"You came out of nowhere... and... oh shit, what the f**k?"
"I'm going back into nowhere, until I drop my science on you another time. Say your prayers at night. Be thankful for small gifts. And, believe in things unseen."
Carlos turned the corner that led into the street; he could hear Berkfield running to catch up to him, and then watched from an overhanging fire escape as the poor man spun around three times searching for him, wiped at his clothes, crossed himself, and called for backup.
Time was of the essence. He stood outside Damali's compound on the dark side of the road and willed the phone inside to ring. A male voice answered, and sounded weary.
"It's Carlos. I need to speak to Damali."
In the background beyond the mute channel that had been engaged, he could hear mild pandemonium break out as she came to the phone.
"Carlos, where are you?"
He looked down at his T-shirt and sealed the gunshot hole in it, and glanced at his hand, dissolving the image of Nuit's ring. "Close by. Want to take you up on that invitation to come in. There's a lot going on, and I have some info."
"We can come get you... uh..."
"Tell the team I am not being followed - but I do need you to kill the exterior lights for a minute so I can come in."
She'd put her hand over the receiver, and then had hit the mute button again. An argument was underway. He let out his breath hard. Time was ticking, and tonight would be the last night he could really help her. He called her in his head. Get back on the phone.
"We don't turn off the lights," she said quietly.
His mind wrestled with the obstacle, trying to work around her team's resistance. "Tell them to lower their guard - a knight of Templar visited me, and left the newspaper. I need to get info to the group for tomorrow. He gave me some maps that I didn't understand."
She paused, and then began a flurry of words back to her group. Good.
"Just ten minutes, then I'm out - I have other pressing business going on in the streets. Tell them, okay?"
Again, her hand covered the phone and he could hear her battle for him. She didn't even hit the mute this time. Real good. The knight hadn't lied.
He closed his eyes, already invited, just blocked by the damned contraptions they had everywhere. He was not going through the door double-lock process - he'd fry. He hoped that nobody would panic and hit the hall sprinklers. This was bullshit. But on the other hand, he was glad she was so well fortified... it just bothered him that, at the moment, he was on the other side of her world.
"Tell them," he added, slowly, "not to blast me when I come through the door. I've got maps that will burn in the ultraviolet light, the knight said - now I don't know what the hell he was talking about, but - "
"Bring them in. We won't flash you."
He could hear the team murmur agreement, and he relaxed as the lights around the compound went out. But he hesitated for a moment, scanning the terrain to be sure he'd be the only guest, while another part of him became mildly concerned. Baby, do not panic and toast a brother - cool? Everybody just chill, no lights, crossbows down, everybody just take it easy.
Carlos kept the mantra in his mind as he crossed the road, hoping that the lights wouldn't suddenly come up. But when he reached the door, Damali and two of her male crew were there.
She was unarmed, they weren't. But he crossed the threshold nonetheless, received a quick hug from her in the dark, and immediately she pulled away from him and led him to the inner rooms with the two henchmen at his back.
The hug had destabilized him a bit, but he shook it off. Had to stay focused. This was business. It was about her safety. But in the dark... man. Okay. Think.
Slightly taken aback, he surveyed the extensive weapons room as an Asian guy at the computer panels flipped a master switch and he could feel the entire compound heat up like it was a tin can in a microwave. This, he hadn't anticipated.
"Shabazz - "
"Save the intro, Damali. Me and Carlos know each other, or should I say, we remember each other. Lotta guys in the neighborhood did time for workin' with him, or got shot."
Carlos nodded to Shabazz. What could he say? There was no defense. It was what it was.
Damali let her breath out hard and extended her arm, moving it slowly as it swept the room. "Rider, J.L., Dan, Big Mike, Marlene, Jose is sick - but will recover. There. You've met everybody; everybody, meet Carlos - or re-meet him, whateva. The man came to help. So chill."
"Speak," the one pointed out as Big Mike said. "Now."
"Wait," the tall guy with spiked hair interjected. "A formality. My name's Rider," he added, picking up a crossbow. "They call me the Nose. And, while I can't put my finger on it, the scent ain't right. So... How the hell did you know where we were? I don't like it."