HardJustice (8 page)

The genuine fondness in Ben’s tone as he spoke of his
friends had her natural inquisitiveness bursting at the seams. Slightly
daunted, she nevertheless looked forward to meeting his companions.

“I’ve known Daniel for years,” Ben spoke without taking his
eyes off the road. “Melissa and he worked together on a mission, fell in love
and the rest is history. Nothing short of the end of time will separate them
now, certainly nothing as simple as some paper-pushing manager’s expectations
of who should be present on a team. Daniel and I worked a few operations
together. He’s a very reserved person. One of those still waters that runs
deep. Initially I teased him to get a response, but we were both surprised I
think to discover we actually get along very well. The friendship stuck. As you
can probably guess most Assassins have a very small circle of people they trust
and feel a connection to. When we find those people whom we bond with nothing
can sever the tie.”

“So your trust in him is why you’ve turned to Daniel with
this?”

“Partly,” Ben admitted. “But also I have a bad feeling about
this whole conspiracy. From the start you and I have both felt there was more
to it than we understood. If this thing is going to hell there’s no one I’d
rather have my back—and your safety—than him. Melissa is an excellent Sharp
Shooter, she’s been a markswoman since her teens, and I trust her too. But she
comes with the package of Daniel. We long ago stopped working out who owed
whom. I’ll rest easier knowing he’s on board with us.”

“They both sound interesting,” Layla said with truth.
Butterflies twirled in her belly. Clearly Daniel was Ben’s best friend. She
wanted to make a good impression on him. Since her shooting skills were nonexistent
and she’d been told far too many times she was a nosy, chatty little witch, she
worried the Assassin would dislike her upon sight.

Her thoughts must have been clearly reflected on her face.
Ben glanced at her with a smile before returning his attention to the road.

“You might be surprised. I have a feeling Daniel will like
you, I know I certainly did from the moment we met. Indeed, Melissa will have
more in common with you than you can believe right now. She isn’t your standard
Assassin. She worked in the corporate world for years. By no means is she as
lighthearted as you, but…you’ll understand when you meet her. She isn’t an
ordinary Assassin.”

Ben found a parking spot and pulled into it with a graceful
move of the wheel. The road was dimly lit, for every lamppost there were three
or four with broken bulbs. Run-down storefronts were covered in graffiti,
broken windows or merely abandoned. It definitely was not a section of town
where women walked alone, and even the men she saw were in groups as they
smoked in the street.

She stood next to Ben, her chin tilted high in defiance of
the small tremor that curled in a knot in her belly. Ben casually slung an arm
around her shoulder. Layla had the gesture sprung from half masculine
possession, half from protection.

“They should be around here, the Lost Soul is down there,
the neon sign you can see,” Ben said without a hint of worry at the
neighborhood. Layla looked around them, searching for a man and woman who fit
the description Ben had spoken of earlier.

“There they are.” Ben tilted his chin further down the
street. They strolled toward the couple.

“I’m giving them a moment to see us,” Ben murmured. “Believe
me, babe, the last thing you ever want to do is surprise an Assassin in a dark
alleyway. It might be funny for a split second, but you’ll likely end up maimed
or dead as a result.”

Layla felt a bubble of laughter well up. Even though she
pressed a hand to her lips, a tiny sound managed to still escape. In the
silence of the street it sounded unusually loud. Nothing about the handsome
couple they approached indicated they had heard. They leaned on either side of
a lamppost as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Layla knew anyone who
bought into their casual, uninterested body language and underestimated them
would live only long enough to regret it.

The wizard stood upright as Ben and Layla came to within a
few paces of them. A brief nod was the only indication he recognized Ben. The
witch remained with her shoulder resting on the metal pole. Layla noticed the
paint had mostly peeled off it, the iron beneath now exposed.

Despite the casual stance, Layla had the strong impression
the witch—and the wizard for that matter—were coiled tight, ready in the blink
of an eye to spring into action and fight to the death.

They both exuded a raw sense of deadly power.

Layla could understand why those who loitered on the street
kept a great distance between themselves and these two. It was like trying to
share a bus shelter with two panthers. You didn’t know how hungry they were or
what would set them off, but their power and capacity for violence was
boundless.

