hiddencait

Chapter 4

But I wish I could feel it all for you
I wish I could be it all for you
If I could erase the pain
Maybe you'd feel the same
I'd do it all for you
I would
I'd do it all for you, I'd do it all for you

“Guns and Horses” – Ellie Goulding

He cursed again and reached for the phone he hoped was still undamaged in his pocket, the last resort he really hadn’t wanted to reach for as god only knew how desperately they needed to keep Matt and his location guarded. He was the only one with a birds eye view of the compound though, and the only one who might be able to get them a way the fuck out of here.

Nick was getting ready to dial when the screech of tires and roar of an engine far more impressive than the beat-to-hell body of an old suburban it was installed in came careening around the corner of the building straight for their position. The SUV slammed to a stop just inches from Emily and the Spark in the drivers seat ordered them all inside through the open passenger window.

“Let’s go already – I’m not sticking around to play anymore!” Nick let out a rush of air in a relieved sigh as he helped load the growing crowd of runaway psychics into the car, praying there’d be seatbelts for everyone. With Lex driving they’d definitely need them; hell they’d have needed them even if they hadn’t been in a life-or-death chase. As Murphy’s Law would have it, they had just enough room on the actual seats for everyone but Nick. There wasn’t time for him to bitch and moan beyond a quick and heartfelt “Fuck me.” That said, he pulled himself in the back doors of the suburban and resigned himself to Moving himself off of walls as best he could. He could guarantee he’d be hitting his head at least once or a couple dozen times, though.

Lex took off the instant the last door was slammed, and Nick was glad he was the only one unsecured. At least a telekinetic might be able to hang on. Cassie’s light little body would have been tossed all over the place with out the security of a belt.

The Spark floored it and flipped a bitch that Nick would have though impossible in the massive SUV, but she managed it without even jumping a curb. She tore through the parking lot like she was on a damned racetrack, heading back to the gates of the facility and pushing what felt like 80 mph in the small space.

“Matt, tell me you got the timing, right,” Lex snapped, and Nick wondered if she was just speaking out into the ether.

“Of course I do. Just make the gate – it’ll be open when you get there.” Nick blinked in shock but looked forward to the front of the vehicle to see a phone set in some kind of holder on the dashboard, an open call and Matt’s face reading on the screen.

Well would you look at that, an English Tom Tom, he thought almost hysterically. Trust Lex and Matt to be the two to break the cell silence, though he had to admit it was probably safer for both of them. They’d been the only two members of the band of crazy not to have a partner – it made a sort of sense they’d managed to contact each other for safeties sake. He just prayed it wouldn’t backfire on them all.

“Matt,” Lex said again, nerves almost showing in her voice as they approached the still-closed gate.

“Breathe. It only needs to be open as wide as the vehicle.”

“Yeah, brother, but remember I need my fucking mirrors to drive this boat!”

“Already calculated for that. Just keep driving.” Lex gritted her teeth and tersely ordered everyone to hang on. Nick did, but kept one hand free just in case Matt’s timing wasn’t as exact as it had been going in. He also noticed Lex’s left hand resting on the open window and starting to spark up. Looked like both of them were ready for the worst if need be.

Miracles of miracles – they didn’t need to be. Just as the Tech had promised, the gates began to creak open at the last minute, and the SUV squeezed through with only inches to spare beyond the gates. As they roared through, Nick risked a look behind them to see the gates close fast after them again. He had a suspicion they wouldn’t open easily again either, but what the hell – he lifted his free hand, and with a quick clench of his finger had the metal of the gates crumpling together. Let Division try to hack their way through that.

Then the vehicle was careening around a corner, and Nick had to use every bit of his gift to keep his seat. There was a steady stream of muttered curse words and commands sounding from each seated individual, and Nick wondered how Lex managed to ignore all the instructions other than Matt’s. Because she was in fact listening to their Tech, something Nick would never had guessed he see. Made sense, though, he realized as he watched through the front windshield to see lights changing to green every direction they turned, and flashing to red again before the few Division cars who’d managed to escape the compound caught up. Other than Matt though, Lex seemed to completely ignore the presence of the rest of her passengers. Matt directed her in and out of traffic onto cross streets and down alley ways, seemingly at random but with such control, Nick had no doubt the Tech had mapped out the route to the exact second. Hell, he’d probably mapped out multiple routes just to be sure of keeping any Watchers second guessing which direction the escapees would go.

