14. Sometimes, the simplest solutions worked the best.
FOURTEEN
Sometimes, the simplest solutions worked the best.
Quinn
It occurred to me I could beat Bailey to Vegas in one simple way, and it wouldn’t even cost me anything.
Over the years, I’d accumulated various favors from angels, devils, and demons alike, smoothing things over with local law enforcement or simply helping them because I could.
If I called in some of those favors, I could have everyone teleported to Vegas within a few hours, which would put me in position to reach Bailey if she needed me.
Taking a pair of young gorgons on a public flight was a recipe for disaster and mayhem, and while I’d be entertained, the effort would delay us long enough that driving might be more efficient.
Sometimes, the simplest solutions worked the best.
My first step was to call the FBI and process a jurisdiction request for Nevada.
When I finally got a hold of someone, I discovered I’d been granted country-wide jurisdiction for the purposes of recovering Janet—and that my sneaky wife had made a few requests regarding the rules and marriage in Nevada.
Once I resolved the jurisdiction issue, dealing with Perkins was next on my list. He wouldn’t be happy when I told him about my plan, but I needed to make sure he’d be okay with it before forcing him to teleport across half the country.
After his experiences teleporting with Bailey, I worried he would take my idea poorly.
I sighed and glanced at him. “I have an idea.”
“Those are the scariest damned words you could possibly say to me right now. Ideas are dangerous things. The only thing more dangerous than you having an idea is your wife having an idea—or my wife having one.”
Damn, my friend wasn’t pulling his punches. “How does teleporting to Vegas sound to you?”
“You are permitted to have a single idea today, and that is the idea you’re permitted to have.”
I laughed. “You’re in a mood.”
“I’ve been socially engineered to be incapable of expressing gratitude in gracious ways, so I’m resorting to mockery, sarcasm, and generally being an asshole to express my gratitude.”
I raised my brows at that. “You’re welcome.”
“Right. I was supposed to say thank you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I repeated, directing my attention back to my phone.
“Take us to the nearest FBI building. We can use that as a staging point, get them to deal with our rental, and prepare. I’ll call in a few extra favors to have our firearms and uniforms retrieved and make arrangements for a babysitter when we can’t watch the kids personally. ”
“Gorgons?”
“I was thinking angels or a divine.”
“Has it occurred to you that you may be taking the overprotective parent thing a little too far?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Sam, you can’t ask a divine to babysit the kids.”
“Like hell I can’t. And I will. The Sphinx adores kids, and she’s the best protector I can think of, and she’s immune to petrification. My grandfather’s a good choice, too. I’d like to see someone get to them with either of them on guard.”
“You’re serious.”
“Sure am. I mean, I’m going to be calling in favors from demons, devils, and angels to get us to Vegas in a hurry—and get us everything we need to be able to act once Bailey finds Janet.
I don’t want to be halfway across the country when she might need us.
Our wives, too. But Janet’s going to need the most help. ”
Perkins stared at me, his eyes wide. “Did you just admit someone might need more help than Bailey?”
“Yes. Actually, I’m more concerned about what Janet will do if she’s able to escape. That woman has backbone.”
“I’m worried Janet hasn’t set herself free. If she could, she would.”
“Petrification. I’m hoping not with gorgon dust, but my bets are on petrification.
This makes me wonder if that ex-cadet was involved with the 120 Wall Street incident, too.
” I growled, remembered we had kids in the car, and fell quiet.
“I’m worried this is more extensive of a plot than mere revenge. ”
“We need to figure out who his accomplices are. He has to have them.”
“That’s what Thomas thought, too.” I frowned.
“Thomas?”
“He’s a gorgon from Florida. Winfield had contacted him, and he tipped me off about Bailey. He’s definitely in league with gorgons; he’s been able to contact multiple hives. I just don’t know which hive he’s working with.”
“And it’s not that bitch’s hive, either.”
I wrinkled my nose but didn’t argue with him or his choice of terms.
“That’s a bad word,” Beauty announced. “Say you’re sorry.”
Perkins sighed while I grinned.
“I’m sorry, Beauty. She was a very bad person who’d done very bad things to your foster parents. She earned the title.”
“She’s a dog?”
“Basically,” Perkins replied. “But you’re right. It wasn’t a nice thing to say.”
“What mean things did she do?”
“She targeted your foster mother with a bomb, and when that didn’t work, she kidnapped her.” Perkins grunted. “She emotionally abused your foster father, too.”
As he said nothing but the truth, I kept my mouth shut despite wanting to protest his choice of words.
“That bitch!” Beauty blurted.
