Page 130 of Almost Midnight

Had he completely lost track of time out here?

“If we were still going to London, it would be five days when we arrived,” Forrest said. “That’s dock to dock. This particular ship can actually do New York to Plymouth in three days, going all-out, but they detoured a bit, mostly to make sure we’re not being followed.”

Walker’s expression and voice turned grim.

“I wasn’t totally kidding about my comment just now,” he said. “A lot is going on up there, Nick. People are looking for you.”

“For me?” Nick frowned, blinked. “The H.R.A., you mean? The N.Y.P.D.? Or Farlucci? Did they put in a complaint for breach of contract?”

Forrest shook his head, his expression faintly bewildered.

“Breach of contract? No. You’re way beyond that now, Nick. Your face is all over the news feeds. Footage of us breaking into the Archangel site is all over the news feeds. You must know how that looks to them? They’re calling you a terrorist.”

Nick nodded, biting his tongue.

“Ah,” he said.

“‘Ah’ is one word for it,” Walker said. “I can think of a few others I might’ve used.”

Forrest went on in that same, half-incredulous voice.

“They think you joined the White Death, and are fighting with Zoe and the others. Truthfully, they think youleadthe White Death now. They’re calling you the Vampire King. They’re saying it was you who ordered Brick’s murder.”

“That’s ludicrous,” Nick cut in, annoyed. “They must have surveillance of what happened? Surely they know it wasn’tmewho did that, but Lara St. Maarten?”

“Probably, yes,” Forrest conceded. “They probablydoknow that. But that story doesn’t exactly fit their preferred narrative right now, does it? ‘C.E.O. of Archangel Murders Infamous Vampire King of the White Death’ doesn’t quite have the same ring as ‘Famous Vampire Cage Fighter Goes Rogue, Leads Bloodbath of Innocent Humans.’”

Nick folded his arms, staring flatly up at the hybrid.

Forrest stared back, unapologetic. “You said it yourself. Brick’s body disintegrated. With no physical evidence, they can make up any story they want.”

Nick pursed his lips, but didn’t argue.

There was nothing to argue about. He agreed with Forrest.

Walker folded his own arms, still holding Nick’s gaze.

“They’re also saying you killed Lara St. Maarten, which is perhaps even less surprising. And that you were the mastermind behind blowing up the facility.”

But Nick had just caught something else.

“Wait,” he said, sharp. “Back up. Did you just sayifwe were going to London? Like we’renotstill going to London?” He stared up at the hybrid. “Are we no longer going to London, Forrest?”

Walker exhaled, and Nick couldn’t tell if it was in annoyance for him asking, or relief that Nick had finally gotten there.

Probably a bit of both, if Nick had to guess.

“Mi6 was, understandably, a little nervous about declaring you to be in their custody, given the stories coming out of New York,” Walker said.

His voice grew nearly blunt.

“No matter how my country words it, or what excuses they give for working with you, it’s going to be a diplomatic shit-show, Nick. They’ve discussed different ways they might justify it to the H.R.A., and in the end, decided the situation is simply too volatile right now. Even if they tried categorizing you as a political refugee, New York might decide to treat it as a hostile act. Maybe even a declaration of war.”

Forrest lifted one eyebrow.

“Total shit-showwere the words they used,” he added drily. “There are notices out over all the official channels about you being a wanted fugitive and enemy of the human racial authorities. They claim you’ve killed over a hundred human beings already. And, of course, that you’re leading an army of vampires with the sole goal of racial conquest.”

Nick felt his muscles start to clench.

---