Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

“What do you mean by what happened?” He undoes my cuffs, then Mist’s.

“We’re bleeding.” I twist my hand to allow the blood to circulate. “Someone was here.”

“I was.” A glimmer passes through his eyes before they go back to their usual glassiness. “I came to check up on you.”

I’m sure that’s not it. One of the major side effects of Omega on Mist and I is that we forget what happens when we’re on it. Even a small dose is able to wipe our memories during the time we’re high. In The Pit, we were only given our dosage when we were sent after a target, and that target was in range. Shoot, clean, and retreat. Shadow and especially Kyle filled me on what happened afterwards.

Flame is either hiding something or I’m losing my fucking mind because I clearly remember a female voice calling my name.

“Julian!”

Could it be that blurry memory from my childhood?

“Stay here, Julian. Mummy will come right back.”

I clutch my throbbing temples with both hands. No. It’s not the same voice.

Mist and I stumble to the office. Flame waltzes behind us, a hand in his pocket and the other clutching a cigarette.

“Are you sure no one was here?” I ask him as I massage my temples.

“Positive.” His voice is detached as he throws his weight on the sofa and closes his eyes. “Wake me up when there’s something to burn.”

I narrow my eyes, and I know he’s feeling me watching him like a hawk. Flame isn’t as close as Mist or Shadow, probably because he’s an elusive bastard whom no one knows what he wants. He sure doesn’t give a damn about the rest of Team Zero, and no one cares about him. Trouble child or not, I always considered him a part of my family because he had my back a few times. And he chose to tag along on this mission.

Loyalty is no joke for me.

I don’t usually suspect him, but there’s an itch about who called my name earlier.

Mist falls on the sofa across from Flame, leans her head against her fist, and watches her phone. She doesn’t even pay attention to the blood forming rivulets down her forearm.

Ever since Hades sent us Hawk’s video, she’s been watching it on replay. Specifically, the part where Hawk lies on the ground motionless.

“What will you do about the possible war with President Joe?” she asks without glancing up.

She’s been either asking that or giving me the cold shoulder since I brought Elle back from Johnny’s clutches.

“We will see.” I head to the cabinet and pour myself a drink.

My wrist burns, but it isn’t intolerable. I got used to this sensation after a few withdrawal sessions. We don’t injure ourselves anymore, so this is getting on my nerves. I thought Mist and I were making a good progress.

“So what? You will start a war?” She glares, hand slightly shaking. Omega’s after-effect. “We should’ve gone into a partnership with President Joe and made the tip go from his people to the Met Police. Or we could’ve simply continued selling the drugs. But you had to ruin both plans for that girl.”

“That girl has nothing to do with our world,” I grit out and chug the entire glass in one go. The burn almost rivals the one in my veins.

“She barged her way into our world even after we warned her. She should take responsibility.”

“Did you want me to watch her being assaulted and killed? You, of all people?”

Her eyes widen as her hands continue shaking. “Of course not. But she’s a nobody. That,” she points at Hawk’s frozen, bloodied image on her phone, “he’s somebody. Who knows what he’s going through? Our ten minutes in the zone don’t compare to the hell Hades is forcing upon him. Every. Single. Day.”

“You think I don’t know that?” My voice rises. I don’t raise my voice on Mist. Ever. But she’s getting on my nerves. “I’ll figure something out. I already called President Joe to negotiate.”

“He won’t accept.”

“I will make him. You have my word.”

“If you –”

I slam the glass on the table. It shatters into pieces. “I said. You have my word. That’s final, Mist.”

She purses her lips. “We will see about that.”

I storm out of the office.

“So noisy...” Flame mumbles behind me.

I take the back entrance and march to the safe house. The guards greet me with respect, and I nod in return. I must appear calm and reserved. Truth is, I’m fuming.

Why the hell would Mist think I don’t give a damn about Team Zero? I started this. I want them all off that poison. We’re demons, but everyone deserves a second chance. At least, I believe they do. They were forced into all this.

As for myself... I’ll just be glad to see them go forward without anything shackling them. That would be my second chance. Does she think I’m happy Hawk and the others are being tortured?

Just the thought of that bastard Hades hurting them causes my blood to boil. Team Zero and Kyle have become my family after my biological one abandoned me. I would go through hell and back for them.

Mist suspecting me is like a weight crushing my chest.

I know she’s stressed about Hawk, but still.

A rustle sounds from behind me. The tree. Something lunges at me. Although my senses aren’t as sharp as when I’m on Omega, I tackle the shape down. We wrestle to the ground with her on top. She tries to go for my face. I yank her arms and flip her over so I’m pinning her on the ground.