“Bryce, you ready? Coming up on 3:43.” Cassie’s words had even Nick jumping – he hadn’t had a clue of the time passing. On one hand, the past 40 minutes had passed at a blur – on the other, it had been the longest 40 minutes of his fucking life. He blinked realizing Cassie’d known exactly when Bryce needed to read his card. Little witch of a Watcher, he thought fondly, still holding on tight.

In the seat behind Lex, the Shadow reached a weary hand into his jacket and carefully opened his card just as the clock switched to 3:43 p.m. He scanned the contents and then crumbled it and leaned forward.

“Lex, turn left and enter the southbound freeway in 3… 2… 1.” Lex spun into the turn, and as she did so, Bryce turned inward as if to look at everyone inside and then closed his eyes. His hands clenched the back of his seat and the back of Lex’s and sweat beaded out of his forehead. Nick could guess what was happening, but Cassie’s quick congratulations of “We’re gone!” told him just the same that the other man had Shadowed the entirety of the vehicle. From this point out, they should be safe assuming none of the Division vehicles managed to catch up. And with Lex driving, Nick highly doubted it. Now all they needed to do was avoid any cops, and they’d be home free.

As if the thought sparked the comment, Matt spoke up again, his voice slightly tinny through the speaker on the phone. “Police in the area are responding to reports of armed gunmen holding hostages in the South Central banks – you’re free to speed at will, Lex.”

“Copy that.” With that Lex actually managed to push the SUV to even faster speeds, something Nick would never had thought possible. He quietly resolved that if they survived her driving, he was totally asking Lex to take over for the crew as mechanic if she wanted to stick around. Damn the woman was good with an engine!

The rest of the journey was relatively uneventful but for the random commuters staring at them in shock when the suburban soared by in the left lane. Lex hopped on and off the highway seemingly at random at Matt’s direction, but other than those few moments, they headed in a straight shot to the warehouse district, never really stopping once until they reached the entrance to the garage of the building Matt had acquired for himself who knew how long ago. That thought had Nick feeling more than a little guilty – it was likely Matt would need to abandon this place when the rest of them did.

For now though, Nick thought as he helped ease the exhausted, the drugged, and the wounded out of the suburban and into the space Matt had carved out as his home with rough walls and fixtures in the center of the warehouse, it would be a damned good place for all of them to rest and heal.

The tagalong agent, who finally bothered to introduce himself as one Michael “Call me Mike” Davis “Stitch extraordinaire,” half directed and half heckled his new patients into the largest of the bedrooms in turn, making sure to heal each and every member at least to the point of “not likely to die” before he literally passed out where he stood by the bed. It was only Nick’s Mover reflexes that kept the other man from falling face first to the floor. After a quick consultation with Anna who assured them all that Mike was in no way a threat to the safety of their little group. Nick Moved the Stitch into bed, and the rest of the group scattered as well, finding beds, couches, and futons to fall into as it suited them. Nick wasn’t surprised to find Anna and Cassie each taking him by the hand and towing into the one room with a pair of beds. Anna tucked her daughter and Nick in, somehow without making it even the slightest bit awkward, and then settled into the bed by the door.

Nick didn’t even have time to say goodnight before the stress and exhaustion of the day suddenly descended, and he fell dead to the world asleep.

Epilogue

And I found a back up plan
I'm grateful that I didn't have to use it
But it's made of real good friends
Bon Voyage

Isn't it nice to know
That the lining is silver
Isn't it nice to know
That we're golden – “The Lining is Silver” – Reliant K

Nick woke with a start, a clatter somewhere beyond the bedroom shaking him out of what he had a vague feeling had been a good dream. He scrubbed a hand across his face lazily and then sat up, again with a start, his mind finally catching up with the fact that the bed was empty beside him. Panic rose, and he forced it down to a manageable level as he scrambled for a clean pair of pants and a t-shirt, pulling on both and tucking his pistol in the waistband of his pants and then heading to the door.

Another clatter echoed, but this time it was accompanied with the faint sound of laughter, and he felt something inside him ease as he recognized the joyful voice. It had been a long time since he’d heard Cassie laugh like that.

