“That’s a concern,” the agent shrugged, “but outside of you turning up here to save our asses, I don’t have much to pursue with you two. I plan to wrap up this case and put it to bed. I’d be a lunatic to try to charge any of you with much of anything after all that’s happened. At any rate, it’s too late to keep our task force a secret from you. I’d rather have you on our side. I’m more than willing to show you two that we answer to actual judges and real courts. This might be a big government secret, but it’s also under strict supervision.
“So, what do you say?” asked Nguyen. “Should I give you a call in a couple days?”
Neither Onyx nor Molly needed to look at one another to know the answer, but they shared a grin anyway.
* * *
“I am not drunk! I am not high on some drug! As I have already said, hooligan teenagers hijacked my automobile at gunpoint and left me marooned here! I simply need to return to my lodgings.”
The pair of police officers watched and listened to the protest with skeptical frowns. The lights of their patrol car offered enough illumination for the gathering, but everything else around them was still dark. “Sir,” said the one called Murray, “I’m gonna ask you again. Reach out with both hands, close your eyes, and touch your nose with your right hand.”
Wentworth stared daggers at the presumptuous mortal, but held his wrath in check. After all he’d been through tonight, he did not need further violence. He had to find shelter before dawn, and he needed to get far from this scene as quickly as possible. Bad luck put him in the path of these cretins as soon as he’d made it from the Magnuson park property to a major street, but at least the police officers had a vehicle.
Letting out a grumbling breath, Wentworth acquiesced. He touched his nose with one finger. “Are you quite satisfied?” he asked. “Or must I recite the alphabet again?”
“Well, sir, I’m satisfied that you aren’t drunk,” Officer Murray shrugged.
“Excellent. Now take me to my lodgings downtown,” he urged, staring deeply into the officer’s eyes.
Murray blinked. He shook his head a bit, looking toward his partner. “Yeah,” he murmured, “I think we can give you a ride.”
“Thank you,” huffed the vampire. He tugged his filthy and disheveled shirt into place.
“Kevin?” asked the other officer.
“We can take him downtown, right, Tyrone?” Kevin Murray shrugged.
“Well,” frowned Officer Johnson, “we need to pat you down before we put you into our car. Put your hands on the roof of the car, please.”
“I—wait, what?” blinked Wentworth. “You already checked me for weapons! I’ll not submit to another such search! Take me to my lodgings downtown,” he urged the other officer, employing a similar stare.
“Yes sir, we’ll be happy to,” Murray told him. Now behind Wentworth, he took hold of the vampire’s shoulders and pushed him into the side of the car.
“Now, see here—!” Wentworth protested, but his words fell on deaf ears. The pair worked together seamlessly, overcoming his great strength through teamwork, leverage and swiftness as they each took hold of an arm and swept one of his legs out from under him. His knees landed painfully on the pavement. Before he knew it, Wentworth was in handcuffs.
“Shit,” grunted Murray, “this dude’s really strong.”
“Double-cuff him,” said Johnson. “Grab mine. We’ll get his ankles, too.”
* * *
They left shortly before dawn with little in the way of fond farewells. Nguyen offered a lift to Lorelei and Molly’s cars, which lay across the many acres of parkland and through the police cordon. It seemed the only decent thing to do.
Alex and the others followed Lanier out to a minivan in the parking lot. Not too far away, Bridger and Amber worked to photograph all the remains from Rachel’s battle with the werewolves. Amber looked up only once. Alex thought she made eye contact with Jason, but then she turned her back on the group. Jason kept walking, though his head bowed somewhat. Alex thought to pat him on the back or something, but it seemed patronizing.
Then Alex glanced over to the pair of agents one more time. He gave Lorelei’s hand a squeeze. “That guy?” he murmured.
She nodded, and then looked to him curiously. The couple fell a step behind their group. Her eyebrow rose. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“It’s entirely up to you,” Alex shrugged. “You always accommodate my shenanigans.”
Lorelei pursed her lips with amusement. “I’ll remember your choice of words,” she said as she broke off from the group. The others noticed her change of direction as they piled into the minivan, but none came up with reasons to stand there watching with Alex.