Part 15 (2/2)

Brynna had to laugh. Humans could be so dense. dense. ”Silly-I was made, not born. ”Silly-I was made, not born.

”I never had one.”

”HI.”

Mireva jerked around, then relaxed when she saw Gavino leaning against the door that led from the roof to the interior of the building. ”Hey.” She pulled her gaze from him and went back to studying her plants, but it took effort. There was something enticing about him that she couldn't identify. Sure, he was the best eye candy she'd ever seen outside of a television screen, but it went beyond that. She couldn't figure it out. Hormones? Maybe. At seventeen Mireva was still a virgin, even though she'd been on birth control pills since she was fifteen. Her mother had told her it was to keep her from suffering from monthly cramps, but Mireva knew better. She'd never known her father and, oddly, had never wanted to, but simple math made it easy to figure out her mother had hardly been older than Mireva was now when she had conceived. Hormones could be a disastrous thing, but screw that-Mireva wasn't about to let a chemical reaction in her body make her do something that would change her entire life, no matter how cute the guy was. She was too smart for that.

Gavino watched her for a few minutes before he spoke. ”So, how's it going? All ready for your science fair?”

”I'm pretty up on it,” she answered. She glanced at the sky involuntarily-she always seemed to do that when thinking about the effect of the heat on the plants. ”Everything will be okay if the plants can stand the heat.”

”Told you I'd water for you.”

Mireva intentionally didn't look at him. She'd thought long and hard about Brynna's words and decided that even if Brynna was wrong, she couldn't take the chance. At least Brynna lived in the building; for all Mireva knew, Gavino lived on the other side of the city. ”I've got it covered.” This time she did glance at him. ”How'd you get past the cops?”

Gavino shrugged. ”I have my ways. Cops have never been able to keep up with me.”

”Ah.” She poked her fingertips around the bases of a few plants, checking the surface moisture of the soil and pulling out the ever-present contingent of tiny weeds. Did he think she would be impressed? Some girls might be, but Mireva's thoughts ran opposite to the p.u.b.escent norm. Why, she wondered, would the police have have to keep up with him? And what had he done in the past to gain that kind of experience? to keep up with him? And what had he done in the past to gain that kind of experience?

She straightened and stretched, working the stiffness out of her back. Yeah, the more she thought about it, the more she realized Brynna had given her a good warning. She wanted to believe that Gavino would never do anything to intentionally harm her, but then, what did she really know about him? Not much. Like Brynna had said, he talked a good game, but for Mireva the history just wasn't sliding into place. Unintentional was a nice sentiment, but it wouldn't regrow her plants if he screwed up. Mireva also knew she had a tendency to think the best of people where others, like her mother and uncle, were perpetually rooted in pessimism. Her optimism could bite her in the b.u.t.t if she didn't keep a handle on it.

”So, are you done here? For the day, I mean.”

She frowned. ”What do you mean?”

Gavino shrugged again, and Mireva had to stop herself from saying something. She hated that movement because it conveyed everything she didn't didn't believe in-carelessness most of all. He met her eyes, then stepped forward and squared his shoulders, almost as if he could read in her body language that she wasn't all that high on him. ”I mean there's a Cubs game this afternoon. As in Wrigley Field, peanuts, hot dogs, and good old Chicago baseball.” He held up one hand and wiggled a couple pieces of brightly laminated paper in her direction. ”They usually start at one-twenty, but there's some kind of road work issue on Addison, so it's not going to begin until four o'clock. And I've got tickets.” believe in-carelessness most of all. He met her eyes, then stepped forward and squared his shoulders, almost as if he could read in her body language that she wasn't all that high on him. ”I mean there's a Cubs game this afternoon. As in Wrigley Field, peanuts, hot dogs, and good old Chicago baseball.” He held up one hand and wiggled a couple pieces of brightly laminated paper in her direction. ”They usually start at one-twenty, but there's some kind of road work issue on Addison, so it's not going to begin until four o'clock. And I've got tickets.”

Mireva stared at the tickets, not quite believing what she'd heard. Go to an actual Cubs game? She'd been a fan ever since she could remember-and she was pretty good on the softball field herself-but actually going going to a game had never been a possibility. It was too far, it was too expensive; it was, frankly, something done by people who had a whole lot more money than she did. to a game had never been a possibility. It was too far, it was too expensive; it was, frankly, something done by people who had a whole lot more money than she did.

”No, thanks. I ... I can't.” It was her voice, but it wasn't. It was, however, the voice of reality.

”Aw, come on. Why not?” Gavino pointed to the rows of lush green plants behind her. ”Plants are watered for the day, right? And knowing you, you've probably already done your homework three times over, plus extra-credit stuff.”

