DEATH (The Justice Cycle Book 1) J Kiefer (ebook reader .txt) 📖

to Johansson and turned to follow Dana who was already a few steps ahead of him. Johansson smiled knowingly back and winked again before turning to head back inside the large building. He stopped just before the door closed on him and pushed it back open a few inches. “Hey, you two, I will keep you posted if any new developments happen to pop up.”

Dana turned and waved to Johansson in acknowledgment, as the two officers reached the small car. “Thanks again for all your help.”

“Yeah and for not being the usual FBI douche bag,” Jared interjected with a laugh.

Johansson waved off the insult and chuckled as he allowed the door to close behind him. The smile on his face, however, disappeared as soon as the door closed. He pulled out his phone as he watched them walk away and pushed the call icon.

“We have the locket,” he said to the person on the other end. “No, I am pretty sure that I was able to dissuade them from any further interest in it. Either way, we will cross that bridge if we come to it. For now, I will continue to keep them at bay and hopefully looking in the wrong direction.”

He closed his fist around the tiny locket and breathed deeply in and out through his nose. In spite of himself, he liked the two detectives and wished he could tell them more; but the less they knew, the safer they would be. This locket was dangerous, and the sooner it was locked away where no one could ever get to it, the better.

Dana was already in the driver’s seat with the car running when Jared finally got in and buckled his seat belt. He turned and gazed at her, admiring her profile and the way her bangs fell across her face, and smiled appreciatively. She noticed him looking at her out of the corner of her eye.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. I just can’t stop thinking about how long it took me to finally see you.”

Her blush deepened and she turned away, brushing her rebellious bangs out of her eyes. She was quiet, then softly said, “I waited a long time.”

“I know,” he said apologetically. “But at least the waiting is over.”

“So, Mr. Better-Late-Than-Never, where do we go from here?”

“Wherever we want,” he replied with a smile.

“Okay, so where do we want to go?”

“Well, I always wanted to see Manhattan. I know that’s pretty cliché and touristy, but I think it would be fun. Plus, if I remember correctly, Steve said he had a show tonight somewhere on the island. Maybe we could go.”

She thought about it, then brightened. “Yeah. That sounds absolutely wonderful, as long as you promise to make your brother behave himself. You know how he can be.”

“Well, the best I can do is to promise that I will try. Plus, I’m not sure I want to behave myself tonight.”

She blushed again as they pulled out of the small parking lot and into the waiting traffic of New York City. “You’d better watch yourself or I will break something important.”

He laughed. “I have no doubt you would.”

Twenty-Four

In New York City, there are many dark alleys that a person may hide in or, if one is so inclined, commit any heinous act one can contrive. In one such nondescript alleyway, a writhing cloud of darkness appeared. Like a miniature black hole, it seemed to absorb and destroy the light it encountered.

A slight wind blew around it, stirring up the contents of the small alleyway. With a burst of dark energy, a lone figure stepped out from the darkness. As soon as the figure emerged, the portal dissipated and collapsed in on itself.

The Musketeer removed his large-brimmed hat and brushed away a few particles of dirt. Replacing the hat, he slid his hand along the brim with a flourish.

He closed his nightmare black eyes. His breathing slowed as he reached out with his senses. He did not have to search long. “There you are, mon ami,” he said.

Before the Musketeer opened his eyes, however, he sensed another presence approaching his location. A large man—no, two men—quickly drew near. His smile broadened into a wicked grin. “Lady Fortune favorsme today.”

The two men entered the alleyway just as he turned around to face them. Upon seeing the dark figure, the two men slowed their pace and fanned out, attempting to block the opening to the street. The larger of the two men pulled out a knife.

“Well, well, what do have here, Pedro? Looks like one of those Comic-Con geeks has wandered too far from his nerd herd.”

The other thug, a slightly smaller man wearing a red, white, and blue bandana with a star on it, laughed mirthlessly at the joke while tapping his shoulder with a large Louisville slugger. “Looks like it, Dante,” he replied.

Before the two men could make a move, the Musketeer guffawed. “Oh, idiots, this is so—how do you say?—so wonderfully cliché.”

“What did you say?” the massive man asked, his smile turning cold.

“Oh, and stupide as well, mon ami. How delightful this is. Here I thought I was going to have to wander around this ugly city for hours before you finally found me.”

Pedro scratched his head and scowled. “What he talkin’ about, Dante?”

Dante, his eyes now menacing slits, clenched his knife. “Seems this honkey thinks he really is some sort of knight.”

“Honkey? What is this honkey you speak of? And I am no knight. How dare you insult me so, monsieur!” He spat on the ground at the man’s feet. “I am one of Cardinal Richelieu’s finest. A knight indeed! I spit on such idiocy.”

“Whatever you are, I think it’s time I teach you some respe—” Dante attempted to say before his sentence was cut off. A look of profound bewilderment crossed his face and he stood transfixed, staring straight ahead, his eyes unfocused.

“Dante?” Pedro asked in surprise. “Are you...” His words caught in his throat. As he reached out