where the door used to be. The storeroom beyond lay in rubble. Broken bottles and a blanket of soot covered everything. They grabbed their bags and filed out.
“Jared, I’m so sorry about this place.” Dani picked her way through the debris.
“Hold it, Dani.” Ian’s voice played on her nerves. “Marco. Armond. Check it out,” he said.
She stepped aside to allow the EPs to pass.
Jared came up next to her and surveyed the mess. “It’s just stuff. Stuff can be replaced.”
“All clear,” Armond called back.
Ria gave Dani’s arm a squeeze and passed by them into the bar.
Dani followed, patting her pocket where the gun rested. Jared spoke to Ian behind her.
“I called my brother. He put a ‘closed for vacation’ sign on the bar. The Hummers you wanted are out front and the keys should be in the usual place.”
“Good work.”
Everyone filed into the bar area which remained intact.
Dani glanced around, glad to see the Torog’s blood gone. Soft moonlight filtered in through the windows. She shook her head. “From dawn to the dead of night, in a matter of minutes.”
“You get used to it,” Jared said.
“You keep saying that.”
Jared found the keys and tossed a set to Ian. He bounced the other in the palm of his hand and stood next to Dani. “You okay?” he asked.
She blew out a long breath and nodded.
Ian cleared his throat. “You four wait here,” he said to the humans. The EPs went outside to check the surroundings.
Dani took the opportunity to stretch her muscles.
Battista attempted to mimic her movements with a comical effect.
Gina slapped his arm.
Dani laughed at the portly Italian. “It’s a routine I do before a fight. Helps me focus. I wish I knew what we were going to find at the villa.”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Jared said.
Battista gave up on Dani’s stretches. “A more interesting question is why are they after our Dani?”
“He’s right you know,” Gina said. “They kill instantly. Dragging you off like Signior Ian described. That is not heard of.” The older woman gave Dani a thoughtful expression. “You no worry. We won’t let you out of our sight, bambina .”
Normally Dani wouldn’t be concerned, but her circumstances had become far from normal. “Thanks.”
Ria pushed open the front door. “We’re good to go. I’m riding with you guys. Jared, you drive.”
“Got it,” he said, and tossed the keys into the air one last time.
Dani motioned for Gina to go first, but the Italian paused. “What is it that makes you smile little one?”
“You. Dear, sweet, Italian lady right at home packing heat.”
“Packing heat?”
“Oh, um, a gun. A very deadly gun.”
“Ah, si . Is no mistake, I would kill an alien in a heartbeat if it threatened my family or our team.”
Dani nodded. “I don’t doubt it. Glad you’re here.”
Gina turned to Battista. “Did you hear? I have heat.”
Battista laughed and said something in Italian that made Gina blush.
As they filed through the heavy door, Dani scanned the lot for her car. Someone had put the top up.
Jared followed behind. “My brother locked her up. Old Barrel can hot-wire anything.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I didn’t even think about it. Or the house. I should call—”
“Already taken care of,” Jared said and winked. “Part of our job remember? Make the protectors invisible.”
“Right.” Dani’s boots crushed the white shells of the parking lot as they headed for the far corner. It was empty. “Where are we going?”
Ria put her hand out to slow their pace. “Another step and…here.” Out of nowhere a black Humvee appeared.
“Whoa.” Dani stopped, looked around and backed up a step. The Hummer and the others disappeared from sight. She stepped forward and there they were.
Battista chuckled as he held the door open for Gina.
“Okay, that’s cool,” Dani said, duly impressed.
Ria pulled open the second row door and motioned for Dani to climb in. Dani took
“Jared, I’m so sorry about this place.” Dani picked her way through the debris.
“Hold it, Dani.” Ian’s voice played on her nerves. “Marco. Armond. Check it out,” he said.
She stepped aside to allow the EPs to pass.
Jared came up next to her and surveyed the mess. “It’s just stuff. Stuff can be replaced.”
“All clear,” Armond called back.
Ria gave Dani’s arm a squeeze and passed by them into the bar.
Dani followed, patting her pocket where the gun rested. Jared spoke to Ian behind her.
“I called my brother. He put a ‘closed for vacation’ sign on the bar. The Hummers you wanted are out front and the keys should be in the usual place.”
“Good work.”
Everyone filed into the bar area which remained intact.
Dani glanced around, glad to see the Torog’s blood gone. Soft moonlight filtered in through the windows. She shook her head. “From dawn to the dead of night, in a matter of minutes.”
“You get used to it,” Jared said.
“You keep saying that.”
Jared found the keys and tossed a set to Ian. He bounced the other in the palm of his hand and stood next to Dani. “You okay?” he asked.
She blew out a long breath and nodded.
Ian cleared his throat. “You four wait here,” he said to the humans. The EPs went outside to check the surroundings.
Dani took the opportunity to stretch her muscles.
Battista attempted to mimic her movements with a comical effect.
Gina slapped his arm.
Dani laughed at the portly Italian. “It’s a routine I do before a fight. Helps me focus. I wish I knew what we were going to find at the villa.”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Jared said.
Battista gave up on Dani’s stretches. “A more interesting question is why are they after our Dani?”
“He’s right you know,” Gina said. “They kill instantly. Dragging you off like Signior Ian described. That is not heard of.” The older woman gave Dani a thoughtful expression. “You no worry. We won’t let you out of our sight, bambina .”
Normally Dani wouldn’t be concerned, but her circumstances had become far from normal. “Thanks.”
Ria pushed open the front door. “We’re good to go. I’m riding with you guys. Jared, you drive.”
“Got it,” he said, and tossed the keys into the air one last time.
Dani motioned for Gina to go first, but the Italian paused. “What is it that makes you smile little one?”
“You. Dear, sweet, Italian lady right at home packing heat.”
“Packing heat?”
“Oh, um, a gun. A very deadly gun.”
“Ah, si . Is no mistake, I would kill an alien in a heartbeat if it threatened my family or our team.”
Dani nodded. “I don’t doubt it. Glad you’re here.”
Gina turned to Battista. “Did you hear? I have heat.”
Battista laughed and said something in Italian that made Gina blush.
As they filed through the heavy door, Dani scanned the lot for her car. Someone had put the top up.
Jared followed behind. “My brother locked her up. Old Barrel can hot-wire anything.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I didn’t even think about it. Or the house. I should call—”
“Already taken care of,” Jared said and winked. “Part of our job remember? Make the protectors invisible.”
“Right.” Dani’s boots crushed the white shells of the parking lot as they headed for the far corner. It was empty. “Where are we going?”
Ria put her hand out to slow their pace. “Another step and…here.” Out of nowhere a black Humvee appeared.
“Whoa.” Dani stopped, looked around and backed up a step. The Hummer and the others disappeared from sight. She stepped forward and there they were.
Battista chuckled as he held the door open for Gina.
“Okay, that’s cool,” Dani said, duly impressed.
Ria pulled open the second row door and motioned for Dani to climb in. Dani took
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