ColorBlind (Book #2 of S.H.A.D.E.) ✔

Something Different

6.

Copper and I are on our way to retrieve my axe.

I know, I know. It's just an axe. Why go and get it at the risk of being caught by S.H.A.D.E.? It's probably been taken back at this point, anyway.

But it's mine, and I want it back. I want to take every piece of me back from them.

Besides. I haven't even used her yet.

Copper is the only one who agreed to come with me, and I don't blame the others. I was going to go alone, but when I finished showering after my electrocution fiasco and went down to the truck, he was already sitting in the driver's seat, waiting.

"No," I said to him. "I know how stupid this is. Let me do it on my own."

He shook his head. "No can do. We're a team, aren't we?"

A grin spread across my face at his words. "I thought this was a dictatorship?"

"Not anymore."

"Really? Isn't it unproductive?" I pressed, remembering how he always shut me out before.

He fought a smile, nodded for me to get in. I chuckled to myself as I did, first grabbing a gun from the truck bed.

We are now driving to Glenford Estates, to my old apartment. Copper pulls off into an unfamiliar street.

"Where we going?" I ask, crinkling my brow as I look around.

"Relax, I'm popping in to a friend's. We gotta ditch this truck."

I smile at him, excited. "For something faster?"

"Something practical, inconspicuous."

I'm disappointed, but that makes sense. "Can we trust this friend? Who is he?"

"She."

"Oh," I say, trying to hide my curiosity, "is she apart of S.H.A.D.E.?"

"In a sense. Works for the mechanics who provide cars for the Shades."

"Like Al's Impala."

His eyes slide my way, worried. "Yeah."

We drive until we reach a professional garage. I hear the sound of clanging metal and drills. There is a line up of cars set in a parking lot, prices marked on their gleaming windows.

Copper pulls the truck, like always, around the back of the building. Immediately, we are greeted by two sturdy looking men who emerge from the garage, smeared with oil and sweat. They smile warmly when they see Copper climb out of the truck.

I exit as well, feeling strange. I never considered that Copper had a life outside of S.H.A.D.E., that he had friends. But Copper is different from me, I realize. He still knows who Will is. In a way, he is still Will.

The bigger man with the salt and pepper beard claps him on the back when they reach each other. "Copper! How's it going?" he gives a toothy grin, exposing silver fillings.

There is a series of questions after this, a lot to do with S.H.A.D.E., which Copper is impressively able to answer without pause or even a hint that something is wrong.

"We just wanted to talk to Raza about exchanging cars. The truck is too noticeable for the mission we have coming up."

"Ah, that won't be a problem. She finished working on a Corolla there just the other day. It's not perfect, but probably will blend in nice," the other one, with a skull tattoo on his neck, says pleasantly. He smiles at us both, but then rests his eyes on me. "Who's this one?" he grins at me, offering a hand.