Chapter Twelve
The next morning Blake woke to a loud banging noise. According to her alarm it was only 6:30am and she trudged to her door, rubbing her blearing eyes tiredly. After fiddling with the locks she grasped the handle and opened it.
Toby stood with his arms folding and took in her messy hair and pajamas with a glance. He grinned. "Hey dopey," he said laughingly as he stepped into the apartment. "Nice, very nice," he added approvingly as he took in his surroundings. "Anyway, time for you to get dressed I feel. We're meeting Curtis at 7:30 across town so we'll have to leave here in half an hour. Mind if I grab some breakfast?"
He walked into the kitchen and began sorting through her cupboards and fridge. He took out some milk and cereal and poured himself a tall glass of orange juice. Blake yawned and stretched lazily.
"Where across town?" she asked on her way to the bedroom.
"Oh, by that hospital that the kids mother was in," Toby replied through a mouthful of cereal.
"What kid?" Blake asked frowning, popping her head around the corner to look at him.
Toby swallowed his breakfast hastily. "The fourth Wild Power? Oh, they mustn't have told you yet." He finished his orange juice in one gulp then turned to her again. "This kid, a shapeshifter they think, found his mother in hospital on the brink of death and he's said to have unleashed the blue fire to save her. But then, predictably, he did a runner and the Elite is supposed to be finding him. 'Course, it could take a while." He shrugged dismissively.
"Nice stereo," he commented, running a hand over the system and looking around at the speakers set around the room. "Mind if I play with it for a bit?"
"Go for your life," Blake replied. "I'm going to get dressed."
As she was sorting through her wardrobe, she realized that she wasn't at all surprised or even bothered by Toby's sudden appearance. It seemed she was beginning to feel comfortable with him. Maybe even too comfortable. It unsettled her that she had to remind herself all the time that the guy was dangerous and she shouldn't be trusting him.
She pulled on a pair of jeans and a thin black belt that went around her waist twice before she buckled it. She added a white sleeveless top and a black leather jacket. She was pulling on her boots when Toby rounded the corner.
"Are you decent?" he yelled.
"Yup," she replied with a grin. She pulled the last boot on as Toby entered the room.
"I think we'd better get going. You're car or mine?"
"Either, it doesn't bother me."
"Yours it is then!" Toby smiled. "I've only got a teaspoon of gas left and I made it here through prayer only I swear. I thought the old girl was gonna leave me stranded but she pulled through. She's not really that reliable but she's a loyal wee thing."
Blake rolled her eyes and stood to grab her car keys and wallet. They headed out the door together and as they walked down the steps to the car Toby asked, "Blake?"
"Yeah?" She unlocked the car and stepped in.
"I might have ruined your stereo by the way."
Blake turned to him and saw his apologetic expression. Well, it was apologetic for Toby anyway. She shrugged and laughed, turning the engine over and letting it roar to life. She just hoped Toby wasn't as bad with directions as he was with electrical appliances.
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"Where the hell have you guys been?" Curtis snapped angrily at them as they stepped out of the car. "I've been waiting for the last twenty minutes!"
Blake looked around and let Toby answer. "You gave me the wrong directions," he replied earnestly.
"I did not give you the wrong directions," Curtis returned in a dangerously low voice. His eyes were dark and his hands were thrust into his jacket.
"Well, they could have been right," Toby conceded slowly. "Maybe. But you can't expect me to decipher your kindergarten scrawl. Look at this!" he pointed at the crumpled notepaper in his hand. "I'd swear it wasn't english!"
Curtis sighed and waved a hand in the air. "It doesn't matter. You're here I guess. Finally," he added darting another glare at Toby.
Blake turned to look at him. He was looking at his watch, some of his hair had fallen across his eyes and he shook it back impatiently. He opened the door to his own car and pulled out a brown manila folder. "Right then. Malon, who arrived on time by the way, is out scanning around the kid's house. Toby, here's a list of his old hangouts, check them out and try to get some info from some of his friends. Blake, you stay at the hospital and keep an eye out for him there and also talk to the nurses to see if anyone's been visiting the mother. Here's the file." He handed it to her without looking at her eyes and without touching her.
She took it, hiding her hurt and opened it.
Toby had lost some of his excited energy and had sobered somewhat. He nodded seriously. "Blake and I are sharing a car," he said. "Is that a problem?"
"You can use her car then since you'll need it more." Curtis answered without looking at her again. "Blake, I'll come and pick you up at about one o'clock and we'll change plans then. Toby, do you think you can find your way around all right or should we get you a map with pictures of houses and buildings on it?"
Toby ignored his boss' sarcasm and shook his head. "I think I'll manage."
"Good," Curtis replied curtly. "Got your mobile turned on?"
Toby took the state of the art phone from his jeans pocket and nodded.
"Right then. Blake, here's yours. It's got a list of the appropriate numbers you'll need in the phone bank. Call us when you have any news, not in the hospital though, radiation and all that," he explained. "I'll meet you at the entrance later on."
Blake took the phone and tucked it into her pocket. Curtis hopped in his car and reversed expertly before driving off.
Toby glanced at Blake with a raised eyebrow. "Not in a good mood is he?"
Blake shook her head. "I'll see you later Tobe."
Toby nodded and waved, catching the keys that she threw at him. "Crash my car and I kill you." she added.
Toby laughed. "She'll purr in my capable hands, don't worry."
Blake rolled her eyes and made her way into the hospital.
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Curtis took one hand of the steering wheel and reached for his phone. He hit a button and Malons cool voice answered.
"You're ready?" Curtis asked, his eyes on the road.
"Whenever you are boss," was the reply.
"Good. I want you to get to her apartment now and go through everything that could be interesting. Make sure you don't leave any trace that you were there. I want the place left clean, Malon."
"How long have I got?"
"I'm picking her up at one but meet me at my place at 11 with the stuff."
Malon's voice was flat and as unemotional as ever. "Any particular reason I'm doing this Curtis?"
Curtis paused. "Yeah, there is. Hunter wants some background on her."
"So this is all on behalf of Hunter and not yourself then."
Curtis drew a sharp breath in. "It's all for Hunter, Malon," he snapped. "Now get to it."
He punched the end call button viciously and threw the phone onto the passenger seat. With a sigh, he wondered what the hell he was doing. He couldn't answer his own question. He only knew that there was something about Blake Starling that he had missed. That they had all missed.
And it was something he was going to get to the bottom of.