof.
Before I can move to protect Letz, the giant thrusts the magical knife straight through his shield and into his chest.
Someone roars. I scream and immediately swing my gun in his direction and put three bullets in his brain and body. A microsecond later, Letz’ ball of fire incinerates him.
“Letz!” I drop to my knees beside the mage, my hands scrambling for the healing potion on my belt.
Pain lines his face. “Stop. The spell on the knife… It’s too late,” he informs me, blood trickling out of his mouth. “Come closer.”
I open my mouth to protest, but I know death when I see it. With a slow nod, I take his hand in mine and put my ear close to his mouth. He whispers many things, then slides a small key into my hand. “Go there. See it all first. Then decide. Promise me.”
