Page 8 of Soaring into the Midlife

"Are you ready to roll?" I asked as I approached Kendra, my smile lingering.

"Absolutely." She was clearly eager to get started. "I think Zara will do great on this one. It's just the case she needs to build her confidence."

"I hope so," I said. "She's got the potential to be a valuable asset to our team, but she needs to learn how to harness her powers effectively. This is the perfect chance for her to do just that."

"Exactly." Kendra nodded, a smirk playing on her lips. "And if she does well, you can stop considering sending her off to one of those territories in the US. I mean, it's not like you two are going to be besties anytime soon."

"Hey," I protested with a laugh, swatting her playfully on the arm. "I don't dislike Zara, I just... well, you know. It’s difficult to be buddy-buddy with someone who attacked me."

“I know.” She patted my arm. “Nobody blames you, but who knows? Maybe she'll surprise us both."

"Let's hope so," I said.

4

The full moonilluminated the night sky as we cruised through downtown Philly in one of Jax’s sleek black SUVs. The streets were alive with people enjoying their Saturday evening, unaware of the human and supernatural unfolding around them.

"Can you believe this guy?" Kendra gripped the steering wheel tightly. "I mean, what kind of skip has an address in a skyscraper? Not exactly the criminal we usually go after."

"Maybe he's compensating for something." I snarked, grinning at Zara, who sat beside me in the back seat.

She looked excited, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. She was so eager to take the lead. "Either way, I can't wait to get my hands on him."

I gave her a wry look. “Remember, you don’t want to hurt him. Just subdue him, and we’ll get him down to the police station.”

"Fine, fine." Zara sighed dramatically. "But if he tries anything funny, I'm taking him down."

"Agreed," Kendra and I replied in unison, exchanging amused glances.

We finally arrived at the impressive glass-and-steel skyscraper, its many windows reflecting the moonlight like a beacon in the dark cityscape. Parking in the underground garage, we noticed the luxury cars surrounding us. This guy had money.

"Eleventh floor," Zara said as we stepped into the elevator. "Must have one hell of a view."

"Let's hope it's the last view he enjoys before we catch him,” I said.

"Remember." Kendra's eyes met Zara’s in the mirrored walls of the elevator, "no matter what happens up there, we’ve got your back."

Zara consulted the paperwork Kendra had brought along. “Apartment 1113.”

We found the right apartment, but something wasn't quite right.

"Here goes nothing," Zara said.

"Ready when you are, fearless leader," I said.

Zara knocked hesitantly, and without warning, the door creaked open on its own, revealing a dark, empty space. My instincts screamed at me to turn back, but we were in too deep now. We stepped cautiously over the threshold, our breaths held and senses on high alert.

"Hello?" Zara ventured into the darkness, her voice wavering slightly. "Anyone here?"

Before any of us could react, the world around us vanished. With no warning, we were outside the building, hanging ontothe exterior for dear life, eleven stories above the ground. Fear gripped my chest as my fingers dug into the cold metal, desperately clinging to the edges.

"Wh-what just happened?" Kendra stammered, her eyes wide with panic.

"Did we just teleport?" Zara gasped, her grip on the edge threatening to slip.

"Hang on!" I shouted, the wind whipping around us, making it difficult to hear. "Kendra, can you make a portal or something to get us back inside?"

"I’ll try." Kendra's face contorted in concentration.