Well ... yeah, she had. But that wasn't the only thing going on, and Mireva was a long way from forgetting the bullets that had whizzed at her yesterday, right on her own front doorstep. If it hadn't been for her backpack full of books taking the first two, she'd be dead right now instead of standing on this roof. On the other hand, how likely was it that the guy-a.s.suming it had been a male-who'd shot at her yesterday was going to be waiting out front today? There was nothing surrept.i.tious about her security force: two squad cars out front, one out back, uniformed cops both in and out of the building. And speaking of- ”How did you get up here, anyway?”

”It wasn't hard,” he said. Mireva's eyes narrowed at the indifferent tone of his voice. He caught her expression and added quickly, ”The cop was on his cell phone, talking to his girlfriend or something. I mean, despite all the excitement yesterday, I don't think they really believe that person is going to come back here. And with all the cops hanging around, he'd have to be crazy to show up, right?”

Mireva poked at her plants again, her mind spinning. Everything he said sounded so reasonable. Only a fool would come back here now-the cops had checked every car parked out front, ha.s.sled every person going in and out of the building, and basically followed her everywhere but into the bathroom. The only reason she'd been able to convince them it was okay to come up to the roof was because they believed the guy who'd shot at her wasn't inclined to go above sidewalk level.

She turned to face Gavino. ”But what about going out? Maybe we could have one of the cops go with us.”

Gavino shook his head. ”Nah, they'd never go for that. You know how paranoid cops are. They think bad guys are going to jump out of every shadow.” He gave her a handsome grin. ”Think about it, Mireva. Wrigley Field holds over forty-one thousand people. Even if someone was still after you-which is doubtful-how the h.e.l.l would he find you? You're much more of an easy target right here.”

”Forty-one thousand?” Mireva echoed.

”Forty-one thousand, one hundred and eighteen, to be exact. As of 1998.” When she raised an eyebrow, Gavino's grin widened and he gave her a conspiratorial look. ”Us baseball people know stuff like that.” He held up the tickets again. ”Come on, what do you say? You can leave your mom a note or something.”

Mireva considered the idea of a note, then rejected it. She knew exactly what would happen once her mother read it, and how embarra.s.sing would it be for her mother to send the cops to the baseball park to find her? It wasn't such a stretch, considering biometrics and the number of video cameras that were popping up nowadays. She'd once heard a politician on television say that it was easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. She'd never used that principle before, but maybe she could, just this one time. She wanted to act cool and unconcerned, but in spite of everything a small churning ball of excited b.u.t.terflies seemed to be banging against the walls of her stomach.

”Okay,” she heard herself say. ”Let me get my Cubs cap, then we'll see if you're good enough to get us out of here without getting caught.”

ERAN WASN'T WAITING FOR her when Brynna got off work, so she dug out her money and rode the bus like everyone else. By the eighth stop she had a seat by a window; that gave her plenty of time to watch the world go by and think about what had rolled through her mind when she'd walked out of the Dirksen Federal Building and realized she was on her own for transportation. That was no big deal, obviously, but the disappointment she'd felt that Eran wasn't waiting troubled her. Well, that didn't really cover it. It bugged the s.h.i.+t out of her-he was a human, she was a fallen angel. her when Brynna got off work, so she dug out her money and rode the bus like everyone else. By the eighth stop she had a seat by a window; that gave her plenty of time to watch the world go by and think about what had rolled through her mind when she'd walked out of the Dirksen Federal Building and realized she was on her own for transportation. That was no big deal, obviously, but the disappointment she'd felt that Eran wasn't waiting troubled her. Well, that didn't really cover it. It bugged the s.h.i.+t out of her-he was a human, she was a fallen angel. And never the twain shall meet, And never the twain shall meet, her mind supplied snidely, but that wasn't true, wasn't it? They'd met last night, all right, and that ”meeting” had opened up a whole new set of dark and dangerous doors. her mind supplied snidely, but that wasn't true, wasn't it? They'd met last night, all right, and that ”meeting” had opened up a whole new set of dark and dangerous doors.

It occurred to Brynna that things were going a little too smoothly. Yes, Mireva had been shot at and Brynna had taken a bullet for her, but that was all on a human level; where Brynna came from, things could, and usually did, get much, much much worse. She was, in fact, relaxing a little worse. She was, in fact, relaxing a little too too much-when was the last time she'd seriously thought about Hunters? Sure, she found herself glancing around now and then, but she was paying a whole lot more attention to Eran and Mireva and her nearly daily commutes downtown for interpreter jobs, really getting caught up in the human world. The sudden realization of how completely careless she'd been almost made Brynna cringe. much-when was the last time she'd seriously thought about Hunters? Sure, she found herself glancing around now and then, but she was paying a whole lot more attention to Eran and Mireva and her nearly daily commutes downtown for interpreter jobs, really getting caught up in the human world. The sudden realization of how completely careless she'd been almost made Brynna cringe.

