Demon Hunters: Last Class

Episode 40: Lyric- On the Same Page

As I explained everything I knew and everything I suspected, Andrea sat on a couch with Cindy and turned on the television. Live news reports talked about multiple riots across the East Coast with more protests spreading throughout the country as night drew closer. I don't think the anchors even noticed the correlation, but Andrea did and pointed it out to Cindy and Larry. Parts of New York City were burning and river crossings like the Lincoln Tunnel and the George Washington Bridge had become clogged. While I explained why I believed Purell was Aiko and Manon's mysterious friend, the Mayor of New York downplayed the civil unrest, reminding people that the rioters were police officers and government employees.

Reed listened intently, stopping only to ask relevant questions and to gain clarity.

"I met that girl and would have thought there was no way she could pull a stunt like this, but, if Perdy hand-picked her, she had to be special." Reed reached for the flask in her back pocket, untwisted the cap, but hesitated before closing it again. She put it down with a shaking hand. "She was meant to be great, and we shouldn't have let her leave."

"She was determined not to stay," I reminded her.

"Potential wasted... Think about what she could have accomplished if she'd just had faith in us."

"All due respect, Dean. You all needed to give her faith too." I swallowed as she narrowed her eyes, but pushed ahead. "She grew up in a place like a prison and always felt trapped. To her, the rules were too much."

"What do you know–" Her fury sparked and faded in an instant. "You're probably right... Nena had plans to loosen our restrictions a bit, but I'd talked her out of it."

There was doubt and self-recrimination in her tone.

"There are fires in Time Square," Larry said, pointing at the TV.

"This is fucking crazy," Reed whispered.

"Who will watch the watchmen," Andrea said, scratching Cindy's scalp.

Zeta and Reed stared at her. I think I did too. She was so stoic around authority figures, but around us she became softer and more... human. Thinking about it like that seemed wrong. She was a contemporary, like Di, but sometimes they were more human than people I'd gone to school with.

The picture of a burning cathedral flashed across the screen in a montage of other locations affected by the riots. Andrea paused the broadcast and jumped to her feet, sending poor Cindy scurrying into a corner.

"Headquarters!" she pointed. Looking at me, she said, "Andrew."

The front door banged open and the hunters in the hallway tensed. I shot worried glances at Larry and Andrea, just before Di, Duncan and Tucker appeared in the hall.

"Let them in," Zeta ordered.

I ran over and hugged Di, squeezing her and lifting her onto her tiptoes. I spared hugs for the boys too. I was so happy to see them I thought I might melt. Cindy trotted over and rubbed herself against Di's legs. I wiped tears out of my eyes and looked behind them, but there was no one else.

"Where's Toni? Where's Uncle Warren?"

"They're helping the wounded into urgent care," Tucker said. "Lieutenant Reynolds asked us to find you and let you know we were back."

I could breathe again.

It didn't take much convincing to get Reed to let us accompany her to the headmistress's building. However, the hunters wouldn't let us down to urgent care. Well, me, Larry, Andrea, Duncan, or Tucker. Sergeant Zeta and Corporal Di were allowed, being officers and all. Reed bullied her way down as well. Apparently enough of the hunters knew of her time as one of their ranks and either respected her or feared her enough to step aside.