“Babe, this is Daniel and Melissa. Dan, Mel—meet Layla.”

They all greeted each other, much of Layla’s reserve melting
almost instantly. She found Melissa to be a pretty, slender blonde with a faint
hint of an English accent. Daniel was stockier, well-muscled with icy blue
eyes. They all shook hands, Daniel in particular seeming to study her
thoroughly.

Instead of feeling self-conscious as she had been certain
she would be, Layla found herself equally curious about the witch and wizard.
Now, however, was not the time to indulge in idle chitchat and so she held her
questions for later.

“Would either of you recognize McRoy if you saw him?” Ben
asked. Melissa nodded.

“I’ve used him a few times in the past,” she said. “His less
savory contacts have proven useful to me upon occasion. In some sectors he’s
been known to get anyone anything for the right price as long as you won’t ask
questions.”

“These people have been able to practically place a fresh-faced
wizard on the Council,” Layla pointed out with a small frown. “From what we’ve
heard they own—or have convinced—other long-standing members to join them. Why
would they need to use someone like Jimmy? Couldn’t they buy someone with a
better reputation to organize their dirty work?”

Daniel and Melissa exchanged a silent glance. They seemed to
Layla as if they almost spoke without a word being uttered.

“When you called earlier we asked a few discreet questions,”
Daniel said. “There are rumors circulating about a splinter organization
growing in power throughout the Council and elsewhere threaded through Mage
society.”

“What’s their aim?” Ben asked eagerly.

“Apparently they want Mages to separate totally once again
from humans,” Daniel replied with a straight face and a deceptively mild tone.
Layla waited a beat for the wizard to crack a smile and say he was kidding.

He didn’t.

She glanced from Daniel to Melissa to Ben, certain the three
friends were playing a strange joke on her. From the shocked look on Ben’s
face, however, she deduced he hadn’t known either.

“You’re kidding?” Layla finally said weakly. “I wouldn’t
even really call wizarding society
integrated
with humans in the first
place. What real difference would occur if we did segregate?”

“Well, for starters certain factions would gain a lot more
power and money,” Daniel pointed out rationally.

“And really, throwing us all back into the dark ages
probably appeals to those who it would most benefit, namely certain members of
the Council. The Tribunal would gain even more power, much of the older
families would benefit to a lesser degree, you’d be surprised how much quiet
support we’ve uncovered in various groupings,” Melissa added with a cool smile
that held no humor.

“I overheard something about this a few weeks ago,” Ben
finally said with a shake of his head. “I assumed it was rubbish. Is this
verified?”

“Apparently the parties looking into this are keeping quiet,
not just because of the sensitivity of those involved, but also because they’re
trying to infiltrate to get more data,” Daniel said.

Layla exchanged a glance with Ben.

“Are we stepping on toes?” she asked, unsure whether it
would make a difference to her or not. She’d come so far in this Investigation
she felt invested in the outcome. She wouldn’t be happy to relinquish it and
let others see it through.

“Does it make a difference?” Melissa replied. Layla met her
gaze and for the first time the other witch smiled. Layla grinned in response.
Melissa nodded as if Layla had spoken and confirmed her thoughts. “It wouldn’t
to me, either.”

“Well, now we all know what we’re up against, shall we go
roust McRoy?” Daniel turned toward the entrance to the pub.

“We going to try playing nice and easy first?” Ben asked as
they walked.

“Sure,” Daniel replied. “I always hope things go easily.”

“It would make a nice change,” Melissa quipped.

Layla was a little surprised to be enjoying herself. The
undercurrent was certainly that of a dark humor. Nevertheless she found the
camaraderie warming and their dry, black humor amusing. More importantly, she
couldn’t help but instinctively trust both Daniel and Melissa. Partly she felt
this was because Ben so obviously believed in them without question, but the
two Mages also gave off a sense of calm strength.

It was impossible to not realize how dangerous they were,
but where she earlier would have assumed she’d be scared, she found their
strength and power coupled with their clear self-mastery reassuring. Except for
Ben no one rose to mind whom she’d prefer to have her back in a fight.

