Ghosts of Christmas Past by Corrina Lawson

up in a few minutes,” Giamatti said.
    â€œHow would you know?” Al snapped.
    â€œI dealt with grenades like that in the service.”
    Noir looked back and forth, eyes wide. She was scared, Al realized. He slid his arm around her waist. She did the same to him. If he’d lost his hearing, he’d be scared too. This had better be temporary. He decided if Petit gave him any more trouble, he’d kill him.
    â€œRickey, you must have a back way out of here,” Al said.
    Rickey crossed her arms.
    â€œI don’t need to know where it is,” Al said. “Just show these three the way and I’ll get SWAT off your front door.”
    â€œAnd who will pay for the damage?” she asked.
    â€œThe alternative is for the team to come down here and start searching around. Best I can do is get them off your case, Rickey. Otherwise, I’ll go and you can deal with them again.”
    â€œListen to him,” Noir said.
    â€œYou heard that?” He lifted her chin so he could look in her eyes.
    â€œDistant, like through a tunnel but, yeah.” She nodded and that lost look was gone from her eyes. “Still have the ringing.”
    He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “Can you take them back to the place? I need to talk to Giamatti.”
    She nodded. Yes, she could. Noir never let him down.
    â€œYou three really have to get out,” Al said to Cassandra.
    â€œHe’s right, Rickey. Get us out of here and let him do what he can,” Cassandra said.
    After glaring for what seemed like forever, Rickey nodded.
    Al hugged Noir again. “You sure you don’t need a hospital?”
    â€œBetter now.” Her voice sounded so tight. Damn you, Petit.
    She wiped away the rest of the dirt from her chin with the back of her hand. “What did you do out there, Al? Are you in trouble again?”
    â€œI’ll sort it.”
    She smiled. “You mean ‘fix it’.”
    He smiled back but inside, he cursed. What he should do is take Giamatti in for questioning right now. But that might create a riot down here. He would have to trust Noir.
    â€œYep, fixing stuff is what I do. Go. See you later.” He kissed her cheek and turned away from her. “Rickey, you and the rest of your customers, come with me.”
    â€œOutside? To the cops?” Behind her, the others murmured defiance.
    â€œWe’re going out there to show them exactly who they just tried to assault,” he said. “We’re going to show them what damage they would have done if they’d followed their asinine orders.”
    Rickey nodded. “Yes, let’s do that.”
    She called for someone to lead Noir, Cassandra and Salvatore out. Noir glanced at Al on her way out. He should be going with her. He should have called her and then they could have coordinated this so much better.
    She should have called him too. Why hadn’t she?
    Al picked his shotgun up and led the motley collection of people back through the equally motley storefront and out to the remaining SWAT team members and a stunned Alvarez.
    He had the crowd stop a few feet from the SWAT team. Al tucked the shotgun under his arm. Rickey’s customers included the elderly and at least three kids who couldn’t be more than ten. The people were mostly clean, but their clothes were ripped and definitely had seen better days. Only about half had coats to keep them warm against the winter wind.
    â€œTake off your helmets,” Al ordered the SWAT team.
    They did, revealing their faces. All of them stared at the sidewalk.
    â€œLook at them.” Al waved his hand at the crowd. “These are the very dangerous people you were tossing grenades at, Officers.”
    The kid from the SWAT team stepped forward. “We were following orders,” he said in a low voice.
    Rickey put her hands on her hips. “How’s that working out for you?”
    â€œNot so good,” he