UNKNOWN
My phone begins to ring loudly, the sound splitting through the previously quiet house. I pull it from my pocket and freeze when I see the familiar number flashing across the screen as if daring me to answer.
I knew he'd call.
I know what he wants...but am I willing to give it?
I debate not answering and letting it go to voicemail.
What's the worst that could happen?
Scratch that. Not answering has more consequences than actually answering.
I guess I was just hoping he'd call later rather than sooner.
Just my luck he chooses otherwise.
I answer the phone.
"You chose the wrong side." His cold voice greets me.
"I should say the same to you, but I know it won't get through your thick skull." I retort coolly and he laughs bitterly.
"I'll give you one chance to take back your choice. It's in your best interest to choose wisely this time or you're going to join them in hell when I'm done with you."
"Don't waste your breath," I growl back through the phone. "It's not going to happen. I've chosen my side and you've chosen yours." There's silence on the other end. "And I wouldn't take back my choice for the world. There's nothing you can offer me, nothing you can threaten me with that will make me change my mind."
"Be prepared, cause as soon as the next flight's available...I'm coming for you."
"Give it your best shot...and I'll give it mine." I slam the phone down on the counter as hard as I can, shattering the screen.
It doesn't matter, I'm not going to be needing it anymore. Not where I'm going.
I stick my hand into my jacket and pull out the white crinkled envelope I've stuffed into my pocket. I've pulled it out a million times over only to stuff it back into my pocket a few seconds later.
But this time I keep it out a pull out the papers inside. My eyes briefly scan over the writing yet again but the words are not my concern. Not what I need. My eyes settle on the address written in the bottom corner.
I pull the last thing remaining in the envelope out. I allow the metal badge to catch the light before turning it over in my hands.
He's pissed off at me for choosing the wrong side...
Let's piss him off even more.
CODY
"Why is the gate open?" Chase asks, his tone has a hint of panic in it as he begins to drive up the long driveway to Thirteen's house.
I shake my head but worry begins to unfurl in the pit of my stomach. Thirteen doesn't just leave the gate of her house wide open for anybody to come in...especially not after Lydia.
Chase and I get our answer as we pull up in front of the house. Several large construction trucks and moving vans are taking up most of the parking places in front of the house.
"What the hell?" I mutter as I peer out the window.
Thirteen comes walking down the front steps of her house after pushing off from the doorway in which she was watching. Chase rolls down the window and she bends over to lean slightly into the car.
"Back up a little and give me a sec." She says before either of us can get a word out. "I'll open up the garage for you two to park."
She pushes off from the car and walks off inside as Chase backs up the car as she said to. We wait a little while before the garage door slowly begins to open. Thirteen leans against the wall next to the controls and waves us in, gesturing for us to park on the far left of the garage. Away from the tarps covering several more cars.
Her garage is freaking huge.
I get out of the car with Chase and he locks the car as Thirteen walks over to us. I pull her into my arms as soon as she's close enough. I see her roll her eyes but smile none the less. I give her a quick kiss on the lips.
"Yeah, I'm still here," Chase states, a smirk plastered on his face. I flip him off and Thirteen just rolls her eyes again.
"So...what's up with the vans and trucks?" Chase asks as he points at the driveway.
"Long story." She says as her happy expression turns into a resigned and tired look. "Here's the fastest way to sum it up. What do think is the first thing Lily wanted to do when she was released from the hospital last week?"
"Move in?" I suggest and Thirteen tilts her head back and forth as if weighing her options.
"Alright what was the second thing?" She finally asks instead.
"Redecorate?" Chase suggests this time and Thirteen shakes her head.
"I wish." She says simply. She turns towards the door connecting the house to the garage.
"Then what was it?" I ask and Thirteen cringes.
"I'll give you a warning and a hint." She says as she pushes open the door and begins to walk down the hallway into the main room. "The warning...don't go into the backyard. The hint...what she wanted, is the exact opposite of what she named it."
Both me and Chase stop in our tracks and I see him pale...I'm sure my face matches his.
"No." I finally manage to say and Thirteen just nods with a grimace.
"Yep." She says. "Lily has given it free rein of my pool. So I hired some people to make a new pool, and to fence in the 'Angel' currently living in my backyard."
"Why would you let her bring that thing here?" Chase practically yells, panic in his tone.
Thirteen glares at him. "I didn't let her. She went behind my back and smuggled it in here with the help of Henri."
Henri must really like Lily...or just really enjoys scaring the crap out of people.
"Where is she?" Chase questions. "I'm going to ring her scrawny little neck."
Thirteen just shakes her head. "Yeah, good luck with that one. Fair warning, if you do run into her in the next ten minutes, just take the damn sweaters and put them on...and don't mention anything."
"Mention anything about what?" I question and I get my answer as we enter the main section of the house. I turn towards Thirteen. "Remind me again what month it is," I mutter.
I don't even know what to focus on. My eyes drift to the giant Christmas tree set up in the middle of the room and decorated with the brightest lights, gold garland, and red bulbs. There are wreaths strung up everywhere along with more garland. There's fake snow covering every inch of the floor, and mistletoe hung above every doorway.
"It's not December." Thirteen mutters. "But don't tell her that."