Daniel pulled open the door to the pub, holding it
chivalrously for Melissa. Layla noticed the hot look the witch gave her partner
as she entered with a tiny smile.

“Thank you,” Layla said as Daniel continued to hold it open
for her. Ben followed protectively behind her and then Daniel brought up the
rear, the door closing behind him.

Layla wondered if the wizard had done that on purpose, so
she and Ben were effectively sandwiched protectively between himself and
Melissa. Until that moment Layla hadn’t thought she’d been affected by the
overriding paranoia the depth of the conspiracy had instilled in Rob and Zahra.
Her instant doubt of Daniel’s actions shamed her, telling her she was not as
immune as she had initially believed.

Melissa strode toward the bar and Layla followed her. She
stood next to the blonde, leaning on the bench as the barman flicked an
uninterested glance their way. The man’s gaze paused longer on both Ben and
Daniel, seeming to recognize potential trouble when he saw it. The bartender
flipped the tea towel over his shoulder, placed the glass he was in the middle
of drying on the sink and came over to them.

“What’ll you have?”

Melissa ordered a white wine, Layla champagne, Daniel a
draft beer and Ben finished by ordering a scotch with no ice. Ben pulled out
his wallet and paid once their orders had been placed in front of them. Clearly
believing his job done, the barman returned to the other end of the long bench
and picked up his glass again.

Layla took a sip of the very poor-quality drink as she tried
to hide her surprise. Clearly one did not come here for the service.

Turning to face each other, they huddled. Daniel looked
behind Layla and conveyed with his eyes a person she couldn’t see just yet.

“Bushy blond hair, drinking one of these awful beers, two
tables down,” Daniel spoke softly. Layla knew she couldn’t look without turning
around, so she waited, happy to give it a bit of time.

“Nice and easy, right?” Ben confirmed, echoing their earlier
conversation. Daniel grinned. On anyone else the smile might have looked
reassuring. On him it merely looked dangerous. Layla felt secure instead of
frightened, but it could have been merely because she knew the potential for
violence was in no way directed her way.

“As Mel said, it would make a nice change for once,” Daniel
agreed as he placed his beer on the bar, still mostly undrunk. He caught Layla’s
gaze and gave her a reassuring wink. She grinned, the tiny spark of humor
relieving her greatly.

For now, at least, she understood the claws were sheathed.

“This might almost be fun,” Melissa murmured softly, leaning
in to whisper in Layla’s ear, the British in her accent coming out as she
teased. They all put their drinks down as Melissa continued drolly. “We’ll
indulge in a delightful evening stroll in the park. We girls will hang back and
watch you boys do it right, hmm?”

“If you wish,” Daniel replied, seeming as eager to play as
she. Layla took a hasty sip of her drink, forgetting for a moment its bitter
aftertaste. For the life of her she couldn’t explain why, but she suddenly had
the urge to giggle.

“Don’t say I never take you out for a good time, babe,” Ben
said fondly. He touched her cheek in a quick, thoroughly intimate gesture then
moved in synch with Daniel.

The two wizards walked toward the table where Jimmy sat.
Layla turned around, following and caught her first glimpse of the man. She and
Melissa trailed a few paces behind. Not a single word had been spoken, but
tension crackled in the air as they closed in on Jimmy McRoy.

Layla found her heart beat wildly in her chest as Ben and
Daniel stood to either side of the large, slick wizard. Jimmy looked up,
glanced from Ben to Daniel and back again before snorting in disdain and returning
to his drink.

“I think you have the wrong pub, gentlemen,” Jimmy said,
seeming without a care in the world. Neither Daniel nor Ben spoke at first.
Layla was certain it wasn’t her imagination, but she could swear the tension
increased in the room. Her shoulders itched with the feeling of being watched.

Fear knotted in her stomach as she worried that maybe they’d
bitten off more than they could chew.

“I agree the surroundings could be far more stylish,” Daniel
replied. “But I’m afraid you were the one to choose our setting.”

Jimmy eyed Daniel warily. Layla had trouble reading his
face, but even she could read the contempt in the wizard’s gaze. His words
merely cemented her guess.