My annoyance over my ex-wife’s actions faded.
I fought my laughter over Beauty’s reaction, but it escaped, and choking it back only made things worse.
“We’ll just call that even,” I gasped out between fits of laughter.
“She’s dead now, so we really shouldn’t be saying bad things about her even though they’re true. ”
Sylvester giggled and leaned between the seats. “We’re not in trouble?”
“Not at all,” I assured him. “But let’s not say mean things moving forward.
” I worried Bailey would also help expand their vocabulary, but the realist in me recognized raising two gorgon children in New York around a bunch of cops at the station would result in colorful language and a certain hardened view of the world.
Gorgons needed a hardened view of the world.
Perkins pulled over long enough to input a new address into the navigation system, and he sighed at the hour-long drive ahead of us. “It could be worse, I guess,” he muttered.
“It could be. We could have to run to Vegas. Bailey’s going to be wiped.”
“Hey, just think about it this way, Sam. You’re always worried she’s not getting enough exercise. I think she’s covered for a while.”
“Your silver linings need work, Arthur.”
“Yeah, they’re a bit tarnished, aren’t they?”
Despite everything, I laughed.
Bailey
While we’d escaped the snow and the worst of the cold, I didn’t appreciate transforming at all. I emerged from the bathroom with a little help from Perkette, who held the door open enough that I could squeeze through.
Curious FBI agents observed from the hallway, and to make it clear I could burn and eat them, I bared my teeth, showed off my fangs, and snorted fire.
“Chief Quinn gets pissy when it’s cold outside, but I have her favorite treat in the car.”
Alfred’s brows rose. “Favorite treat?”
“Napalm. I made it myself.” She beamed at the FBI agent. “It’s made with store bought ingredients with the exception of high-grade neutralizer, which Chief Quinn provided upon request. You can’t even hit me with a misdemeanor for it.”
“I better file the forms sanctioning napalm consumption,” he muttered, fetching his phone and tapping on the screen.
I pricked my ears forward at that. “You auth-or-ize nay-palm for me?”
“Yes, I will. The situation warrants it. Please try to avoid any severe incidents. Will you need additional napalm?”
“Yes,” Perkette replied. “She will. Any flammable fluids will work, but napalm gives her the most energy and lasts the longest. I’m not sure how long my bucket will last.”
“Most agencies have a small supply on hand in case of emergency, but we measure it in cups.”
“Cup works,” I said, licking my lips. “Cup get me far. Bucket get me far-ther. But can work with cup. Po-leese keep gas. For gen-ur-ay-tors?”
“They should. You can run on gas?”
“Can. Not as good. Go gas station if need some.”
“I never thought I’d see the day a deputized civilian might need to gas up her unicorn during a cross-country sprint,” Alfred admitted. “How long do you think it will take you to get to Vegas?”
I flicked an ear back. “Two hour? Maybe three? Depends on fuel. I fast. No dep-u-tize Per-kette. She take over. Rule world. Bad idea.”
“Too late, Bailey. I got my papers. It’s okay, though.
I don’t get to actually do anything other than accompany you on official business.
It’s lame. Well, and carry a firearm. That part’s important.
Anyway, I’ve clocked her in at over two hundred miles per hour at a full gallop, and I suspect her jumps are around light speed. ”
“Light speed?” Alfred blurted.
I lifted a hoof, and aware I could destroy the floor, set it back down with a faint click. “I ride sunlight. It fun. Got-ten bet-ter at taking rider. Per-kette test often. She used to jumps. She no get sick. Sor-ry, hard to talk like this.”
“I’m having no problems understanding you, so you’re fine, Chief Quinn. You can travel at light speed?”
I turned my ears back and snorted flame. “No ex-per-i-ment on me. Can take one rider. Rider Per-kette. Or Sam. Sam can—”
Perkette clamped her hands around my muzzle and held my mouth closed. “You would regret saying that. Please don’t burn me.”
I didn’t burn her, but I thought about it. I waited for her to release me before I said, “Sam can accept offers of tran-spor-tay-shun whenever he want.”
“Good girl,” Perkette said, giving my shoulder a slap. “You stay here and keep Alfred company while I get your saddle and napalm out of the SUV, grab some neutralizer, and call the rental company to transfer the keys to Sylvester.”
My grandfather-in-law popped into existence, and I whinnied my laughter.
“I took care of the rental company already, Tiffany. I thought you’d appreciate getting on the road faster.
Go with her and get saddled outside, little one.
I can handle the rest of the matters here.
Let’s not bring the napalm into the building. ”