Jeremy took a break or two, but he managed to get Lani back to the pilgrim camp in pretty short order. He wasn't about to take him back to the Greywood, obviously, but there wasn't much else where he could safely deposit the man. Spending so much fuckin' time and effort on him… Brian's still out there. Gotta get moving.

  The place was still buzzing as he emerged from the treeline — at the shortest distance between the trees and the first set of tents and carts, as he intended. He wanted to be in and out, no distractions, as fast as he could. Heaving Lani onto a more comfortable position on his back, Jeremy hustled into the camp. He flagged down the first soldiers he saw.

  "Hey."

  "...Yeah?" asked one warily.

  Not gonna get someone to hold him down without authority. "Captain Hoskins. Where is he?"

  "...Who are you, exactly?"

  Fuck me, someone who doesn't watch the news. "Special Agent Jeremy Ashe, FBI NSB SeaTac. I need to find the captain." Jeremy awkwardly fished into his pocket for his badge and showed it. The soldier raised his eyebrows, and after a long second of inspection, finally nodded.

  "Right this way."

  The soldier led him through the camp — straight back to the command tent. Son of a bitch… Could've just gone straight here.

  Jeremy didn't waste any time when he found Hoskins. He explained briefly how Lani was a rogue FBI agent wanted for questioning, and to hold him for the time being. Lani was not to be released to anyone without Jeremy's express permission.

  "And if you die out there?" asked Hoskins frankly. "What's the chain of custody after you?"

  Jeremy shrugged. "DTA, I guess. He's awakened, so keep that in mind while holding him."

  "DT… Right. The new department." Hoskins nodded. "Got a contact I can reach?"

  "Yeah. Wesley Gatiss, Secretary. One step off the President. You can release Lani on his direction, mine, or Cinza's."

  "...Cinza's not in the United States government. Hell, I'm pretty sure she isn't even a citizen."

  "Still her jurisdiction," said Jeremy firmly.

  "Last resort, then," said Hoskins. He held out his hand, and Jeremy shook it. "Good hunting, wherever you're going."

  Jeremy hurried out again. He'd already lost time, and Rallsburg was still a good ways away. It was a small town tucked into the forests and hills, so concepts like 'neighbors' were stretched a bit. The R.V. park wasn't even technically inside the Rallsburg town limits (though, frustratingly enough, within the limits of the Price estate), but Jackie had always treated it like it was, to their benefit.

  Well… it's sure part of their world now, ain't it?

  As Jeremy walked through the camp, he realized just how fast his heart was racing. Adrenaline was still pumping wildly through his body, and he wasn't exactly young anymore at forty-two. Field work this strenuous was supposed to be in his past… and yet here he was, doing fireman lifts, running through thick forest in the dead of night, on what seemed like the longest day of his entire life.

  Fuck me. We were in D.C… fifteen hours ago? How is this goddamn day so long?

  Jeremy slowed down. He knew where Brian was going, and they couldn't travel directly there. They had to be even more discreet than he did, and Brian wasn't likely to move for a while once he got there. Jeremy had some time, and with the way his mind was stuck in loops all day, he knew he needed a moment to refocus.

  He needed something familiar to latch onto.

  Jeremy pulled out his phone. He had signal thanks to the tower set up by the camp, in addition to to the heavy-duty repeater brought in by the National Guard. He opened his contacts and picked the very top one, praying she was still awake. He needed her right now more than anything.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  She answered on the very first ring.

  "It's about fucking time!" Maddie growled.

  "...Hi yourself."

  "You said you weren't gonna be on the frontline!"

  "Fuck." Jeremy stopped, right on the edge of the camp before actually leaving. "I wasn't trying to be."

  "Well, from the reports I'm gettin', it sounds like you're out there with the National Guard getting shot at."

  "Can't help that Hendricks decided to go full terrorist tonight." Jeremy leaned against the nearest tree, taking deep breaths, trying to steady himself. He started digging into some of the soldiers' rations he'd scooped up on the way out of camp, forcing them down. "People are dying, Maddie."

  "Yeah, we know. President's been in the Situation Room all night. I've got a contact feeding me stuff too." Maddie took a breath. "Anyone… anyone we know?"

  "Not for lack of tryin'." Jeremy sighed. "One of the guys who was with me. Police officer named West, came out of Tacoma to help out. They sliced his neck open."

  "Jesus…" Maddie whispered. "Golems too, right? I heard there were golems."

  "Yeah. Hendricks is here." Jeremy figured that was as good a segue as any. "Secure line?"