“You have no idea who I am and who I represent,” Jimmy
sneered. “You can take your posh words and go fuck yourself. Two against one
doesn’t scare me. Any wizard who brings a couple of chicks when he tries to
pick a fight isn’t someone to worry about in my book.”

Layla’s eyebrows rose. Never in her wildest dreams would she
have dared insult Melissa in such a way. Not because she knew Daniel would
happily rip the still-beating heart out of anyone who dared dismiss her like
that, but because power of an equal strength to Daniel’s emanated from Melissa
as well.

Besides, she liked the other witch. Melissa had a sense of
humor, albeit a very black, dry one. Instinctively Layla looked around her,
searching for the exits. She had a feeling—much as Daniel and Melissa had
foretold—their “taking it easy” course of action had just disintegrated before
their eyes.

With a casual violence that had Layla cringing, Daniel moved
lightning fast, delivering a left-handed punch that swung Jimmy’s face around.
If the pub had held an electrifying tension moments before, the weight of the
silence now was deafening. The entire room appeared to hold their breath as
Jimmy remained turned in his seat. His fingers rose to dab at his face before
with excruciating slowness he turned back to face Daniel.

Layla saw a split in the edge of his mouth, twin trickles of
blood seeping from his nostrils and already the skin of his cheek turned a
dirty kind of black as the bruise blossomed.

“Oh, fancy boy. You are so fucked,” Jimmy murmured so softly
Layla had to strain to hear him.

As if they had waited for Jimmy to speak, the room erupted
in sound. Men converged at them from all sides. Daniel took another step
forward as Jimmy tipped his chair over in his eagerness to stand. The two
wizards faced each other. Jimmy burned, angry as fire while Daniel appeared
cool, calm and perfectly in control of himself.

Ben had moved slightly to the side of Daniel, covering the
other wizard’s side but giving both men enough room to move and fight properly.
Three men rushed him and Layla winced as Ben’s large fists flashed in a blur of
movement.

Melissa nudged Layla forward with her shoulder. Only as the
witch turned her back to Layla, did she realize the three Assassins formed a
large but perfect triangle around her, protecting her from the fight that had
exploded in the room. Overwhelmed as she tried to grapple the multiple things
occurring simultaneously, she realized almost a dozen people were in various
stages of attack, many on each other but more than enough focused upon Daniel,
Ben and Melissa.

The three Assassins held their ground without breaking a
sweat. The sound of fists hitting flesh, cries of pain from those who
underestimated her lover and his friends and sparks of energy as some sought to
fire their magic up filled the air. Slow to catch up, Layla dug her hand into
her purse to withdraw the snub-nosed lady’s revolver.

For the first time since Ben had pushed it upon her, she
felt grateful for its presence. Her hand twitched as she thought about using
it, unsure whether she would be able to kill someone with it. For starters she
knew she was a disastrous shot. More importantly despite her triannual
mandatory shooting lessons every Investigator was forced to undertake, she had
never genuinely thought about the personal ramifications of killing another being.

When a wizard tried to throw a chair at Ben, who caught it
and hurled it back far harder to the offender, rage surge up in her chest. Ben
didn’t need her protection. Neither did Daniel and Melissa, but damned if she
would stand there gaping while they all fought, keeping her safe between them.

Layla cocked the gun, wishing she had more bullets. The
irony of such a thought when mere moments ago she hadn’t even entertained the
notion of using the weapon was not lost upon her. Layla thought for all of a
second about shooting Jimmy, but she knew the fight had progressed well beyond
that point. It had taken of a life of its own.

Ben roared as one of the three men he fought landed a lucky
blow. Power crackled in two large balls around his hands and shot out, catching
Ben’s opponent in the chest and hurling him back. The man crashed into the
wall, sliding down and crumpling in a heap.

Layla noticed the men around him took one look at the fallen
man, picked up their drinks and made for the door. It gave her an idea. She
aimed her gun very carefully between Ben and Melissa, taking care to ensure she
wouldn’t accidently shoot either of them by mistake, and shot three quick
bursts at the wall.

