The Flight of the Silvers (Silvers #1)(161)

“You have nothing to worry about,” Theo promised him. “If these are my friends, they won’t hurt you.”

The agent continued to pace and mumble. “That may be a factual statement, but the momentary scream we heard a minute ago would suggest that at the very least, they’re willing to hurt Howard. Had it been Carter or Ross, I would consider the mitigating circumstances, as many people wish to hurt them. But the fact remains that Howard’s a nice person. I’m a nice person. And your friends seem comfortable inflicting pain on nice people.”

Melissa’s voice crackled on the radio. “Owen, do you read? Can you hear me?”

He raised the device. “Yes. I hear you. I also hear strain.”

“We’ve been subdued by Theo and Amanda’s companions, but no one’s been harmed. Zack and David are here right now and . . . Oh. Hannah just arrived rather suddenly.”

Amanda closed her eyes, wincing tears. She never thought she’d see her sister again. Now Hannah was just a few yards away, risking her life, sealing her fate as a national public enemy.

“They’re demanding you come out peacefully,” Melissa told Owen. “I’m ordering you to disregard. Keep your gun at the door. Fire at anyone who—”

David chucked the radio and pressed the gun to Melissa’s forehead.

Hannah grabbed his shoulder. “David, no!”

“Put it away,” Zack growled at him. “Enough already.”

“She’s stalling us until backup arrives! Why can’t you see that?”

“I see it. Just like she sees you won’t really kill her. You’re the one wasting time.”

On the contrary, Melissa felt quite convinced that David’s threat was genuine. She watched the boy carefully as he turned to Zack.

“The man in the truck has a positional advantage. We’re out of ‘nice’ options. We’re out of reasons to be nice.”

“That’s not true,” said Melissa. “You haven’t harmed us yet. It’s not too late to—”

“You shut up! You’ve done enough already!”

Mia watched the drama from her distant rock cover. She’d never seen David so furious. She considered saying something in her microphone to calm him down.

A strong arm suddenly seized her from behind, covering her mouth. Ross switched off her transmitter and snatched her gun. She could hear the jingling of his loose handcuff as he pressed the heavy barrel to her temple.

“You’re lucky I’m a good guy or your brains would be splattered all over those rocks. Now I’ll burn in hell before I shoot a little girl, but if you make any noise or trouble, God help me, I’ll crack you one. You hear me?”

Her heart thumping madly, Mia quickly nodded.

“Now tell the truth, girl, because I’ll know if you’re lying. Do you have the handcuff key?”

She shook her head. Ross threw a sigh at Carter. “Sorry, man.”

“It’s okay. I don’t need my hands to do a rounder.”

“All right. Good plan. Give me two minutes to get in position.”

Ross held Mia closer. She could smell his sweat.

“You and I are going to take a walk now. You better hope your friends behave. I got no qualms about putting a bullet in any of them.”

Mia’s thoughts screamed as Ross pulled her back into the darkness.

—

The future continued to evade Theo, lost in a dwindling fog of chemicals. He knew from Howard’s call that at least eight more Deps would be here in minutes. He wanted to yell the news through the trailer wall, but he didn’t know if Zack would hear him. He also wasn’t sure how Owen would react. The strange little agent was becoming increasingly unglued.

“This is . . . this is . . . no. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. She was supposed to bring wisdom to the department, like Athena. Instead she calls for violence, like Ares. Or Andy. She has grown the metaphorical mustache and become her predecessor. And now she asks me to shoot.”

“Then don’t,” said Theo. “Just drop the gun and go outside. They won’t hurt you.”

“The door’s locked from the other side. You’re trapped in my dilemma. I think—”

A banging noise from outside made Owen flinch. He aimed his gun at the door.

“Okay, Owen, listen to me—”

“Theo, let the man work out his problem! You’re not helping!”

Owen tossed Amanda an obliging nod. “Thank you. My inner chorus is loud enough.”

Theo looked at her confusedly. Her expression was more pleading than stern. She mouthed a single word. Wait.

Soon Owen retreated into his tizzy, mumbling in the rear corner of the trailer. The moment he turned his back, Amanda slumped in her chair, struggling to thrust her right foot as far as it could go beyond the boundary of her solic generators.

Now Theo understood, though he was no less surprised. He had no idea Amanda could generate tempis from her feet. She’d only just learned it herself last week, when she unwittingly shredded her socks in a fit of Zack-related anguish. She wasn’t sure if her trick would work now. The white beast inside her felt heavy and languid, as if riddled with tranquilizers. Amanda gritted her teeth in concentration, willing it awake.

Theo kept a nervous eye on Owen. The agent still didn’t notice Amanda’s new pose, or the fact that her sneaker was beginning to swell.