Page 89 of Devil's Due

“You know, my life with you might be short, but damn, it’s going to be memorable.”

She dug one-handed in her purse, came up with her cell phone and flipped it open. Voice-activated a call to Jazz, because she needed most of her attention for keeping the Hummer on the road and watching for any police cars moving to intercept. She had to get this thing off main streets fast, before air surveillance could get to them. Preferably, they needed to change cars. The closest chance would be six blocks away, in a parking garage behind a bank building.

“Yeah?” Jazz sounded sleepy.

“Three detectives showed up at my place this morning, with friends in patrol cars,” Lucia said. She hit the speakerphone button and dropped the phone to the seat. “I can’t come back to Manny’s. We need to move,now, or we won’t get another chance.”

“Damn!” Jazz was wide awake now. “Don’t you go without me.”

“I may not have a choice. Jazz, I don’t think it’s safe for you to leave the bunker.”

“Have I ever done what’s safe? I’ll get Manny in motion on the computer stuff.Wait for me.”

She hung up. Lucia shook her head and whipped the Hummer into a hard right turn, slowed her speed and then made an immediate left into the parking garage.

“What are we doing?”

“Switching cars.”

Ben sighed. “Car theft. I’m almostsurethat’s a crime.”

“It’s my own car. I have three of them, parked in central locations around the city, all accessible from mass transportation.”

“Look,” he said slowly, “don’t take this the wrong way, but who hides cars all over the city and has a secret escape hatch in her apartment, just in case?”

She took the ramp up. Second level. The Hummer barely made it—this was an old structure with low ceilings. “I’m a professional, Ben. And that’s really all you need to know until I can get you into a warm bed, serve you some wine and tell you the story of my life.”

“Promise?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “I promise.”

She pulled the Hummer into two spaces—it wouldn’t fit in just one—next to a dull green minivan. “Out. Grab whatever you think we’ll need from the back. Flak vests, definitely. Rocket launchers optional.”

She took her purse and the backpack holding the EMP. She had the minivan started when McCarthy slid inside. He had a Kevlar vest. “FBI issue,” he noted.

“Without the FBI printing. Yes. I think Manny has some friends in federal procurement. Did you get one for me?”

“Basic black,” he said. “Goes with everything. Jazz is meeting us?”

“Says she is.”

“I got extra.”

“Of everything?”

“Pretty much.”

They hit sunlight, and she steered the minivan toward the freeway.

“I forgot to ask,” he said. “Where is Eidolon’s great big headquarters of evil, anyway?”

“Las Vegas,” she said.

He smiled.

“Yes,” she agreed. “After we save the world, we can take in a show.”

“We take Simms, we could gamble.” Ben glanced out the window, checking for tails. “What about a Vegas wedding?”