Page 56 of The Reluctant Hero

“Still out there,” Gabe tells him with an angry expression.

Ace relaxes back against the wall, wincing when he looks over at me.

“Sorry, Mik.”

“Yeah, right,” I straighten my suit with a glare. “Next time this happens, I’ll have her on speed dial.”

“Not a bad idea,” Gabe mutters.

Someone slams on the door, gaining our attention.

“Open up, Manny! Petty vengeance will bemine!”

The kid hurries to slide the deadbolt out of the way, more to escape than to let her in.

“Here’s your girl now,” Gabe jibes with a smirk. The easy taunt falls out of him naturally. He’s never done this, not without a freezing tone and a condescending look.

She broke him.

Amanda is excited as she blows through, oblivious to the damage done to her apartment. She’s focused on something else. We get out of her way as she opens the fridge and grabs a soda. It isn’t until she starts shaking it that I get concerned. The door of the fridge won’t close properly, so Ace forces it with a wince.

South enters next while Manny backs into a corner, eyeing her like she’s a snake. He has good instincts. His cowering gets worse as Shade follows behind her.

Amanda opens the window above where her mattress was.

She suddenly rears back like a professional pitcher and slings the soda out the window.

“Jeff,no!” Manny yells seconds too late.

The two women hurry to lean out and watch whatever happens next.

Glass breaks, shattering the frozen silence before a car alarm starts blaring.

Gabe’s jaw drops as she squeals in victory.

“Score! I actually hit what I aimed at!”

When she notices that South hasn’t stepped back she grabs her arm, yanking her closer.

“Are you crazy? He’ll see you!”

South says something back to her indignant lecture.

“Ok, Captain Invisible. But in reality? He would have said you did it, and I’m not into feeling guilty about anything. Do me a solid and learn how to duck and cover if we hang out in the future.”

“Guilt is a useless emotion.”

That comes across soft but clear. If I had any doubts that South is a psychopath, this would wipe that away immediately.

“Most of them are,” Amanda sighs. Then she starts looking around and frowning. “What the fuck happened in here? Who messed up my fridge? I left you guys alone for five minutes, tops! Clean this up, assholes!”

I try not to look guilty as the kid protests and marches away. She lets him go easily, but I don’t think we’ll be spared.

“The cops won’t do anything,” South watches Manny leave without expression.

“True. They don’t come out this far very often. But it would be my luck if they showed up and arrested me.” Amanda sighs ruefully and then glares at us as she moves to the mattress. Damn, how did we get it into the closet like that?

“One of you get your ass in here and help me with this.”

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