A Barlow Lens by Elizabeth Noble Page A

Kevin’s jaw. Using that momentum to flip them, he proceeded to pummel Kevin’s face.
    Val was yelling, “You’re killing him!”
    Wyatt couldn’t help thinking, good !
    Kevin’s legs locked around Wyatt’s waist, and he twisted. Wyatt slammed into the ground on his back so hard all the air left his lungs in a loud whoosh. Kevin’s hands targeted Wyatt’s neck, his fingers closing around his throat, squeezing. Within seconds, Wyatt’s lungs were screaming for air and his ears were ringing. His hands scrabbled uselessly at Kevin’s fingers.
    Through darkening vision, Wyatt saw Val loom behind Kevin. There was a dull thunk, and Kevin pitched sideways, falling into a heap.
    â€œWhat the hell did you do?” Wyatt wheezed. “And thanks for doing it.” Clutching his throat, coughing, Wyatt let Val help him sit up.
    Val shrugged and held the gun up. “Looks like I can kick ass after all. I just needed proper motivation.”
    Sirens were wailing around them, and flames were pouring out of the storage unit. The place went from mostly deserted to surrounded by uniformed men and women, barking orders and pointing guns at Val.
    Val looked confused. “I didn’t—” His gaze shifted from his gun to Kevin.
    â€œVal, put down the gun slowly and do what they say,” Wyatt croaked out.
    Val stepped back and carefully lowered the gun to the ground. He put his hands behind his head and dropped to his knees. Cops swarmed him, pulling him to his feet. Wyatt saw Val’s arm was bleeding. When one of the cops started cuffing Val, Wyatt finally got his head and mouth to function somewhat together. “I’m Wyatt Harig. He’s with me, and I’m with Homeland Security, working as a consultant for the US Marshals’ Office in Cleveland. That’s my jacket over there.” Wyatt pointed to the pile of cloth on the ground a few feet away. “ID is in the pocket. I’m not armed. My wallet’s in my back pocket.”
    Wyatt was helped to his feet and lightly patted down. His wallet was dug out of his pocket while another of the cops grabbed the jacket. A quick search produced Wyatt’s weathered leather card wallet, flipping it open to reveal his badge and ID. Val was searched next, his wallet also confiscated.
    The cop took all their forms of ID and showed it to the officer next to him, saying, “I’ll check this out.” He moved off to one of the squad cars.
    â€œUntil we verify you’re who you say you are, you’ll both remained restrained,” the other cop said. He nodded to one of the others, who bent down, taking Wyatt’s arm and helping him up.
    Wyatt gave Val a reassuring smile. “It’ll be okay.” Val didn’t look convinced as he was led to an ambulance along with Wyatt. Kevin was loaded onto a stretcher and cuffed to it.
    Val was cuffed to a stretcher in the ambulance. Wyatt went into the back of a police car. As they all pulled away, Wyatt could see the storage unit being sprayed with water, but it was a lost cause and he knew it. Everything Lily had saved was destroyed except the box in the back of Wyatt’s car.
    Wyatt was left with one wrist secured with a zip tie to a bed in the emergency room of the hospital. That move didn’t surprise him. Until they talked to either someone from Homeland Security or Griff, they’d want to be sure he stayed where they put him. He asked repeatedly about Val to no avail. He knew there were uniformed cops just outside the curtains around his bed. Where Val was, he had no idea. Kevin’s whereabouts were of no concern.
    He had been scanned and examined and questioned by two doctors and three nurses. They’d finally, begrudgingly, Wyatt thought, given him a clean bill of health. His throat hurt like hell, but the doctor cheerfully told Wyatt he’d live. He was given a written list of what he should watch out for in the way of