Her arms ached from the recoil of the weapon. It might be a
small handgun, easily fitting in her small palm, but it had an almighty kick.
The bullets exploded into the concrete walls, chips of plaster flying out
everywhere. A silence followed for all of a second, then everyone else not
actively fighting emptied out of the pub.

“Wonderful idea,” Melissa said above the din and pulled her
own—far larger—weapon out from her waistband where it was tucked under her
black sweater.

The blonde held the gun in what looked to Layla like a
classic marksman stance and fired off round after round. Layla could see
Melissa lined up her shots, but she seemed to do it so quickly Layla couldn’t
imagine how she managed to aim so accurately.

Despite her flare of skepticism, Layla noticed Melissa
appeared to hit every person exactly where she wished. Men dropped to the
floor, tiny holes in their thighs or shoulders where the bullets had
penetrated, causing no real damage except for pain and stopping them in their
tracks.

“Everybody
out
!” an enormous shout rang through the
pub. Layla turned to find the bartender had finally decided to become involved.
Balanced in both his hands was the large barrel of a wicked-looking double-barrel
shotgun. When a few people continued to fight, he cocked rounds into the
chambers and shot at the ceiling in the center of the room.

Plaster fell, sprinkling a number of the patrons in a thin
film of chalky dust.

“I said out!” he yelled again, looking as if he meant
business. Ben took the frozen moment when all the attention was diverted to the
barman to make a quick casting. He magically bound Jimmy’s hands behind his
back, the wizard cursing and swearing.

With casual ease Layla found impressive if slightly worrying,
Daniel bent forward and pressed his shoulder to Jimmy’s stomach. Slinging the
wizard over him in a fireman’s carry, Daniel turned to give a snappy salute to
the bartender.

“Thank you,” Daniel said. The few remaining patrons appeared
stunned into submission for now. Taking advantage of the lull, Daniel stalked
across the room. Ben took Layla’s free hand in his and led her to walk behind
Daniel.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, Layla noticed Melissa
continued to hold her handgun in a familiar grip, the hefty weight clearly no
issue for her. Her blue eyes scanned the area as she brought up the rear,
clearly on high alert in case anyone decided to try to stop them. A tiny smile
hitched the corner of her mouth up. Layla had the impression only her
professional mien stopped her from making a wry, dark comment.

They left the pub. Layla looked up and down the street, wary
of an ambush. Ben appeared to have the identical thought as he, too, searched
in either direction, his dark gaze studying the shadows with care. A steady
stream of filthy noise streamed from Jimmy’s mouth as he cursed them
ferociously.

“Oh honestly,” Melissa murmured. She placed a finger beneath
his chin, drawing Jimmy’s face up until he looked at her.

“Be quiet, or I will make you be quiet,” she warned him with
enough firmness to get her sincerity across.

“You arrogant cunt, when my employers catch up with you they’re
going to—”

“Ah, yes. Your employers. We will get to that very soon, my
good man,” Melissa murmured with deceptive softness. Layla watched with
interest as Melissa pressed down on his windpipe, effectively cutting off Jimmy’s
air until he passed out.

“You always take my breath away, my love,” Daniel said as he
threw a grateful look over his shoulder to Melissa. Ben chuckled and Layla
couldn’t help herself, she threw her head back and laughed. The moment felt
completely surreal, equal parts terrifying and hilarious.

It only took her a moment to collect herself, but she felt
immeasurably better for having released some of the pent-up emotions that
filled her chest.

“We need to stash him somewhere so we can question him,” Ben
insisted as he cast another wary glance around them. Layla could almost feel
the tension crawling over his skin. Her body began to prickle in response, an
unpleasant feeling of being watched and time running out on them.

“There’s a bolt hole we use sometimes not too far from here,”
Melissa suggested. “It was why we walked.”

Briefly she sketched out directions. Ben nodded and took
Layla’s hand again. His power surged through her, ready, charged and chomping
at the bit to go. It energized her with a charge unlike anything she’d
experienced.

“Can you two handle this dipshit while we drive over? We can
scout the area and then meet you inside?”

