voice reached me as I wriggled back out from beneath the BMW and rolled over onto my front as I stayed hidden in the shadows behind the parked cars.
Headlights swept into the space and I remained unmoving as the new arrival parked up on the far side of the underground lot.
I stayed silent, a wolf in the shadows, ready to pounce if need be and hoping that the woman wouldn't smell the gasoline on the air as she got out of her car. She paused, looking around at the dimly lit lot and frowning at the glow of red emergency lighting before carrying on to the stairs which led up into the building as she decided to dismiss her concerns. Bad call, Veronica. I didn’t know if her name actually was Veronica, but she looked like a total bitch with a stick up her ass so it seemed to fit. I had an aunt called Veronica and she was an asshole of mass proportions.
It wouldn't be long before she figured out that heading into that building was a bad fucking idea, but I wasn’t inclined to warn her. I just needed to finish up my part in this then make it back to the others in time to head inside via the fire escape to fuck this place right up.
I waited in the dark until the door to the stairs closed and the woman headed up into the building. I'd only managed to cut the lines on four of the cars, but that would have to do. We couldn't wait any longer.
"You good to go?" I checked as I pulled a pack of cigarettes from my back pocket and planted two in my mouth.
"Hang on, I want to scramble the emergency signal hooked up to the fire alarm to delay the fire service's response time," Saint muttered, his attention clearly on whatever he was doing with his laptop to make that happen.
Tippy, tap, tap, tap. I listened to him hitting the keys as he worked furiously to achieve that, fighting off the urge to mock him for making me wait. It was seriously tempting, but on reflection it made more sense to let him concentrate than it did to bait him right now. Look at me, being all grown up and rational. I’d make a mental note to mock him tirelessly for it later though. Saint bait this good couldn’t be ignored.
I backed up a few steps, shoving the box of smokes in my pocket before bringing the lighter to my lips and flicking my thumb down on it to spark it up.
I’d been smoking almost constantly since Tatum had gone, using that familiar scent and taste to torture myself with all the memories it awoke in me of my fucked-up childhood. I’d needed to hurt like that, needed to punish myself for failing her. To hate myself for being such a fuck up. But I was going to make it right. I’d made my girl a vow, to have and to hold, honour and protect. I was failing in all of that right now but I was going to fix it, no matter the consequences.
I glanced at the wedding ring I’d tattooed around my left ring finger and almost smiled. I’m coming, baby.
I inhaled deeply as the two cigarettes lit up, taking a heady toke of nicotine down into my lungs. It was an awful fucking habit, but I’d worry about quitting again once I had my baby back in my arms. She was the only vice I needed anyway.
The gas mask Saint had insisted I wear was currently hanging from my belt and no doubt he'd flip out when he realised I wasn't wearing it. But unlike the others, I'd already caught the Hades Virus and survived. Kyan Roscoe was just too damn hard to kill. And that was the way I liked it. I didn't care if Saint seemed to think I might not have full immunity or whatever the crap he kept harping on about. I was as strong as a bull and didn't like wearing that damn thing over my face.
The ski mask I could live with for anonymity's sake, but fuck that ventilator shit. I never had liked sci-fi movies anyway.
"Got it," Saint said over the earpiece, that underlying current of smug to his tone which I loved and hated equally. “I’m on my way to meet you at the fire escape now.”
“The coast is clear,” Monroe confirmed.
"Anyone wanna give me a countdown?" I