Dead Red - M.R. Forbes Page 0,60

some protection without touching the Hua, and wishing I had thought to grab a shirt on the way out. I crossed back to the driver position as fast as I could, got behind the wheel, and started it up.

First, I noticed the clock on the dash. Then, I noticed that the sun was on its way down.

The entire episode inside the facility had taken nearly eight hours. It had seemed like ten minutes. It had passed like ten minutes.

I couldn't wrap my head around power that could do something like that, so perfect and imperceptible. I glanced over at the Hua even as I slammed my foot down on the accelerator. The rear tires spun freely, working to gain traction, and then we were on the move.

Move to where? That was the question. Back to Vegas? West to California? I needed to call Amos, so he could tell Tarakona what was happening. I leaned over and put my hand on Jin's leg, sliding it up the soft warmth of her skin to the base of her shorts, seeking her pockets and her cell.

She giggled at the touch, her head slumped back, her eyes open, unfocused.

The gunfire started.

It peppered the ground in front of the car, long shots from distant rifles, the shooters being careful not to hit the prize. They were warning shots, urging me to slow before they blew me away. I couldn't slow. There were no choices left.

I sped up, wrapping the coat over my chest and ducking my head, trying to keep my neck from being exposed. I was hopeful that the mask would deflect any bullets that might have hit it, the entity's sense of self-preservation forcing it into action.

The windshield shattered, the glass falling into our laps and leaving light cuts along Jin's bare legs. I started up the valley, for the first time spying the muzzle flashes of the shooters at the lip of it. I had no means to fight back directly.

"Jin," I said. Bullets banged off the sheet metal, and I had to fight not to panic. "Jin!"

"Hrrr..."

"If you can do that fire thing again, do it."

"Hrmmmm..."

She was down for the count. Damn it.

The gunfire stopped again. I rounded the corner near the top of the hill. Three men were standing there, guns raised, all aimed right at me.

"Fuck!" I shouted, hitting the brakes and bringing the car to the stop. Had there ever been a chance we were going to get out of there?

"Put it in park, and then hands off the wheel. Take it slow."

Why didn't they just shoot me? I was useless to them.

I put the car in park. One of them put his hand to his ear, and I could see the receiver there. Someone had given them the order not to kill me. Was it Black? If so, then why?

"Get out," the lead ghost said. He had a neatly trimmed beard. A handsome lumberjack.

I pushed open the door. Maybe they just wanted to make sure they didn't hit Jin by accident. Yeah, right. They'd been peppering the car without worry.

I climbed out, too aware that every second that passed was another that more of Black's forces could be moving in, another that Tobias might be waking up. I didn't want to get into a showdown with a full-frequency wizard, even a one-handed one. That was a fight I couldn't win.

Not that I was doing so well at the moment.

"Hands up," Lumberjack ordered.

I raised them, and one of the other guys started towards me. I was still wearing the mask, and it was obviously making these trained professionals a little nervous.

"Why don't you kill me?" I asked.

"Orders are not to damage any artifacts."

It figured. Black was a collector to the end.

"Got anything for me?" I said under my breath, the comment directed at the dark spirit. The laughter had faded to little more than a whisper, as though it had grown bored of the whole affair.

There was no response.

It wasn't going to help me again.

The ghost reached for the mask.

"I wouldn't recommend it," I said.

He drew his hand back.

I didn't know if anything would happen. It probably wouldn't. I liked the way he froze at the statement.

"Take it off," Lumberjack said. "Slow."

I used the hidden visage of the mask to shift my eyes unseen, taking stock of the positions of the three ghosts, of the car, and Jin. I eyed their weaponry, the way they were holding it. The demon wasn't going to do anything for me, but