"She does realize we're in the middle of spring, right?" Chase asks as he looks around at the decorations in confusion. "Christmas has already passed."
"Again, I warn you, don't tell her that." Thirteen runs a hand through her hair and lets out a tired sigh.
"Any word on Jason?" She asks.
I nod. "Actually yes." Her eyes find mine as I talk. "Zero was able to get access the security footage from the building across the street from the hospital. The video is slightly blurry, but it clearly shows Jason walking out of the hospital building on his own. No one with him, following him, or around him."
Thirteen's eyebrows wrinkle in confusion. "Then where the hell did he go? And why did he leave?"
I shrug. "I don't know. We've tried calling him but if he has his phone he's not answering it."
She nods. "I'll try calling Ryder again to see if he can find him."
"Ryder still not answering his phone?"
"No and neither is Nicky...I'm beginning to get a little worried."
"I'm not."
All of us turn to look at Lily as she descends the staircase like she's some kind of queen...only, she doesn't exactly look the part.
Candy-cane striped leggings, a green elf dress, green heels, and a Christmas elf hat sitting on her head...and then there's her hair.
She's dyed the left side of her hair red, and the right side green.
"My brother may not have as many lives as me left, but I have no doubt that idiot's alive somewhere. Do you have any idea how many people want him dead? My motto is, If I can't kill him, no one can."
She makes it the bottom of the stairs as she finishes off her little speech. She holds out two of the ugliest Christmas sweaters I've ever seen.
"For you two." She says simply, holding them out at arm's length and expecting us to take them.
"Yeah, there's no way I'm going to-"
Thirteen's elbow makes contact with Chase's rib cage before he can finish his sentence. She leans in closer to him as he clutches his side in pain and shoots her a look.
"I told you to just take the damn things." She mutters for only us to hear. Lily still holds out the sweaters expectantly and I take one from her.
"You do realize it's not even close to Ch-"
Chase is going to have some fractured or broken ribs if he keeps talking.
"What did I warn you about?" Thirteen hisses.
"I've been in a coma for the past four, almost five years," Lily interjects. "I have missed...five Christmases and therefore I'm giving you all the honor and privilege to spend my make up Christmas with me."
Chase looks her with slight annoyance but I see him giving in to her and he finally takes the second sweater from Lily. She smiles gleefully and bounds off.
"Does she really expect us to wear these?" Chase questions. He's holding the sweater out at arm's length like it has some kind of disease on it.
"If you ever want to get a wink of sleep for the rest of your life, I suggest you put the sweater on before she comes back." Thirteen says. "Devin's pranks and jokes are absolutely nothing compared to Lily's, and she happens to know how to work the traps in this house. Remember that."
"Why aren't you wearing a sweater?" Chase presses and Thirteen smiles smugly.
"I'm the only one who can win an argument with her." She sounds rather proud of herself. "I also have to leave in about," She looks down at the watch on her wrist. "Fifteen minutes. I have a company meeting that I have to attend. So you two are on babysitting duty."
"I'd rather babysit the gator," Chase says flatly. Me and Thirteen laugh.
"That can be an option." Thirteen says and Chase pales ever so slightly.
"I see you've healed," I speak up, changing the subject.
Thirteen smiles slightly. "Only because I've been stuck in the hospital, or this house for the past four weeks...and Lily may have handcuffed me to the bed at one point to keep me from getting up. Leg's still a little sore and I could potentially reopen the wound, but it's healed...for now at least."
She shrugs and her expression turns serious. "How's Devin doing?"
I laugh. "He's giving the nurses and the doctors hell. He's pissed that he's still stuck in that hospital instead of over here with us."
"The doctors say he's going to make a full recovery, but they want to keep him at the hospital for as long as possible to make sure nothing's wrong. Gunshots to the chest are deadly, daggers even worse, and coupled with poison...well it's bad." Chase adds in and Thirteen looks away with a pained look on her face.
"It wasn't your fault." Both me and Chase say the exact same time. Clearly, the same thought was running through our minds when we saw the look on her face. She just smiles gratefully at us.
"And Devin's going to be fine. He's already being as annoying as possible to try to get the hospital to dismiss him and then he can come here." Chase adds.
"He also says he's beginning to understand your hatred of slings and crutches." I chime in and she turns her attention to me.
Her eyebrows furrow together in confusion. "Are they making him use crutches?"
I shake my head with a smile. "Nope. Zero's had him confined to a wheelchair. He says he finally understands why you're always so grumpy."
She scowls, but a smile appears on her face a moment later. She shakes her head and motions for us to follow.
"Agent 1 is scheduled to get here within the week...but I think it's safe to assume he won't be here till next week." She says as we walk up the stairs to get to the third floor.
"What makes you say that?" I ask and she shoots me a devious smile over her shoulder.
"Lily-even though she claims to have 'corrupted' him-still doesn't know if she can trust him completely. So she's currently sending him on one of her wild goose chases before she finally leads him here. She wants to see how much of her horror houses he can put up with."
"I feel bad for the guy," Chase mutters.
"Eh." Thirteen waves off his concern. "He'll live...hopefully. Worst that happens is he dies of a heart attack before actually getting here."
