[ Back to Risk ]

London hadn't changed much since I last visited, but then again, it was a frequent pit-stop for most LASAR agents, so it was familiar territory in general. The biggest difference between now and then was that now, we had nothing and no one to fall back on. There would be no help waiting in the wings, no "extra eyes" Boss sent in when he knew things were going south. Though all of us were used to being on our own, this was a different type of independence. And with the Kinetic bearing down on all sides, it definitely wasn't the comfortable kind.

"We need to establish a safe house," Slick said as we moved through the streets, staying in step with her partner.

"We also need weapons," Outlaw volunteered, a devious look in her eyes when she looked back at Rebel and I. She turned to her partner; "Guess which one they're going to want to do first."

Slick rolled her eyes. "I don't have to guess." She turned to give Rebel and I a look. "The safe house is of equal importance to creating an armory," she said.

"Neither of us have said anything yet," Rebel pointed out with raised brows.

"You didn't have to," Slick said passively, turning away to continue examining the streets. "You may not be loco en la cabeza like Law, but you're definitely still gun-crazy."

"I take offense at that," Outlaw said with an overdramatic pout.

"Offense was intended," Slick said drily.

"Though typically I'd recommend splitting up and covering more ground," I mused, surveying the streets as we walked, "I'm not so into that idea right now." I paused and side-eyed Rebel. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Rebel smiled and nodded. "It's not a bad idea."

"Anybody wanna share with the rest of the class?" Outlaw asked.

I grinned widely at that, sliding my hands into my back pockets and shrugging nonchalantly. I exchanged a knowing look with Rebel. "Why establish a safe house when one already exists?"

Slick and Outlaw exchanged a look, understanding dawning on both of their faces. "Howler," they said at the same time.

Rebel and I both nodded. "Right," Rebel said. "Her house is as safe as it gets in this city."

"I actually like that plan," Slick said with a look of surprise.

"Great, brilliant, whatever," Outlaw said, having zoned in on a duo across the street, her eyes narrowing as she watched them. "We've got plans for a safe house, yippee!" She began to slow down, and she lowered her voice. "We've got company."

I followed her line of sight to the two men, taking note of how when they did happen to glance our way they weren't looking at us, but rather somewhere behind us. I hummed in agreement. "And they've got friends," I mused, coming to a stop and feigning extreme interest in the nearest store window. Rebel stopped beside me, giving Outlaw and Slick the shortest of nods.

"Diversion?" I heard Outlaw ask hopefully.

"Yup," I agreed, my gaze darting to our nearest pursuers, while Rebel used the store window to focus on those who were across the street. "Make it a good one," I added, one hand slipping from my pocket to test the handle of the gun under my shirt.

Outlaw gave an airy scoff, and I didn't have to see her to know she was smirking. "As if I could do anything but."

"Slick—" I started to say as I watched Rebel reach for his own gun in my periphery.

She waved me off. "I got it, Risky. I'm sticking with my partner." She smiled deviously. "Let's do it."

No sooner had she spoken than were our stalkers upon Rebel and I, their guns at the ready and aimed for our chests. I could see Outlaw and Slick take off right before I turned to retaliate, drawing my own weapon and aiming in turn. Rebel's action mirrored my own, and for a split second the four of us had a stare down.

Our opponents' eyes were wide on us, almost as though they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

I couldn't say for sure whether they were Kinetic or not, but if they were, they'd stepped up their game somewhat. The two that were face to face with Rebel and I were in civilian clothes, as were the other two that were now sprinting across the street toward us.

The two men looked between Rebel and I warily, before one snapped in faulty Russian. "You are ... Alpha?"

"And you are not fluent in Russian," Rebel said in plain English, before he lowered his own weapon and yanked one of their guns away from them.

No sooner had he done that than did the other two slow in their approach, each of them with a hand reaching behind their backs, no doubt intending to pull out guns.

Rebel had swiftly twisted a gun out of one of the men's hands and decked him across the jaw in the same motion. It sent the man crumpling to the ground. He now faced the other with a gun in each hand, while I still stood patiently in front of the other man and watched sweat form on his brow.

"Take your guns out and drop them on the ground," I ordered in a calm yet loud voice. My gaze didn't shift from the threat before me, but in my periphery I could see the other two hesitate at my words. "Now."

As if to punctuate my command, there was a loud boom from what looked to be two stores over. The explosion sent the door to the building clean off, and decimated the windows. Fire flashed out into the sky as shrieks began to echo in the streets; the flames retreated quickly, but didn't disappear entirely. The building was still definitely on fire.

When the explosion occurred, the three men who had come at Rebel and I flinched.

Their mistake.

We acted without hesitation. I shot one man's shoulder, forcing him to drop his gun before he fell back in pain. Rebel executed a practiced kick that sent both of the other's guns flying out of their hands, causing their eyes to widen further before they turned and took off at a dead sprint.

Outlaw and Slick were jogging back to us, a wild smile on each of their faces, when from behind them came flashing lights and wailing sirens — police cars. Their expressions of delight morphed into panic, and Slick glanced over her shoulder before practically dragging her partner the rest of the way to Rebel and I.

"Y'know," I raised my voice to say, "a distraction doesn't always have to be an explosion."

Outlaw grinned; "But that's the best kind!"

When I glanced at Rebel he only rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"We need to move," Slick said through her teeth.

"Why, afraid you'll see your old boyfriend?" Outlaw drawled sarcastically, attempting to wipe black soot off her left cheek, but only further smearing it into her skin.

Slick cut her a venomous look. "Now is not the time to—"

"You're just cross because you know he works this part of town—"

Rebel and I watched as a third police car joined the two that were already roaring down the streets. We exchanged a look, wherein he arched a brow, and I gave a passive shrug. "We could ward them off," he volunteered in Russian.

"And cause a further scene," I pointed out, also in Russian, watching the cars come to an abrupt stop before us, the red and blue lights whirring. "If I start flipping cars, our faces will make it on the news for sure."

Rebel grunted. "So what, we go quietly?"

I smiled. "At least for the ride," I said in English, right as policemen were climbing out of their cars, guns pointed at us as they shouted for us to get on our knees.

"Uh, guys ..." Outlaw said, her hands rising into the air as she watched the armed men approach us, "I don't do well in jail cells."

"Should've thought of that before you blew up that building," Slick grumbled.

"Just shut up and play along," Rebel said lowly, placing his own hands on his head. "We'll handle it."

"You know, I think I hate hearing those words come out of your mouth more than I do hers," Slick said in obvious reference to Outlaw.

"Remind me to take offense at that later," Outlaw said.

"Get down on your knees!" One of the men barked. He came for me first, but hesitated when he saw the look in my eyes. I watched as a fear flickered across his face, and ever so slowly I lifted my hands to my head, a sinister smile on my lips. I knew the effect I had on people, and I was tempted to laugh, given the circumstances, but I refrained.

"How about you just cuff me and keep any rough-housing to yourself?" I offered, arching my brows and feigning cooperation.

He grit his teeth before he nodded. Seeing as I wasn't pulling any weapons — I had, in fact, dropped my gun — he lowered his and moved around me. As I felt cold metal touch my skin, I looked over at Rebel and offered a conspiratorial wink.

He returned it, right before a man grabbed him by the shoulder and began to escort him to the cop car.

"Hey, so," Outlaw was saying, looking up at the large cop who had cuffed her, "if my friend—" she jerked her head at Slick, "—knows one of your boys, do we get a get outta jail free card? Because that'd be awesome."

"Law," Slick hissed, beginning to blush.