There was a stir in the air, and it took on a savage ferocity, like a storm blasting through. Something whipped through the air and caught Weissman, flinging him. Whether he couldn’t use his power or something was stopping him, I didn’t know, but he hit the back wall of the office and came to a landing behind the desk. He sprung to his feet a moment later, holding his still-bleeding shoulder and staring at the office door. I wanted to turn to see what he was looking at, but I couldn’t move my neck.
“Well, well, well,” Weissman said, almost snarling, “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“No?” came a familiar voice from the door. It was youthful, vibrant, something so reassuring about it. “I’m guessing you didn’t expect to see anyone here. But the problem with you Century guys is that the longer you’re running this little extinction operation, the more time you give us to hunt your asses down.”
“Congratulations,” Weissman gave a faux clap of his hands, like a little round of applause that was limited by the awkward way he had to hold the shoulder I’d shot. “You’re way behind, but hey, you finally found our London base. Now … do you honestly believe that you can stop me before I leave?”
“No,” came the voice in reply. “But there are six of us and one of you. I may not be able to stop you right off, but I bet I can keep you tied up until your friend across the world gets pissed off and decides to intervene.” There was a pause and I saw Weissman’s face fall. “Yeah, I know about him. So … you wanna rumble? Because I just tossed your ass once, and I’m thinking I can probably do it again if necessary.”
“Lucky shot,” Weissman said.
“I’ve got more where that came from.”
Weissman clicked his tongue. “You played this all wrong. You could have come at me, put up a hard press. You might even have gotten me, if you’d just given up the girl.” He smiled, and it was cold, brutal, mean—everything I’d come to expect from Weissman after just one encounter. “But hey … fair enough. You win. I’ll walk away for now.” He gave the figure in the doorway a near-salute. “See you real soon.” He cast his gaze to me. “Don’t think this settles anything. You can’t protect her. Not from me if I came for her, and damned sure not from him.”
“He better not come anywhere near her,” came the reply, along with a slow, even, near grinding of teeth along with the words.
“You think you can stop Sovereign?” Weissman said with that same smile. “Oh, that’s a laugh. You are so out of your depth. Good luck. I believe I’d give it up if I were you. He did kill your father, after all; I doubt he’d have much more trouble with you.”
“Don’t bet on it.”
Weissman rolled his eyes. “What is it with you kids these days? Fine. Die, then. You’re destined for it anyway. Just don’t be surprised when it’s ugly and painful and bloody and everything you’ve ever feared.” His eyes locked onto the figure at the door and stared him down. “The worst part will be that in your dying moments, you’ll have to live with the knowledge of what he might do to her after you’re dead.” Weissman’s nasty smile came back full force. “Hell of a thing to die thinking about, wouldn’t you say? I hope she’s worth it.”
“She’s worth it.”
Weissman shrugged. “If you say so.” With a blink of my eye, he was gone, but I heard the last thing he said before he disappeared and I fell unconscious. My eyes closed slowly, and things around me faded to black as the last words echoed in my head.
“I damned sure wouldn’t die like that for my sister.”
Chapter 23
“Do you want to die here tonight?”
There was a subtle quiet on the London street, a pale twilight that hung in the air as the sun fell behind the buildings. The words echoed across the apartment blocks, and I knew it was South London, that it was the eighties again, and I could see that Adelaide had changed since last I’d seen her. The mohawk was gone, replaced by neck-length hair. Her jeans weren’t ripped and torn anymore; she was in a skirt now, something so out of character for her I wondered if she felt the same about it as I did. She wore black leggings and knee high black boots and stood at the mouth of an alley while someone stared back at her from the opposite end. “I don’t want to die here tonight, no,” she replied to the man at the other end, “but I don’t think there’s a great danger of that at present.”
“Oh, no?” came the voice from across the way. “I don’t fancy your odds, luv.”