Splinter (The Machinists Book 2) (21 page)

Liam shook his head in apparent disbelief. They’d been thinking about other machinists since Allyn and Liam had realized what was happening with the magi numbers, but they hadn’t actually found any. The idea that the FBI agent tasked with finding them was one would be enough to rattle the entire magi community to its core. Not only were magi living among normal people, but there was also a new breed of magi.

“You’re sure Maddox saw him?” Kendyl asked.

“Positive.”

Kendyl and Liam exchanged a look.

“What?” Allyn asked.

“That’s not going to be good,” Kendyl said.

“No, it’s not,” Liam agreed.

“You think Nolan’s in trouble?” Allyn asked.

“You said it yourself,” Kendyl said. “He let you go. Then he revealed himself as a magi. Whether he saved his partner’s life or not, Agent Nolan just became a suspect.”

Of course!
Based on the little information Allyn had, Agent Maddox was an overzealous agent. His dedication to law and order pushed him to the extremes of what his position allowed. Someone like Maddox would ride the line of what was morally justified, always staying just within the confines of the law. There was no room for sentimentality. Actions were lawful, or they weren’t.

Agent Nolan had broken the law then compounded the mistake by outing himself. Maddox would certainly book him for his crimes, then the revelation would call into question every interaction, discussion, and situation they’d been through. In revealing himself, Nolan had buried his own career. And his own partner would see it done.

No wonder he was so reluctant to get involved in the fray. And why he’d been so secretive online
. He understood the stakes. Allyn suddenly felt a strong connection to the man. Nolan’s situation was even more complex than his had been. He had more to lose and less to gain. Allyn’s decision to leave his life behind had been an easy one on the surface—Kendyl was more important than anything else in his life—but Nolan didn’t have that. What drove him was something much less tangible.

Answers.

And those were a lot easier to take away.

Finding the story was simple. It was listed under the breaking news at the top of the
Oregonian
website. Local diner. Shots fired. Officer injured. Suspects on the loose. Inside was a cryptic message about an FBI agent being sought for information. They didn’t name him, and they didn’t imply he was a suspect, but his mention in the story told Allyn everything he needed to know. Nolan was going to take the fall.

If Nolan was “being sought for information,” then the authorities didn’t have him in custody. Allyn found himself cheering for the man. If Nolan, an FBI agent on the run from every law enforcement agency in the country, could escape, then so could the McCollums. Allyn wished he had a way to contact Nolan, to help him learn from the mistakes he’d made. Fixing Nolan’s life, helping him find what he was looking for, would be like fixing his own.

Allyn had Liam set up a Google alert for Agent Nolan. Any time his name was mentioned online, it would be flagged and Google would send an alert to Liam’s e-mail. Allyn suspected the activity would spike early then slow to a trickle as the story grew older. In time, Nolan’s name, much like Allyn’s, would be buried by other, more pressing issues. And they would be forgotten—or so Allyn hoped.

The search never stops.
Nolan’s words floated in the back of Allyn’s head like an annoying insect on a muggy summer day. He couldn’t get away from them. The idea went against common wisdom. His case would surely remain open, and there would always be automated alerts set up any time he used a credit card, accessed bank information, or attempted to travel overseas, but nobody would be actively searching for him. Concern for the investigation would be replaced by interest in true conspiracies, terrorists, and federal emergencies.

The case never closes.

Allyn sighed. He was going in circles, and none of it mattered.
You can’t worry about what you can’t control.
He left the computer and his thoughts behind, seeking out Jaxon. The man had returned a short time ago with a host of white cargo vans, which they were loading with the last of the Family’s belongings. Jaxon hadn’t made it clear where they were headed, only that he would decide and that he had a plan.

At least one of us does
. Ever since Lukas had attacked him in his condo, Allyn felt as though he’d been
re
acting instead of acting. Waiting for the other guy to move so he knew how to respond. Playing defense. But that was a losing strategy. At some point, the other guy would make a move he didn’t see coming, and he wouldn’t respond quickly enough. Success was the gift of proactivity, and the time had come to be proactive.

Allyn stepped outside just as the squad car with a missing door pulled into the driveway.