Was it possible that Lucifer simply wasn't looking for her anymore, that he wasn't going to bother? Such an idea brought up strangely complex emotions, the biggest of which was the one most likely to be true: it was utterly absurd. Lucifer was greedy, l.u.s.tful, and possessive. While there might have been a time when he had loved her, that era was long gone. Now, as far as he was concerned, he simply owned her. And he did not allow possessions to leave.

On the other hand, what if he truly no longer cared? Part of her would rejoice in her freedom-if she could confirm it-while another part of her felt stung by the notion that she might have given up everything for someone who ultimately didn't even care enough to try to bring her back. She didn't want to return, of course, and she would die rather than do so, but she had literally given up G.o.d's she could confirm it-while another part of her felt stung by the notion that she might have given up everything for someone who ultimately didn't even care enough to try to bring her back. She didn't want to return, of course, and she would die rather than do so, but she had literally given up G.o.d's Grace Grace to stay by Lucifer's side. Ultimately it wasn't that he held her in so little regard, but that she had made an error in judgment that was so monumental it could never be equaled by anyone, in Heaven to stay by Lucifer's side. Ultimately it wasn't that he held her in so little regard, but that she had made an error in judgment that was so monumental it could never be equaled by anyone, in Heaven or or on Earth. How could she have been so completely senseless? on Earth. How could she have been so completely senseless?

Before Brynna could berate herself further, the bus turned onto her street and she gathered up her purse and stood. The bus slowed and she glanced forward automatically, then stiffened. Her building was about half a block down, and through the winds.h.i.+eld she could see three squad cars pulled to the curb in front of it. As the bus slowed to a stop and the doors hissed open, Brynna realized that Eran's car was also there, sandwiched between two of the CPD's Crown Victorias. This couldn't be good.

Someone must have told him she was coming, because by the time she made it to the building's door, Eran was waiting. ”What's wrong?” she asked. ”Where's Mireva? Is she all right?”

”That's the problem,” Eran said. His face was grim and tight. ”We don't know where where she is. Somehow Officer Cutler there managed to lose her.” Eran shot an angry look toward a round-faced cop with dark hair who was staring at his shoes while his sergeant spoke to him in low, rapid tones. she is. Somehow Officer Cutler there managed to lose her.” Eran shot an angry look toward a round-faced cop with dark hair who was staring at his shoes while his sergeant spoke to him in low, rapid tones.

Brynna sucked in a breath. ”How long ago?”

”No d.a.m.ned idea,” Eran answered. ”The last time that Eagle Eye can place her, she was headed up to the roof to water her plants after she got home from cla.s.s. As near as he can recall, that was about two o'clock.”

Over two hours ago. ”She could be anywhere.”

Eran ran one hand nervously over his hair. ”I was hoping you might be able to help me look for her,” he finally got out. ”Take a look at her room, her stuff. You know, like you did with Cho Kim.”

”Absolutely. Let's go.” She was already moving toward the stairs.

In the apartment, Abrienda was pacing the small living room, her movements tight and efficient, like a high-strung lioness. Sathi was stationed by the window, his sharp dark eyes watching everything that happened on the street below; a young, uniformed officer stood by the front door, and it was clear from his stance that he just wanted to avoid the trouble that Cutler had gotten himself into.

”Ramiro is on his way,” Abrienda said when she saw Brynna. She waited for the span of a double heartbeat, then asked, ”Do you think she is already dead?”

Eran's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to answer, but Brynna beat him to it. ”It depends on where she's gone, and with whom,” she answered honestly. ”She has a better chance if she's by herself than with Gavino.”

Abrienda's face darkened. ”Gavino-that boy I saw in the hallway.”

”Yes.”

Her seething gaze found Eran. ”If you knew he was a bad person, that he would harm my Mireva, then why did you not arrest him?”

”He hadn't done anything wrong,” Eran said. ”And there's no proof that he has now, or that he's even with Mireva.”

Abrienda turned to glare at Brynna. ”But you-you knew, didn't you?”

Careful now, Brynna thought. This was Abrienda she was talking to, not Eran. ”I had a bad feeling about him,” she said. ”That's why I made him leave the build-”

”Ms. Cocinero,” Eran cut in, ”may we take a look at Mireva's room? Maybe there's something in there that will help us figure out where she is.”

Abrienda folded her arms. Her back was straight, her shoulders stiff. ”Fine. Do whatever you need to. Just find her. Alive. Alive.”

<script>