Page 24 of Charmed Forces

“Shit! What?! No, Lexi, I don’t know. I do know I’m not armed. Even my backup is gone!”

“I have that,” said Solomon. “It hasn’t been fired.”

“I’ve never harmed anyone who didn’t have it coming. Jeez! I can count the times I’ve discharged my weapon on the job on one hand and they were all clean shoots.”

“I’ve no doubt, but someone out there thinks you’ve done something and I’m concerned that you can’t remember exactly what happened or what preceded the incident, and the evidence is currently weighted against you. Solomon and I think you should disappear for a little bit while we straighten things out here.”

“Disappearing is just going to make me look guilty,” said Daniel.

“And turning up at the station like that makes you look innocent?” I asked, not expecting an answer, although that was my first thought. Get Daniel to the station where he could be processed and have the real evidence speak for him. Surely any case against him would fall apart? Only... someone knew about the safe house. Could someone get to him at the station? It was a risk I was no longer willing to take.

Solomon’s phone rang and he stepped away to take it. When he came to stand with us only a minute or two later, he said, “It’s not looking good.”

“Who called? Delgado?”

“Yeah. He spoke with Garrett who said they won’t let him access the scene. He’s been ordered to return to the station immediately. He decided to comply.”

Daniel’s knees began to crumple and he had to grab the doorframe to steady himself as he fell forwards. I helped him to his feet, knowing we had to keep him mobile. “Maybe the hospital would be a better idea than just disappearing into thin air. I can call my captain and he can send someone to interview me. Maybe a union rep too.”

“What if you don’t regain your memory?” I asked, my worry increasing. “How are you going to explain what happened, or why you came here instead of staying with the victims?”

Daniel looked up and I realized my error. “Victims?”

I gulped.

“How many are dead?” he asked, looking me straight in the eye.

“I can’t confirm,” I said, which was sort of truthful. There might be a survivor. “And although it matters, it doesn’t matter right now.”

Solomon glanced at his phone again. “I’ve got a medic on standby and a plan in place. Daniel, it’s your call. Do you trust your colleagues not to railroad you in light of a lot of evidence currently building against you? Or do you trust us to keep you safe for a day or two while we find out what’s going on?”

“If you were being set up, someone might come after you,” I added. “I think your safety is more paramount right now.”

Daniel looked from me to Solomon then at the floor. “I can hardly think but I trust you two,” he said. “But I need you to get a message to Alice that I’m okay. As soon as I get my memory back, I want to talk to my captain. There has to be an explanation.”

“Done,” I said. “Solomon, what’s the plan?”

“Lexi, get your car and drive around the corner, and go two blocks north. Pull over where you see the service road that runs between the homes and we’ll meet you there. Make sure the trunk is unlocked.”

“The alley by the houses with the oak trees?” I asked.

“Yeah. Oh, and in a couple minutes there’s going to be a blackout in the neighborhood. It’ll last five minutes.”

“A blackout? Okay,” I said, puzzled by what Solomon was planning. “Let me grab a new top.” In less than a minute, I’d grabbed a top from the laundry room and changed. I touched Daniel’s arm. “See you in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” he said.

“Go slowly,” said Solomon. “Drive like you have all the time in the world.”

Grabbing my keys and purse from the console and my jacket, I stepped outside of the house into the lamp lit street and jogged down the steps, like I had no concerns at all. My car was parked only a couple houses away and I slid into the driver’s seat, pulling out onto the empty road. I only just reached the left turn when the street was plunged into darkness. Every street lamp winked out. Houses were suddenly dark and several alarms started blaring.

Of course! It was obvious to me now. Solomon called Lucas who orchestrated a hack into the power grid. I wondered how serious exactly a crime like that was and decided I didn’t want to know. If it knocked out every camera in the grid, it was well worth it.

Slowing the car, I drove with caution even though I still had plenty of natural light from the moon. When I saw the row of oak trees, I pulled over adjacent to the alley. I popped the trunk and waited. A moment later, Solomon and Daniel appeared from the alley. Daniel was wearing a pair of workout pants, a hoody, sneakers, and carrying a plastic bag. Solomon lifted the trunk lid and Daniel climbed in. Solomon pressed the lid closed and walked around to the driver’s side.

“When you get to the market, get out and leave the key on the front wheel,” he said. “Go into the market, buy your stuff, come out and drive home.”

“What about Daniel?”