The cabin grounds went still as a dozen magi froze in their steps. They watched the squad car the same way a spooked dog might an intruder—alert and ready to strike. From Allyn’s vantage on the raised porch, he had a good view over the top of the cargo vans. The squad car’s lights weren’t flashing, and other than the missing door, the car appeared unmarred.

The driver was but a shadow inside and as still as the magi who looked on.

Where are the rest? Where are the other officers?
Allyn wondered, trying to see through the foliage on either side of the driveway. No lights. No sounds. Something was off. Maddox wouldn’t have sent only a single squad car. He would have come with a full team of heavily armored, heavily armed professionals.

Allyn took the steps slowly, keeping his eyes locked on the car, weaving through the cargo vans and magi. “Get inside,” he told them. They didn’t listen. The cabin didn’t offer any safety that they didn’t already have in numbers.

The squad car continued to run, humming softly. Allyn slipped through the throng of magi, and as he came to the forefront, the shadow inside the car shifted. The driver’s door popped open.

The air cracked behind Allyn—the sound of someone wielding—and a flurry of activity happened all at once. Voices rose as panic finally became more powerful than inaction, and magi rushed inside to warn the rest and gather support. Others formed up behind Allyn, fireballs and ice blasts at the ready. Allyn glanced over his shoulder, surprised to find Brandt and a number of the Hyland refugees standing with him.

The figure rose from the car.

“Nolan?”

“Allyn,” Nolan said, his voice tight. He surveyed the force behind Allyn, trained eyes assessing the threat. He must not have liked the conclusion he came to, because a moment later, his hands and wrists glowed white with energy. The glow gathered in his palms as if he were holding it, and it pulsed with intensity, almost like the waves of energy a cleric used when healing. It grew brighter, then fainter, with a steady rhythm. The air distorted around it, like steam rising from wet blacktop during a hot day.

Allyn resisted the urge to wield, afraid doing so would incite an attack. “What are you doing here?”

“Is there a way we could talk… privately?”

“We’re a Family here, Nolan. We don’t keep any secrets.” Allyn wasn’t sure where Jaxon was—he should have been outside, overseeing the operation—but he hoped the man had heard him.

Nolan met his eyes. He didn’t have the same intensity as his partner did, but he was obviously used to others doing as he said.

The pause in their conversation was filled by a series of heavy footsteps. Allyn didn’t have to turn to know it was Jaxon approaching. He stopped at Allyn’s shoulder, glancing between him and Nolan.

Nolan blinked first, exhaling a long, deep breath. The light in his hands dimmed, and though it didn’t dissipate entirely, it did grow less threatening. Allyn turned to the magi behind him, motioning for them to also stand down. They complied.

“What happened?” Allyn asked, returning his attention back to Nolan.

“They tried to arrest me.” Nolan’s voice took on a softer tone, somewhere between sullen and honest. “My
partner
tried to arrest me. He’s afraid of me, I suppose. Thinks because I’m like you that I’ve been working with you to undermine his case.”

“Haven’t you?”

Guilt washed over Nolan’s expression, and he looked at his feet.

“What was your plan?” Allyn pressed. “You posted the video to find me, but what were you going to do when you did? Were you ever really going to arrest the man who could give you answers? Who could help you understand who you are?”

Nolan radiated a defiant silence.

“I didn’t think so,” Allyn said. “You never intended to do anything. You just hadn’t realized it yet.”

Nolan’s head dipped, and he blinked rapidly. He looked at Jaxon then back at Allyn. “Is your offer still good? Will you still take me in as one of you?”

Jaxon shot Allyn a nervous look. He hadn’t heard Allyn’s offer, and his body language suggested he didn’t approve. A murmur swelled through the watching magi crowd.

Allyn met Jaxon’s gaze. The man was apprehensive, though since he hadn’t spoken up, the clues were likely noticeable only to Allyn. Eyes slightly narrowed. Jaw clamped down. Chin tilted toward his chest.

He’s waiting to see what I do
.
And he knows he can still overrule me.

Nolan stirred, his words hanging in the air. His appearance of authority had vanished and been replaced by a terrified man looking for help.

A realization bloomed in Allyn’s chest—Nolan had inside knowledge of FBI tactics and procedures. He had access to their databases, files, and records. He was the person they needed to undercut the FBI investigation and get a head start. But would Nolan do it?

