"She's on-point," Shabazz said, nodding in agreement. "Our slayer is coming into her own."
Marlene glanced at Shabazz and looked away.
What was that about? Damali assessed her team with caution. "We should hold up for a moment, and make sure we're clear. I can hear sound coming back, but it's not all the way back, yet. Soon as it does, and traffic can be clearly heard, we move." Again, her gaze went to the heavens.
Mike nodded. "She's on about the sound."
"When we get back to the compound, we need to have a meeting." Damali glanced around at her battle-weary team. "Anybody notice the death-wounds these things sustained to turn 'em?"
Damali's question was met with silence.
"Did anyone get a good look at their throats before they flamed?" she asked, repeating the question more slowly. She let her breath out hard when her team just shook their heads. "Well, it wasn't the normal two-hole vamp bite that turned these things into whatever they are, that's for sure." She wiped her hands off on her backside and picked up a walking stick.
"Yeah. Baby girl is coming into her own," Shabazz muttered as the team collected their ammo.
Marlene glared a Shabazz. "That's enough!"
"Talk to me, Marlene," Damali ordered. "What's up with the vibe?"
"How's everybody's ammo?" Shabazz's question was an open diversion, a tension release valve, more so than an actual need to know.
Damali looked at him and Marlene hard and let it go. Later.
"Low, and f**ked up," Rider retorted, still angered by his jammed magazine. "Well, this has been fun."
"Crossbows are on E," J.L. said, his expression worried.
"Almost out of grenades," Mike added, throwing Marlene her walking stick after retrieving it from a pile of smoldering, putrid ash on the ground.
"Sound's back. We're clear to move out," Big Mike announced.
"Let's roll," Shabazz said, throwing Damali a stake he'd picked up. "Time to call the limo."
Marlene and Shabazz glared at each other, but didn't say another word as they walked. All Marlene did was grab her cell phone out of her satchel and punch in a code and hang up. But it was the way the seer had flung the cell phone into her bag that Damali noted.
"Shabazz is right," Damali chimed in, taking the lead between her sparring mentors. "This alley is hot territory now that we have sound back in it. We've kicked up a lot of dust, made a lot of noise, and the cops are sure to be here soon. Let's gather weapons, the limo will be here in a second, and we can get Dan, then jet. We can do damage-to-equipment accounting in the limo, and repack everything so it passes muster at the airport."
"We didn't get all of them," Rider reminded the group as they neared the alley's exit. "Look alive."
"Page the limo again, somebody," Marlene said, her voice monotone. "Then, Big Mike, you sweep it before we get in - use the remaining grenades for that. Just splash a load of holy water in there, as per usual. If something's in the limo that shouldn't be, we'll know as soon as it catches fire."
Mike nodded. "Right, boss lady. We're real low on my holy water that burns 'em up like fossil fuel, though. From there, it'll be hand-to-hand." Big Mike took out his cellular, punched in the code, and sighed.
"J.L., can you spare a stake for everybody from your grip?"
The group turned their attention to J.L. at Damali's comment.
"I've got two," J.L. said, tossing one to Shabazz. "Jose, what-chu got?"
"One," he said, laughing sadly, and then handed it to Damali. "Use it to do me if you have to."
Damali shook her head, and handed it back to Jose. "You're clean, and didn't get nicked by a vamp. Just because she was jacking with your head, doesn't mean you'll turn. It'll just hurt your soul... So, keep the stake. I don't need it. Protect yourself while we walk. Peace?"
"Oh, I get it," Rider said. "Just dog the white boy in the group. Just leave him assed out with a f**ked-up clip that won't fire, nothing in his hand - "
"I gotcha back." Damali chuckled, walking up beside Jake and elbowing him. She patted her waistband that contained the drum anchors and handed him one of the chimes from her back pocket. "Never even got to use them."
"Now I feel better." Rider outstretched his arms and then slapped the center of his chest. "Chimes and drum anchors bring a man up close and personal - I prefer long-distance relationships with the vamps. Dig?"