Kindred Spirit - Noah Harris Page 0,63

people of Gilcreek confused and probably a little hurt at his sudden disappearance. And he was sure that Jacob wouldn’t take too hard a hit from his job for Levi slipping the net.

But then he’d be right back where he started, moving from place to place, without any security or a place he could call home. It’d be a life of constant moving, avoiding anything that smelled even remotely suspicious, and constantly looking over his shoulder. It wasn’t until the past couple of days that he realized how truly tired of it he really was.

So, he could run, do what he’d always done, or he could take a risk. Take the risk that Jacob was right about the DDI, and they really did want to help. Take the risk that maybe he could give the organization something and get plenty in return. Take the risk that home wasn’t always a place, and sometimes it was a person.

Take a risk, and let himself continue his fall with Jacob.

Smiling, he reached up, taking Jacob’s hand. “Together?”

Jacob looked down at him, sadness and resignation giving way to surprise. After a long pause, his fingers curled around Levi’s and squeezed.

“Together.”

A presence came close, and Levi smiled. “How about you, Lou?”

All three of us?

Levi laughed. “Lou is wondering if he’s included in that too.”

Jacob smiled, closing his eyes and relaxing. “Of course, he is.”

Then let’s do it.

And Levi contented himself with watching the organized chaos of 2218 being bound and rounded up by simple townspeople. He held tight to Jacob’s hand and felt contentment in the soft hum of Lou’s presence overhead.

“Ah, what is my life?” he wondered aloud, content for the first time in weeks.

Jacob

He wasn’t all that surprised when Director Harrison walked into his hospital room. If anything, he had been expecting her to show up sooner than she did. It had been sheer chaos for an hour before the cops showed up, got everyone’s story, and tried to figure out how to arrest all the members of 2218. Jacob hadn’t been sure there was a local jail big enough for all of them.

That had been amended quickly when the DDI showed up, this time with genuine credentials that passed all inspection. It hadn’t stopped Jacob from being wheeled off to the nearest hospital, though, where they had promptly yanked the bullet from his leg, stitched it up, and then tightened up the stitch job on the back of his leg.

Levi had been by his side after the brief surgery, disappearing when the DDI tracked them down at the hospital. Jacob hadn’t taken it personally, knowing the other man was still wary of a bunch of suits prowling around. He also trusted that he wasn’t going to go too far and was probably holed up in a public area where he would feel safer.

The DDI had been there for two hours when Harrison walked in. Jacob was amused to see she had dressed once more in a billowy skirt and lacy blouse. It seemed her love of exceptionally feminine clothing wasn’t just a one-off. She still managed to evince complete control of the situation as she sent the DDI agents from his room.

“Agent Ryder,” she said by way of greeting.

“Director Harrison,” he said back from his hospital bed.

She drew forward one of the hospital chairs and sat down smoothly. Clasping her hands before her, she lay them in her lap.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Ready for church,” he told her.

Harrison cocked her head. “I see.”

“You know,” Jacob said, pointing down to his leg. “Holey.”

“Yes, I caught the wordplay, Agent Ryder. I was attempting to ignore it for the sake of your dignity.”

“You know, after this assignment, I don’t think I have much in the way of dignity left.”

She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. “I’ve heard the report from the other agents. The situation certainly didn’t develop in a way we had predicted or would have expected.”

“It went to hell in a handbasket ma’am, tits up, and Levi and I ended up down shit creek without our trusty paddle,” Jacob grunted.

“Yes. It would have been helpful to know that Mr. Boaz had contact with 2218 previously. Had we known that we might have gathered that they would make a strong attempt at retribution. As it was, we were operating blind, and we sent you into the lion’s den without knowing.”

Jacob raised a brow. “Wait, how do you know about that?”

A small smile curled at the corner of her mouth. “Mr. Boaz