He had rejected Allyn’s original offer, choosing instead to try to arrest them. Then he showed up, hoping the offer was still good. Nolan didn’t know what he wanted, and that made him a hard man to trust.

Allyn glanced at the crowd behind him. All eyes were on him. The McCollum Family, Jaxon, Nolan… the Hyland refugees.

He’d stood in the same spot, having the same discussion with Brandt and the rest of them, and he had chosen to trust them. He’d brought them in because he sympathized with their struggle, and Jaxon and Liam had nearly been assassinated because of it. Mason had suffered a life-altering injury. Four magi were dead. Allyn had vowed to learn from that mistake. But there he was, prepared to make it again.

No. This is different
. The situation might have been similar, but the circumstances were different. Nolan wasn’t Brandt, Riordan, or William. He was his own man, with his own intentions. The assassination attempts had been prevented, and the Hylands who truly needed their help had received it. That wasn’t a mistake. Trust
wasn’t
a mistake. He’d made a mistake when he’d accepted them as their own and let down his guard. The insurgents had exploited that, driven a wedge between the two Families, and made Allyn second-guess his instincts. He wasn’t going to let them win.

“Yes,” Allyn said. “The offer is still good.”

Chapter 24

“B
ut under one condition,” Allyn continued. “You’re one of us. That means if we go up against the police, the FBI, or your partner, you fight with us. No hesitation. No second guessing.”

“If you’re asking me to kill…” Nolan swallowed hard.

“Nobody is saying that,” Allyn said. “But you said they’re coming, and when they do, I’m sure they’re coming with force. If that happens, I can’t be concerned about your allegiances.”

“I understand,” Nolan said.

“I need an answer.”

“I’ll do what needs to be done.”

“Good,” Allyn said. “Second—”

“I thought you said you had one condition?”

“I was a lawyer not an accountant. Numbers aren’t my thing,” Allyn said.

“Fair enough.”

“Then second, you have access to FBI databases and case files. I need you to delete, alter, or submit fake information. Anything you can do to slow the investigation down, I need you to do it.”

“I’m sure my access has been restricted by now.”

Allyn cursed. He should have thought of that. “We’ll have to try anyway. The last condition—unless I think of something else—is that you stay with me. Always. Period. No exceptions.”

“I can do that.”

“Good.” Allyn turned to Jaxon. He spoke quietly and firmly, having a private conversation among a dozen onlookers. “You can overrule me if you need to, but know that if you agree, he’s my responsibility.”

“He pointed a gun at me,” Jaxon said, still focused on Nolan.

“Yep.”

“And he tried to arrest us.”

“He did.”

“And still, you want to bring him in.”

“He didn’t have a choice.” Allyn inched closer to Jaxon’s ear. He didn’t want Nolan to overhear the argument.

“You always have a choice.”

“And he’s making his,” Allyn said. “I know what you’re afraid of, but he let us go. He never intended to arrest us.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“You don’t have to,” Allyn said. “But trust me.”

Jaxon finally turned to Allyn. “We’ve been down this path before, Allyn. And it hasn’t ended well. Why will this time be any different?”

“He’s a machinist,” Allyn said. “Isn’t that worth the risk?”

“That doesn’t mean he’s one of us.”

“Neither was I,” Allyn said. “But give him time, and he can be.”

Jaxon took a slow breath. “This is your last chance, Allyn. If this goes wrong…”

“I understand,” he said. “I accept the risk.”

Jaxon’s eyes expressed little emotion, but he nodded slightly then bellowed in his deep voice for all to hear, “Back to work!”

The crowd of onlookers dissipated, making for the cabin at their own pace.

“Ditch the car,” Jaxon said to Allyn. “And find me when you’re done.”

Allyn and Nolan ditched the car on an overgrown logging road a little more than a mile from the cabin. It would eventually be found, but it wouldn’t be found at the cabin when Maddox arrived with his strike team. He might suspect Nolan was with the McCollum Family, but he would have no way to prove it—not until he found the car, and Allyn hoped to be in the clear by then.

They took the pair of handguns Nolan had taken from Maddox, extra magazines, a shotgun with extra shells, the first-aid kit, emergency blankets, a radio, a scanner, and other miscellaneous equipment before ditching the car then made their way back to the cabin.

