Bounty Hunter [REWRITTEN VERSION]

Chapter 66: Talks and Shots

MAIZE

The bounty hunter wanted nothing more than to return to her place and crash; the flight had been exhausting. Dealing with her two companions had been even more so—to the point where she had simply left them both at the luggage pickup and got a cab on her own back to Brooklyn. They hadn't been happy with her when they finally realized, and her phone had blown up because of it, but they did catch up eventually, not at all amused mind you, in their own separate modes of transportation from the airport.

New York night air had never felt so fresh, so missies, and so much of a relief to return to. Meeting up around the bend of the precinct—the 88th—the most generic reminder for her of home sweet home being back in the city.

That, and the face of the man standing just outside the entrance doors in his usual dress wear, waiting for them.

At least Ryder wasn't around for their little reunion—claiming the absolute last thing he wanted to be doing first thing after landing in the city was visit a police precinct. He and Kota were most likely off scouring the lesser crowded streets, perhaps getting himself that coffee he explained he so desperately needed.

Maize was glad for the sheer bit that it would allow her a break from having both him and the detective in the same twenty-foot range—since she had gotten her knives back, and once again, was not against using them to make a point if she had to.

Seeing the Captain again was a bigger relief than she initially thought it would be. Like seeing a lifeboat after being stranded in the ocean for days—or in their case; a wild mission for weeks. Even she couldn't find it within her to fight meeting the smile that spread across the chief of the precinct's face as he took them both in, tired and a little worn down, but the same nonetheless.

"Nice to see you both again," the Captain addressed with an acknowledging nod as his gaze passed over each of them. There was a faint hint of something like a knowing smirk as it came to a rest on Alec, "You survived each other."

"Indeed," Alec replied, his own breathy chuckle feeding into his words as he ducked in his shoulder in a way that could only be described as losing some kind of bet. She could only wonder.

"Kind of hard to focus on killing each other when there were already a bunch of people willing to do it for us. Had to improvise," Maize said in a tone of lightness rather than trouble, throwing the slightest smirk at the detective who managed to catch her eye.

Understatement of the century, his eyes seemed to retort, along with some more cunning and sly, hinting at something more they had yet to recall—that Maize ignored for the time being.

The Captain nodded, though a tad regretfully. "I heard."

"We would be dead without you, Chief, just so you know," she said in all honesty, recalling the agents telling them how he had been the one working on their side with the bureau to bring Azeal down.

The Captain shook his head. "On the contrary, I did not do much. You two owe it to yourselves to acknowledge that this was all you." There was a brief meaningful glance in her direction. "I'm just sorry it turned out the way it did." He meant Kishan—and everything that had to do with the fact that he wasn't with them the way they thought he would be by the end of their job.

"So are we," Maize replied.

Her statement was acknowledged with a low head nod from her superior, as well as a moment of respectful silence. It was as if the Captain just knew—perceptive of a man as he was—that there was much left unspoken, heaviness, that would remain unspoken.