“We’ll handle it,” Daniel agreed. His gaze shifted to rest
for a second on Layla before flickering to Ben and back to her again.

“Are you sure you want to be a part of this?” Daniel asked
in a quiet tone. His words didn’t suggest he asked because he thought less of
her. If she wasn’t mistaken, in his own way, he might even be attempting to
shield her, protect her from the harsher side of their work.

Layla looked to Ben, searching his face for a long minute.
Her eyes traced over the well-known dips and planes, memorizing once again the
now-familiar visage she had come to love. For better or worse she knew their
lives and destinies were intertwines. She had no thought of keeping any aspect
of herself secret, and nor did she expect Ben to do the same.

Should they stumble across points in which they differed or
aspects where they were unsure, they could deal with that. Together. Always.

“It’s your call, babe,” Ben insisted as he touched the pad
of his finger to her bottom lip. “You don’t need to do this. We can take it
from here. I’m not going to stop you, though. We agreed to stick together and I’m
not backing out of that. I trust you. With everything.”

Layla had to stop herself from reaching up and kissing Ben
passionately. This wasn’t the time to show her lover how much his words meant
to her. Instead she turned with a warm smile back to Daniel.

“Ben and I are a team now. I’m not afraid to face anything
if you guys aren’t. I might be eating those words later, but I’m willing to try
for now. Thank you though, for offering me an out.”

Daniel nodded curtly, the gesture not rude, just his simple
way.

“We’ll see you down there,” Melissa said. The warm way the
blonde took Layla’s hand and squeezed it said better than any words how she
appreciated Layla’s decision. Ben tugged her and they made their way back to
the car as Daniel and Melissa walked down the street.

Layla looked over her shoulder, the incongruous sight of
Daniel with an unconscious man slung over his shoulder not appearing as bizarre
as she felt it surely should.

“Are you okay?” Ben asked when they reached the car. He
unlocked the passenger side door, but before she could climb in he ran his
hands over her arms and chastely down her torso, searching for wounds.

“I’m fine,” she reassured him. Layla glanced down at his
hands as he ran them down her chest in an impersonal manner. When she saw the
scrapes on his knuckles, she gasped. Grabbing his hands in hers, she halted him
and focused. Healing the small breaks in his skin, she ran her fingertips over
the pink, delicate new skin that formed.

“I was scared, but when that chair nearly took you out I
realized I could kill to protect you,” she confessed. Layla lifted her gaze to
meet his in the darkness. Their eyes clashed and she could see emotions
flickering in the dark pools of his eyes.

“I don’t want you to ever feel you have to kill to protect
me,” he insisted in a low tone. She made a dismissive sound.

“You would for me.” Her words were a statement of fact,
delivered with certainty.

“That’s different.”

“How? You would kill to protect me. I would kill to protect
you,” she challenged him. “That sounds even to me, like we’re equals. Isn’t
that fair?”

Ben seemed to mull this over for a moment.

“You’re not a killer,” he insisted.

“Maybe not, but I think anyone could be given the right
incentive and the opportunity. If the choice was one of those idiots in the pub
or you, I made my choice in the middle of that brawl. I’m not telling you this
to boast or make you think more of me. I’m letting you know that despite your
worry earlier than I couldn’t love all of you, we are all complex creatures and
given to many different reactions. I’m not the naïve innocent you seem to think
I am. If it had come to it back there, I would have killed to protect you.”

Ben reached out a hand to stroke her jaw. Layla sighed
happily, turning her face into his touch.

They stood there in the darkened street and stole the moment
together. Layla relished the fact they had found each other, knowing in her
heart no one could ever be more perfect for her than this wizard.

She knew they had a hard task ahead of them. With Ben by her
side, she could face anything.

* * * * *

Melissa opened the door to the tiny apartment. Ben knew
Daniel well enough to know he didn’t need to worry about whether they were safe
in his bolt hole, but considering what they needed to do he couldn’t help but
be concerned about the thinness of the walls. He trusted his friend implicitly,
but that didn’t mean he thought Daniel omnipotent. Even the very best Assassin
sooner or later met their match or could be outsmarted. Only a fool thought
himself above simple errors in judgment.