“Why did you do it?” Nolan asked once they’d returned to the main road. The mountain road had little traffic and was never plowed, but the snow was still packed and easier to traverse. “Why did you take me in?”

“Because you tried to help,” Allyn said. “And we’re a little short on trust these days. Plus… well, I don’t have time to get into all of it now, but know this: not all magi are friendly. As a whole, they’re secretive and distrustful. They’ve been through horrors you and I can’t begin to imagine, and that’s left scars. For some, those scars have made them hostile. This is a transformative time for the magi community, and believe it or not, you’re an integral part of that.”

“How?”

“Until very recently, magi were capable of only two things: wielding elemental-style magic—fire, water, and air—or healing. But about the same time I was introduced to their world, we learned about a new kind of magi. People like us, whose abilities extend beyond those limitations. We’re different. And this Family believes magi like us are the future of the magi race.”

Nolan took in the information with the cold expression only a cop with years of training could. Allyn yearned to know what he was thinking. He’d been on the opposite end of this conversation and knew firsthand how confusing it could be. He liked to think he had taken it in stride, but really, he had lived in shock for days. Even though he’d witnessed magi wielding firsthand, even had it used to hurt him, he hadn’t truly believed until he uncovered the ability within himself. Nolan had an advantage in already knowing he could wield. Where the magi world was forced on Allyn, Nolan was actively seeking it.

“What does your magic look like?” Nolan asked.

Some things are better shown than explained. On command, the red coils of electricity sprung to life around Allyn’s arms, humming in the early morning air.

Nolan stopped, his eyes wide. “What is that?” he whispered.

“Electricity,” Allyn said. “Produced by the electrical system inside my heart.”

“In your heart?”

“Yeah,” Allyn said. “All magic has costs. When a magi wields fire, they’re using the heat from their body to create combustion. When they wield air, they’re pulling it out of their bloodstream. Water, from their body. Pull too much, and it will kill them. Our magic is different. It still has its limits, but it’s also sustainable.”

Something clicked inside Nolan; Allyn could see it in the way the corners of his mouth turned up into a small, satisfied grin. Answers to a lifelong question sparkled in his eyes. “That makes sense,” he said. “But your heart doesn’t produce that much electricity. Where does it all come from?”

“We don’t know,” Allyn said. “It’s almost like fire where a spark ignites flame, and it grows from there. My body doesn’t produce this much electricity, but once the current is created, maybe it’s able to expand. The truth is, we’re a new breed of magi, and we have more questions than answers. But we do know this: all magic has limits, and this isn’t any different.” He let the coils dissipate.

As if to show his own since Allyn had displayed his, Nolan’s arms began to glow. The white light extended out from his hands and wrists. The air distorted around it, as if he were pulling the energy into himself. Allyn thought he could almost feel heat radiating from it.

“What is it?” Allyn asked.

“It doesn’t sound much different from yours,” Nolan said.

When he looked at it directly, the white light burned an afterimage in Allyn’s eyes, but it lacked the sinister quality of Allyn’s electricity.

“It just manifests differently.”

“As what?”

“My best guess?” Nolan said. “Raw energy.”

“Kinetic or thermal?”

“I don’t know the difference.”

“Is it stored or absorbed?” Allyn asked.

Nolan shook his head. “No idea.”

“Where does it come from? Do you have to spend hours resting in order to build a reservoir of energy, or does it come from another source?”

“I…” Nolan looked confused.

“How do you feel afterward? Drained? Does it replenish quickly?”

“A little of both, maybe,” Nolan said, wincing. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

“It’s okay,” Allyn said. “We’ll figure it out later. But right now, we need to get back.”

Jaxon was waiting for them at the mouth of the driveway when they returned. He watched as they approached, distrust painted on his face. The cabin grounds had gone still. The swarm of magi was back inside.

“It’s done,” Allyn said then held up the guns and other police equipment they’d taken from the car. “We took everything we thought might be useful.”

“Good,” Jaxon said.

“What’s the plan?” Allyn asked. “Where are we running? Who’s taking us in?”

“We’re not running.”

“But—” Allyn started.

“They’re coming,” Nolan said, interrupting. “Soon. And you don’t want to be here when they arrive.”

