Otto sighed before he answered. "The levee broke and flooded the city. It completely wiped out the Ninth Ward. "
Nick leaned against the wall as horror played across his face.
"Your house is still standing," Kyl said gently. "It had some damage from the winds, but it's repaired now. Kyrian made sure of it."
"Screw my house. What about the people?"
Otto and Kyl exchanged a sick look. "It was bad. But we're-"
"Why are you here?" Nick demanded. "Why aren't you down there helping people?"
Anger flared in Otto's eyes. "We were sent here before the hurricane hit."
"You just walked out and left the city?"
"We did what we were told to do, Nick. We're Squires, remember?"
Nick curled his lip. "You bastards." He pinned a hate-filled glare on Kyl. "I don't expect better from Otto, but you were born there, same as me, Kyl. How could you turn your back on the city and our people?"
"You don't know what you're talking about, Nick," he said between clenched teeth. "Damn you, how dare you take that tone with me? I lost family down there, boy. We weren't the ones sitting on an island with Savitar, learning to surf. We were in the thick of it. I stayed there through the storm, with Kyrian, Valerius, Talon, and the rest. I was part of search and rescue teams until I couldn't take it anymore. And then I got up and started it over. Every single day. I wasn't transferred up here until three months ago. So don't you dare stand there and judge me."
Leo whistled. "Enough! Squires, out of the room. Now."
Susan felt like she'd been caught by shrapnel. She started to argue that she hadn't been the one causing problems, but Leo didn't look like he could take any more arguments from anyone.
Ravyn squeezed her hand reassuringly before she got up. Ironically, Nick took two steps for the door before he must have remembered that he was no longer a Squire. He was a Dark-Hunter.
There was so much agony in his gaze that it stole her breath as he returned to his chair. Feeling for him and for Dave she followed the men out of the room.
She paused to look back at Ravyn, who gave her a small smile. That smile warmed her and gave her strength as she closed the door and headed back downstairs to start her research again.
"All right, " Leo said as soon as the Dark-Hunters were alone in the room with him. "We have a unique problem here. We not only have to avoid the Daimons, but the police, too. Anyone have a suggestion?"
"Bend over and kiss your ass good-bye," Nick said.
They ignored that oh so not helpful comment.
"Don't we have some cops on the Squires' payroll?" Zoe asked.
Leo shook his head. "Not in Seattle. We have some in Internal Affairs and with the DA's office, but none on the force itself. "
Belle made a sound of disgust. "Why not?"
"The last one retired," Leo said irritably. "The other one died a year ago of a heart attack. We haven't had a chance to replace them."
"Well, that blows." Belle reached for the tequila bottle and didn't bother with her glass. She took a giant swig. "No offense, but I don't want to be barbecue."
Zoe gave her a pointed stare. "None of us do."
"Has anyone been able to get a hold of Ash?" Dragon asked.
One by one, they shook they heads.
Except for Nick. "You won't hear from him until it's too late. Any time he vanishes, the Daimons go wild. I told you, they're linked somehow."
Leo cleared his throat. "That doesn't help us, Nick."
"And neither does staying together like this," Ravyn added. "We've been together too long. We need to break."