Nick smothered a laugh of his own as he passed one of the other bedrooms and through the open door saw the Division stowaway Mike passed out on the bed, limbs spread like a damned starfish. He was also snoring loud enough Nick was surprised it was the laughter and not the bullfrog that had woken him. He debated on waking the Stitch, but thought better of it. He had to admit Mike had earned the extra sleep with the mass healing he’d done on damn near every member of their merry band of fools. Besides, if Nick woke him, he’d have to deal with the man talking his ear off. He’d had enough of that for now, thanks.

He left the hallway and nodded to Bryce and Hook who were settled in a pair of armchairs in the living room. Bryce ignored him as always, but his cousin nodded wearily, tired and battered but smiling through it. And not quite as battered as he had been – cocky asshole though the Stitch might have been, clearly he knew his craft. Hook would survive, and that was what mattered.

Matt was sprawled on the floor with his back against the couch, his laptop open in front of him, and his face expressionless. Nick changed course to pat the Tech on the shoulder, and was rewarded with a shocked little smile. He smiled back and left Matt to whatever task he’d assigned himself. Nick wouldn’t be surprised if the Tech was still working on covering their tracks. He hoped one of the women would be able to calm the younger man down eventually. He was working hard, but he’d burn out quick if he wasn’t careful. Nick wondered if it would be cruel to ask Cassie to do it.

Then he’d reached the kitchen and breakfast nook and the scene there had Matt pushed firmly from his mind. The girls, his girls, were all there. Emily and Lex had possession of the big table, cups of tea and coffee in front of them respectively, and from the laughter and smirks, Nick could only imagine the bawdy conversation Lex had likely started. The Spark in question shot him a wink and nodded to the kitchen proper.

Nick turned to look and leaned against the doorway, vaguely aware he was rocking a dopey grin on his face, but really not giving a shit. Cassie and her mom were at the stove, making what looked to be a really sad set of pancakes judging from the scent of burning and the flour liberally dusted across both women’s faces and arms and hair. But they were smiling at it, giggles sending both tripping over themselves and each other and likely causing the culinary disaster in the first place. Cassie tried to focus on the pancakes again, shooting a laughing glare at her mother when she tried to distract her daughter yet again.

Over the top of the blonde mop of curls beside her, Anna looked up to see him and for a moment her eyes seemed to fill with tears. She mouthed “Thank you” over Cassie’s head, and Nick had to glance away or risk his own eyes filling. And fuck if their audience would ever let him live that one down.

With his emotions somewhat under control, he allowed himself to look back at the sight of his lover at the stove. Cassie seemed to feel his eyes this time, and she glanced over and raised an eyebrow at him. He could practically hear the snarky crack she must be thinking and he laughed to himself. Then Nick pushed off from the wall and walked over slowly, loving the way she tried to fight the smile as he approached. He reached her and wrapped his arms around her, dropping a kiss against her temple and relishing in the way she leaned herself back against him. They sighed in tandem, then he very deliberately reached out and pulled her hands away from the pan and spatula then gently shoved her away from the stove.

He surveyed the disaster in front of him and shook his head.

“Well, this was a waste.” He shot mock glares at the pair of Holmes women, who, of course, just giggled at him madly. “If you actually want to eat breakfast, sit down and stay out of my way, huh?”

He didn’t bother to check if they followed his order, but another set of feminine laughter and the screech of chairs against the floor told him they’d joined the other pair at the breakfast table. Nick smiled to himself and went about the task of making something that might actually be edible for breakfast for his crew that was gathered around him.

He watched the women out of the corner of his eye and listened to their laughter and the conversation out in the living room and the clacking of fingers on a keyboard and the snoring that echoed faintly down the hallway.

Not just a crew, his family, he amended silently. Fucked up and crazier than any might have guessed. But his. He just wished he’d get to keep them longer. Nick knew all too well that this many psychics in one place would be a bad idea in the long run. Even with Bryce’s Shadowing prowess and Matt’s Tech genius, Division would catch up to them before too long. And Kira would be even more driven to get them back after they’d escaped her grasp this time.

But for now, at least they were his, and he’d cherish that as long as he could. He caught Anna’s eye again and she nodded at him, approval in her eyes. Beside her was Cassie, smiling at Emily as she fiddled with the lily pendant around her neck.

She was his, too. Nick smiled to himself and went back to making breakfast.