  "Always, Jere-bear."

  "We're going to kill him."

  "...You what?"

  "You can't tell anyone," Jeremy said quickly. "I'm going in, and we're going to kill him."

  "You're… No, Jeremy, don't—"

  "Maddie, I'm going crazy out here," said Jeremy, his blood rising again. "After all the shit that's happened… After Lani and Rook, London, you, the number of times I've nearly died, Hailey, Jessica… I already found him once."

  "Jeremy—"

  Jeremy cleared his throat. He had to consciously keep his voice quiet, though he was certain no one was close enough to overhear. "I was ten feet away. Could have called in the strike any time. Cinza would have cast her spell, and Hendricks woulda died, along with most of his leadership. Right there. No more golems, no more massacres, no more goddamn crusade. There'd still be a fuckton of cleanup and crazies to deal with, but way more manageable."

  "And so would you!" Maddie practically screamed. "Goddammit Jeremy, you aren't going to kill yourself for this!"

  "Someone's gotta stop him," said Jeremy, keeping a remarkably even voice. "I ain't gonna kill myself. I stopped to save Lani. He's with the National Guard by the way. If I don't make it back, tell Wesley to take custody and get him on the stand for Rika and Hailey. They'll only release to me or him."

  "So what are you doing now?"

  "Going back to Rallsburg. He's going there too. Looking for his daughter."

  "His… you mean Natalie, right?" Maddie hesitated. "That little girl with the scars?"

  "She ain't that little," said Jeremy, "and she ain't to be fucked with either. I met her for real tonight."

  "Do you… Jesus, Jeremy, do you have backup?"

  "Don't need it." Jeremy shrugged. "I just gotta find Hendricks and call it in. The rest is on them. Don't even gotta show myself."

  "This still sounds insane. You're talking about killin' the guy in cold blood."

  Yeah… but it's to save everyone else. Shit… This was probably how Rachel felt, huh?

  "My blood ain't been cold since Lakewood, Maddie," Jeremy growled. "Not since Vancouver, really. They shot Lani, they tried to kill me, they tried to kill so many people. This has gotta end."

  "I think this is a bad idea," said Maddie, "but I guess I ain't stoppin' you."

  "No."

  "Take some fuckin' backup. Please." Maddie hesitated. "What about Jackie? You can trust her, right? Heard she was around from one of the reports."

  "She's back at the Greywood," muttered Jeremy, still feeling some guilt over it. Jackie hadn't wanted him to leave either. Besides, she ain't got shit against golems, or guns, or anything else we're goin' up against. I need… well, I need someone else. "I wish… fuck me."

  "What?"

  "Wish Hailey were here," he sighed.

  Maddie matched him sigh-for-sigh. "Won't be for a long time yet, little bro."

  "We can't do shit to the golems without her or the kid," said Jeremy. "Even the other supposed strong man, Hector, barely held on against Hendricks. Hailey couldn't beat them, but she sure as hell could hold 'em back. 'Top of that, she learned to deflect goddamn bullets in London. I could really use that right now."

  "I tried to visit her," said Maddie.

  "She doing better?" asked Jeremy. "Alden said she was lookin' up a bit when he got released."

  "No idea. Couldn't get in. Her lawyer says she's cooperating with the grand jury as much as she can. They're trying to keep it all under the table and stall a bit while the Nishimura proceedings create precedent." Maddie sighed. "Nishimura's a nightmare. Hailey might not even get charged at this rate, but Rika's gonna get herself held in contempt fifty fuckin' times over before we even get to trial."

  "Jesus Christ…" Jeremy paused. "Maddie, Rook's out here too. If I can get her to you, would her testimony get Rika cleared?"

  "It'd help." Maddie sighed again. "I'm tired as fuck and not gettin' sleep tonight with how loud everything is out where you are. Get her, figure out what she's actually got, and call Rika's lawyer. Name's… uhh…"

  "Jefferson Baux."

  "Yeah." Maddie hesitated again. Jeremy could hear her faint breathing through the phone — which meant she must be seriously stressed on her end, if even the phone was picking it up. "Jere-bear?"

  "Yeah, Maddie?"

  "I know it's crazy out there, and you might not have a choice… but don't you dare fuckin' die on me, okay? Big sister's orders."

  Jeremy shook his head, wishing Maddie were there so he could hug her — but also grateful his big sister was thousands of miles away from the insanity. Far away from soldiers and madmen, from golems and gunfire, from remnants of a genocidal young man-turned-budding-god and the devastated forest torn apart by his disciple.

  "I'll be okay."