“I have no intention of doing so,” Jaxon said. “This is our opportunity. They think they know where we are, and they’re coming in hot and strong. But we’re going to take the fight to them.”

“I don’t understand,” Allyn said.

“The library,” Jaxon said. “We need that information. It’s the only thing of value we can offer another Family. Nobody will take us in unless we have it.”

“You’ll have to contend with local PD,” Nolan said. “It’s under twenty-four-hour security.”

“Can we get by?” Allyn asked.

“If you know what you’re doing,” Nolan said.

“It’s a good thing we’ve got a guy on the inside then, isn’t it?” Allyn said. He turned to Jaxon. “What’s the play?”

“We take everyone,” Jaxon said. “Sneak in, secure the manor, begin moving the library, and be out before anyone on the outside ever knows we were there.”

Allyn mulled it over. Jaxon made it sound as if they would be strolling through the booths at the Portland Saturday Market, but they were assaulting a highly sought-after piece of property, guarded by at least half a dozen armed and trained police officers with reinforcements only one call away. The McCollums had the strength. Allyn wasn’t concerned about that, but these things never went according to plan.

If they disabled security. If they got into the library. And if they succeeded. What then? There were thousands of books with another hundred or so pieces of incredibly fragile artwork. Allyn wasn’t sure they would have enough time to move everything before the radio silence from the manor tipped Maddox off to their new whereabouts.

And yet
,
Jaxon’s right.
The library was the key to everything. To unraveling the mysteries of Liam’s book. To rebuilding the image of the McCollum Family. To finding someone to take them in. They needed leverage.

“It’s not going to be that easy,” Allyn said.

“It never is.”

“We’ll need eyes on the ground,” Allyn said. “Someone scouting the area, watching patrols and crew shifts.”

“It’s already been done.”

Was that triumph in Jaxon’s expression? Gratification? Relief?

“When?” Allyn scanned the driveway, counting the cars. Each of the cargo vans was accounted for.

“When we picked up the cargo vans,” Jaxon said.

“Who?” Allyn asked.

“Nyla and Ren. They’ll have the grounds scouted with a plan in place by the time we get there.”

Allyn was growing excited—he couldn’t help it. It was the same action-versus-inaction dilemma he’d had before. The prospect of actively doing something, even if it was risky, was enticing.

“Say this succeeds,” Allyn said. “Where do we go?”

“The Green Manor.”

“Your Family will take us in?”

“They will if they want their son back,” Jaxon said.

They could scout, plan, and move against the library when they were ready, but seeking asylum with Jaxon’s Family meant Wesley and Talisa Green were the decision makers. The McCollum Family would be powerless.

“That’s not a lot to go on,” Allyn said.

“You asked me to trust you,” Jaxon said. “Now I’m asking you to do the same. Let me worry about my Family.”

He wanted to say that trusting Jaxon would have been easier had he not knowingly isolated the one member of the Family who needed the most help, but he left it alone—calling that to attention would get them nowhere.

“I just don’t like stepping into a situation where I have no control,” Allyn said. “You know how it is.”

“I do,” Jaxon said. “And I really wish we had that luxury. Instead, we need to focus on what we can control. Right now, that’s staying cohesive and alert. By this time tomorrow, we should be free of police pursuit.”

“We’re doing it,” Liam said. “We’re finally going after the library.” He bounced about, excited and giddy, talking to himself as much as anyone else. He was like an over-excited puppy seeing its family after they returned from a vacation without him.

The remaining McCollum and Hyland magi organized themselves into teams to make sure nobody was left behind.

“I’ll finally be able to get back to work,” Liam continued as the magi headed outside to load up. “Isn’t it going to be great?” Something else mixed with his excitement. Relief.
Relief!
The rest of the magi were feeling the building anxiety that came before a battle, and Liam looked as though he felt better than he had in weeks.

Allyn shook his head and stifled a laugh. He didn’t want others to think he was celebrating their impending battle.

Kendyl appeared out of the hallway that led to the bedrooms. Slung over her shoulder was a duffel bag she’d found at the top of one of the closets. The black bag was cracked and weathered, and it smelled of mildew and sweaty gym socks. Light on supplies, the Family was even lighter on ways to transport them—they used what they had.