Dane

"Seriously? You expect us to believe—" Chris started, but Dane broke in.

​​

"So, it was real? Or is this just more of the game?"

Felix shook his head. "No game. I knew you were my best shot."

Dane shook his head, "I wasn't—"

"I can't believe you let him think he had anything to do with this," Chris interrupted him with a pointed look. "Own your wins, Dane. There's a lot of men in this town that will walk wide around you just because you took him down."

Felix nodded. "Listen to your brother."

Dane frowned. "Whatever. Look, we have to get out here, but you'll excuse me if I'm not eager to turn my back on you, Felix."

"No problem. I'd do the same. I'll go over here and keep my hands up and you guys get out and I'll take care of this when you're gone."

A shiver rocked Dane's frame, along with that hollow, surreal feeling he often got right before he went numb. He glanced at Chris who seemed shaken, but calm. He kept looking at the body, but he didn't pale or look ill.

He must have his own form of the numbness.

As Felix slowly backed to the other side of the room with his hands high, Dane and Chris moved towards the door.

"We're all clear on where the cameras are?" Felix said suddenly, his eyes on the desk behind which Douglas lay dead. "They'll catch you as soon as you open that door."

"And there's audio, right?" Dane muttered.

Felix nodded. "And they'll follow you until you're caught by the next ones. You're under eyes from the second you open that door—you better pray they believe Chris has orders to take you out."

Dane looked at Chris. "You need to take me out like I'm cuffed, or something."

"I'll have the gun on you," Chris, said, shrugging. "And we move like nervous about you."

"Where are we going?"

"I have a car on the street, around the corner from the bar entrance."

"Won't we have to get through security?"

"Not the way I'm taking you out."

Dane frowned at his brother. Chris gave a shaky grin. "Perks of being a known double-agent. They knew I had to hide the comings and goings so you wouldn't get your beady eyes on me."

Dane snorted. "Okay, then. Lead the way."

Dane stood with his hands back and crossed at his lower spine, and Chris put one hand over his wrists, and used the other to train the gun at his neck.

Fear trilled through Dane's stomach for a moment, but something strange was happening. He wasn't numb. He wasn't shutting down. But he was… starting to not care. He swallowed. He'd need to examine that later.

They both faced Felix for a second who smiled.

"Thank you, Felix, for being up front with me," Dane said with a nod.

Felix dipped his chin once. "I'm sure we'll meet again, Dane. I'm glad you're getting free finally."

"You are?"

"Yeah, it's been a pain in my ass keeping tabs on you all these years. My workload is going to take a massive dip from today."

Dane snorted, though he didn't feel the humor.

There was a moment then when all three of them glanced towards the desk, that great wooden thing that hid what was perhaps the greatest victory, and greatest failure of Dane's life. Of all their lives, maybe.

Then, almost as one they all took a breath and turned back to each other.

"Later, Chris," Felix said.

"Not if I can help it."

Felix's laughter followed them out of the room, until the door swung closed behind them and they both got very quiet.

Dane walked like he was reluctant, being compelled. He let some of his nerves and fear show on his face. But in truth, he just sank deeper and deeper inside his own skin. A tiny voice in the back of his head kept screaming that he could die any second. But… he couldn't find it in himself to care.

His heart raced, but it fluttered rather that pounded.

Lila.

Was it possible he might see her today?

Would she let him?

His gut twisted and he shoved the thought away. He needed to focus for now, face that later.

Chris having to push him down an unexpected hallway and through doors he hadn't anticipated wasn't faked. He didn't know the twists, which doors, or the tunnel they took. So their progression looked natural, he hoped.

"How long is this going to take?" he muttered at once point, like he was pissed off.

"Getting nervous, brother?" Chris snarked back. "In less that five minutes I'll never have to see you again and you'll be on your way to meet the reaper, so I guess we can both get excited about that." He chuckled and Dane scowled.

Less than five minutes.

Sure enough, three or four minutes later they took a final turn into a dark, narrow corridor lined with pipes. And halfway down the stretch, Chris nudged open a door marked FIRE EXIT ONLY and they stepped outside, into real sunshine—which Dane hadn't seen for… how many days?

There was a black muscle car sitting at the curb, looking a little out of place next to the dumpsters and the stained sidewalk. But it was the city. The biggest threat was probably thieves trying to strip it before its owner got back.

Chris walked him to the back door and opened it, shoved him inside, then closed the door on him, and got himself into the driver's seat.

They were moving in seconds.

*****

It was a tense drive at first, Chris always checking the rearview to see if they were being followed. Dane scanning all sides for surveillance or attention. But neither of them found a thing.

Six blocks away, Chris pulled over, Dane hopped into the passenger seat, and then they were moving again. Towards home.

Dane's palms began to sweat.

They were less than a mile from the apartments when he blurted. "Stop! Stop! Get off the street, now!"

Chris swore but, unquestioning, whipped the car into a nearby covered parking lot, found a space at the back of the level in the shadows, then turned to look at him, eyes wide. "What did you see?"

Dane stared at the cement wall in front of him, blinking, fighting to breath.

"Dane, what's going on?"

"I just… I need to get my head around this. Just… explain to me what… I can't be seen outside right now. I'm in the news right? And the Police are—have they actually filed charges?"

"I think so. Harry's working that side. We'll give him a call. But that's not important right now, because we can get you to the Penthouse without anyone seeing you."

Dane nodded. He'd come back to that. "You need to call Harry. I need to warn him about what Dad's planning. I'm guessing even without him that operation's going ahead today and Harry's a target."

"What? Oh."

"I can't just show up and tell them that, they'll think I'm just trying to interfere in my own investigation."

"Sure, right. I'll call Harry. But look, Dane, we're sitting ducks right now. Can you tell me why we aren't driving?"

"Because I need to fucking think, Chris! Damn. Just… give me a second."

Dane was having trouble breathing again, his mind spinning on all the different angles.

Lila angry and hurt, probably not trusting him right now. But also not trusting Chris, and she needed to—at least to a point. She wasn't going to believe anyone except Dane.

Harry about to walk into an ambush—but also with a team full of plants and controlled, dirty cops.

"Lila," Dane said, swallowing convulsively… "Did you really hurt her?"

"No, of course not. She's mad as hell. I had to tie her to a chair. Don't ever get on her bad side, Dane, she fights like a street brawler."

Dane wanted to smile. He did. But… "The baby?" He asked faintly.

Chris's face went wide. "Oh… I mean, that was… she just told us all that so word would get back to Doug. She thought it might stop him from hurting her. Physically."

Dane was surprised how his stomach dropped at the news. He hadn't thought he was ready for a family. To share her. But… damn. "So it was just a lie."

"Yeah, sorry. I thought you'd know that. I figured it was something you guys worked out."

"No, she came up with that one on her own."

Dane's mind kept looping on the same thoughts, even though he was trying to move on, to see clearly. What was wrong with him? He should be ecstatic. Lila was safe, and Doug was dead.

He and Chris had made a plan, and even if it looked a little different than he'd intended, it had worked. And yet… something wasn't sitting right for him. Chris had been working both sides this whole time, but he hadn't told Dane, or Lila, until he was found out. But he'd also just shot Doug, and gotten Dane out of there safely…

"So, tell me… when did you hook up with Dad?" he asked, his voice darker than he'd intended.