picking up his grandfather’s cane . . . He took a swing at the nearest cultist. The man’s head twisted back in a mix of blood and teeth. I felt the pressure of his magic vanish even as I saw Adam swing again at the second.
The female cultist seemed torn between helping her fellow members and continuing her assault. When it became evident that Adam wasn’t going to stop until the both her companions were down, she turned her attention to him.
“Fantazia, get out of here!” Howard’s grandson called out. A moment later she blasted the cane out of his grasp. He took the full brunt of her magical attack and went down.
The cultist’s head whipped in my direction. “Fantazia?” As if on cue, ambulance and police sirens started to wail; the help that Adam had called for was arriving. The cultist grabbed up her bloody friend and wobbled over to where the other two lay. With one last hateful glare, she teleported them all away.
For a moment I considered tracking her, considered magically giving chase, but jumping into a situation where I was vastly outnumbered and injured didn’t hold much appeal. My moment of suicidal contemplation gone, I now wanted to come back with reinforcements to avenge Howard. I wanted to find out which of my bar’s patrons was now working for the Dragon.
Unfortunately, we were dealing with my father’s archenemy. While that meant I could probably expect whatever help I possibly wanted, it also meant I’d have to talk to the EHJ again.
I cast a quick glance at Adam, who was still holding the bloodied cane, visibly shaking. Maybe I’d deal with the stuff here first.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After answering multiple questions from the police back at the site of Howard’s murder, I was emotionally drained but knew I still had work to do. Summoning all my courage, I popped back to the Elite Hands of Justice headquarters. I was ready for Wesley to give me an I’m-so-disappointed-in-you look for wandering off in a snit after I said I’d help out. I was ready for Cyrus to have returned to his normal self, tormenting me with heavy doses of sarcasm about my attitude, denying any feelings left over from whatever we’d shared. And the rest of the EHJ wouldn’t care less. No one would be welcoming me back with open arms.
Well, maybe Emily.
Instead of the “look what the cat dragged in” welcome I was expecting, I was met with something else entirely. The entire roster of the Elite Hands of Justice was gathered in their war room, all except Wesley. Computer monitors were everywhere, and they flashed in urgent supplication.
“Have you gotten in contact with anyone else?” Paul was barking orders like usual, good little leader that he is.
“Some, but nothing good,” Selena said, talking on a strange headset. “Everyone’s busy. There’ve been some riots. People are freaking out.”
“Nothing’s hit here so far,” Lainey said, looking away from one of the monitors and nudging Emily away from a keyboard. “I’m monitoring several channels, keeping an eye out.”
“If we need a presence out there, take Toby and go,” Paul said. “Don’t stop to ask, just go.”
Lainey nodded. “Anything from Forrest yet?”
Toby shook his head. “They won’t let me through to him.” He put his cell phone back to his ear. “No, this is not a personal call. I’m not calling as his boyfriend, I’m calling as a representative of the EHJ. Yes, I know he’s in a meeting. That’s why I’m calling. It’s a meeting we need access to. He’s not just the Presidential Secretary of Heroes, he’s also acting government liaison to the Elite Hands of Justice. We’re the Elite Hands of Justice. He needs to be liaising!” He rolled his eyes in frustration, barely even taking in the fact that I was watching from the background. “Bureaucrats.”
“Something going on?” I asked innocently. They all ignored me.
“Every team on the map is jammed up putting out fires or standing around waiting to see what happens, same as us,” Mindy said, a hand over her earpiece. “Once that message hit, everyone went into panic mode.”
“We’re going to need to put in calls to inactive members, then,” Paul decided. “We’re going to want all the help we can get if this thing goes the way I think it’s going. This is no time for their self-exploration nonsense, we’re going to need Sensei and Aphrodite back as soon as possible.”
Mindy stared at him. “You’re going to call Kate?”
He made a face. “No, you