Deserted Highways

See You Around, JayBird

Five come out. Clear?"

"Clear."

Chapter 13

Flightless

Kaelie took mere seconds to change, and Jace had nearly forgotten how quickly she could actually move when she wanted to. She emerged in tight black jeans, her heavy boots laced up to her knees. He could see now things he'd not seen when he first met her, because he didn't know where to look. Several hilts protruded from discreet places on her body. He knew the chopsticks in her hair where deadly sharp, the chain around her neck hid a cruel blade. Her top was tight, forcing her chest on display, and Jace knew she'd done it to avoid snagging on anything as she moved, but he couldn't help but let out a soft groan of appreciation.

She smirked at him, and then she was grabbing a small black backpack and stepping out the door. Down the hall, he could hear Michael tearing things apart, filling two large bags with some clothes, all the weapons he could find. Sarah and Lilith had left, heading towards his house, and he followed Kaelie out to the old SUV, climbing into the passenger seat and clicking his seatbelt on.

She glanced over at him and huffed a little bit. "No faith," she muttered.

"You get a little speed happy when you're tense," he shot back and she grinned at him, stomping on the gas and sending him lurching forward against his seatbelt.

"Sorry," she said, tugging her lip into her mouth to avoid chuckling at him. She drove calmly after that, and despite her seemingly playful mood, he could see the unease tightening the muscles of her body, could see her leaning forward to look out of the windshield and scanning the rooftops, the street corners, anywhere the sun's warmth had not yet reached.

She parked in an empty spot at the very back of the lot, tucking the key into her pocket and reaching for Jace's hand. He raised an eyebrow at her sudden display of affection. "You think they're gonna buy that we're just visiting your mom if I walk in there like I plan to burn the place down?" she asked. She picked her way across the parking lot, rolling her shoulders as they stepped through the automated doors and into the cool air of the state hospital.

"Do you know where her office here is?" Kaelie asked him softly, moving through the lobby like she belonged there. The receptionist looked at her with wide eyes, and Jace sympathized with her. Kaelie was intimidating no matter what she did, she walked with an eerie fluidity and grace, her features were so sharp and angular and cold that she look two beats a way from tearing into you. Her hair caught the light briefly, glowing copper, and she gave a tight lipped smile to the girl at the desk.

"We've got an appointment. Fifth floor. Thank you," she said without stopping or looking back as they passed her for the elevator.

"Poor girl," Jace chuckled to himself as they stepped into the elevator and he pressed the button for the eighth floor, where his mother's office really was.

"What?" Kaelie asked, turning to him and widening her mismatched eyes innocently, but he could still see the edge of a knowing smirk tilting her lips.

"You know, you don't always have to scare the living hell out of everyone you meet," he said.

"Part of my charm," she quipped back as the elevator dinged and the doors slipped open. She stepped out and Jace immediately knew that something was off. He'd been here a couple times before, it was always bustling with noise, beeping of machines, alarms and call buttons going off, the low hum of conversation and instead, it was completely silent. The air was still and stale and Jace could taste the hint of metal in the back of his throat.

Kaelie was quiet for a moment, even she couldn't hear anything other than their breathing. She could feel worry radiating off of him. "Jace? Is it usually like this?" she asked but she knew the answer already.