Page 44 of Charmed Forces

Sneery followed behind too, waving his gun and shouting “Stop!”

“Pete!” cried Suki again, hurrying past me. Nurses trailed after her and an alarm blared.

I ran forwards, determined to join the chase. Halfway along the corridor, the woman grabbed an empty gurney and propelled it forwards. I began to slow, getting winded, one hand clutching my side as she jumped onto the gurney and surfed it towards the plate glass window. She pulled out a gun and fired once, then twice at the glass. Solomon caught up to the gurney and grabbed the edge, his foot slamming on the brakes. As the gurney lurched to a sudden stop, she ran forwards on the bed and jumped feet first through the window. It splintered into a thousand tiny shards as she sailed through and began falling, her ponytail fanning out behind her.

“Damn it!” Solomon shoved the gurney out of the way and reached the smashed window, leaning out. A moment later, Redmond was next to him, peering over the edge, his gun drawn. Sneery joined them and fired off two shots. By the time I joined them, I expected to see the woman sprawled on the ground below.

Instead, all I saw was a splintered picnic bench. “Where’d she go?” I asked.

“She landed on the bench, rolled off, and ran away,” said Solomon, visibly incredulous.

“You got in the way and now she’s gone!” shouted Sneery.

“What exactly were you shooting at?” asked Solomon. “She was around the corner before you even fired your first shot!”

“Is anyone guarding Pete Wayne?” I asked.

We all turned at once. The door to Pete’s room was wide open. I sprinted back but the only people in his room now were his wife, a doctor and two nurses, checking his vitals.

“What happened?” asked Suki, turning her panicked eyes on me in the doorway. “Who was that woman?”

“That’s what we’re gonna find out,” said Sneery, planting a hand on my back and pushing hard until my face was smooshed against the glass part of the door. “You’re under arrest and as soon as we take you down to the station, you can make a formal confession about your accomplice.”

“My what?” I squeaked as he slapped his cuffs on my wrist.

“Redmond, cuff the guy,” said Sneery. “We’re taking you both in. Have you got anything to say?”

“That was awesome,” I said, thinking about the daring escape.

“Totally,” said Redmond breathlessly.

“Shut up and cuff him,” said Sneery.

“Unbelievable,” said Solomon.

~

I’d been arrested before and this time wasn’t any less embarrassing or any less unjustified. However, Solomon was excellent company, even if he were silent and brooding after they tucked us into the back seat of the police car. By the time we reached the police station, he was less broody and more seething while I worried what he might do to Sneery, who gleefully accompanied us.

Within minutes of being booked, Garrett and Jord arrived.

“Deja vu,” said Garrett.

“What did you do this time?” asked Jord. “Where’s Lily?”

“I have no idea. She wasn’t with us.”

“That’s a relief,” said Jord, letting out a breath. “Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

“I had to check,” he said with a shrug.

“Why are you both here? Slow day?” asked Solomon.

Garrett and Jord exchanged a look. “Let’s just enjoy the moment before we ruin it,” said Garrett.

“Fair,” agreed Jord. “How do the bracelets feel?”