Page 45 of Mr. Perfect

“Not enough time,” Jonah said.

“I have to try,” Felix said as he eased his van door open and slipped out as quietly as he could.

“Be careful,” Rocky groused.

Felix checked both directions to make sure no one was approaching on foot or by vehicle. The coast was clear, so he ran as stealthily as he could to the hauler. Felix could hear feminine giggles followed by a deep groan and knew Rocky had probably been generous with his lead time. Felix went around to the far end and climbed through the steel bars until he was on the bottom level of the hauler.

He checked the driver’s side door of the car closest to him, which was a late ’90s Pontiac Bonneville. The vehicle was unlocked, so he performed a quick search of the center console, looked under the seats, and rifled through the contents in the glovebox. He found nothing besides lip balm, a compact umbrella, a stack of napkins from fast-food restaurants, as well as several different condiment packets. The night vision goggles gave everything a greenish tint. Felix found no guns, smoking or otherwise, and no stash of drugs. He pulled the lever under the dashboard to pop the trunk.

The moaning echoing from the shadows got louder, and Felix knew he was running out of time. He shut the door just enough to make it latch, but soft enough that it wouldn’t give his presence away. He eased around to the rear of the car and pushed the trunk open so he could get a closer look. It was empty.

His heart sank, but Felix refused to give in. He didn’t expect Mercy to make his job easy. Felix pulled back the carpet in the trunk, intending to search the emergency tire well, but froze when he heard gravel crunching beneath someone’s feet.

“Fuck! Someone’s coming,” he whispered.

“Get out of there,” Jonah said.

“Oh, dear,” Avery whimpered.

“You fucking dumbass,” Rocky groused.

The footsteps were approaching from the front of the semi cab, which meant Felix hadn’t been spotted yet. His choices were to hide or get caught. Since he had no idea who was coming toward him, Felix climbed inside the spacious trunk of the Bonneville. The car came equipped with one of those emergency handles a person could use in case they got locked inside. Felix pulled the lid closed but stopped just shy of latching it. Emergency handle or not, he couldn’t stand the thought of being shut away inside the trunk. Maybe the release wouldn’t work, and he’d be forced to give himself up unless he wanted to take a boat ride to only God knew where.

Felix’s heartbeat thudded loudly in his ears as the footsteps got closer. Who was it? Port authority patrolling? A crew member returning from a dinner break? Whoever it was stopped suddenly, and Felix held his breath. The next noise sent fear spiking through him. Rubber soles squeaked and bounced against metal as someone climbed onto the hauler.

Felix wished like hell he’d thought to grab something he could use for protection. He could pull off his NVGs and swing them like a weapon.Please let it be Major. Please let it be Jonah.The lid opened suddenly, and Felix stared in shock at the last person on earth he wanted to see.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Felix asked. And why the hell did Jude look hot even when the NVGs gave him eerie, glowing eyes and turned him a Hulk-ish shade of green?

“Who?” his friends asked but not at the same time. The question came out in a staccato burst from three different people. Who? Who? Who?

“We sound like a demented owl,” Rocky said.

“Or a broken record,” Jonah teased.

“Guys,” Avery said, sounding frustrated. “Felix could be in trouble.”

“Are you, Fee?” Rocky asked.

Felix ignored them all.

Jude scowled down at him, utterly oblivious to the conversation going on in Felix’s ear. “I’m saving your stupid ass,” he snarled.

“Saving me from who?” Felix asked Jude. “You’re the reason I ducked inside the trunk in the first place.”

“Trunk?” Rocky repeated.

“Who the fuck is Felix talking to?” Jonah asked.

“I bet I know,” Rocky answered.

“Who?” Jonah and Avery asked at the same time.

Jude gripped Felix’s bicep and hauled him to a sitting position. “We’re getting out of here before you end up dead.”

“Is that Arrow?” Rocky asked. “Answer me, Felix.”

“Yeah,” Felix said. “It’s Arrow.”