Read Online Revolution (Replica) by Jenna Black - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jenna Black
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into her chair.
* * *
When one of the bouncers left his post by the front door and started making his way along the line—if that’s what you’d call the jumbled crowd of Basement-dwellers and tourists vying for a place in the unruly mob waiting to get in—it didn’t immediately occur to Nate that the huge blue-painted man was coming for him and his friends. Nate had encountered the blue man before in his trips to Angel’s, back when he’d been one of the privileged assholes who came here for fun. He went by the name Djinni, and he seemed to take great pleasure in patting people down, trying to provoke a reaction by being unduly rough or invasive.
Djinni was enough of a bruiser that even hardened Basement veterans moved aside for him as he made his way toward the back of the pack. His eyes scanned the entire crowd without ever pausing on anyone in particular, so Nate figured he could be excused for not seeing the man’s purpose until it was too late.
Nate turned his face slightly away, but it wasn’t like that would stop Djinni from recognizing him. Not that Djinni had any idea who the Ghost really was, but Nate wasn’t sure of his welcome here after his last encounter with Angel.
Djinni’s eyes didn’t lock onto them until he was within arm’s reach. That was when his hand suddenly shot out and latched onto Agnes’s upper arm, startling a choked scream out of her and cries of protest from both Nate and Dante.
Nate grabbed Djinni’s arm, taking his own life into his hands, but the blue man had to weigh over three hundred pounds, all of it muscle. Nate had no chance of prying Djinni’s hand free. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.
“Let go of her!” he said, but he felt about as effective as a five-year-old trying to wrestle a football player.
Dante was smart enough not to try to pit his strength against Djinni’s, but his hand was in the pocket of his duster, and he withdrew it just far enough to show he had a gun. Nate didn’t like their chances in a shootout—a large percentage of Basement-dwellers were armed at all times and might enjoy the chance to participate in some random mayhem.
“You need to get your hands off her now !” Dante commanded. He sounded like he actually expected Djinni to back down. But then, he hadn’t spent a whole lot of time in the Basement.
“Angel wants to see the three of you,” Djinni said, still holding on to Agnes’s arm. “The girl’s coming with me. You boys can either come along or get lost.”
Their little confrontation was drawing the attention of bored club-goers still waiting their turn to get in. Drawing attention was a bad idea, especially with Agnes looking so frightened and vulnerable. Basement predators would have a field day with a girl like her, even not knowing who she was. And if they should have any reason to realize she was not only a top Executive but a Chairman’s daughter, they would tear her limb from limb.
Even knowing the drawbacks of creating a scene, Nate didn’t let go of Djinni’s arm, and Dante didn’t take his hand away from the gun. They couldn’t just stand idly by and let Agnes get manhandled by some blue-painted bruiser.
“We came here to see Angel anyway,” Agnes said. Her voice sounded far calmer than her face looked. “There’s no need for any drama here.”
She had a point.
Nate and Dante didn’t say anything to one another, but somehow they came to a mutual agreement with just a look. Dante’s hand eased out of his pocket, leaving the gun behind, and Nate forced himself to let go of Djinni’s arm.
The blue man’s teeth looked startlingly white as he bared them in a satisfied smile. He kept his hand on Agnes’s arm, but it didn’t look like he was squeezing uncomfortably tight, and he didn’t so much drag her from the crowd as guide her. Nate and Dante followed close behind. Nate expected to have to wipe blue paint from his hand after holding Djinni’s arm like that, but there was no
* * *
When one of the bouncers left his post by the front door and started making his way along the line—if that’s what you’d call the jumbled crowd of Basement-dwellers and tourists vying for a place in the unruly mob waiting to get in—it didn’t immediately occur to Nate that the huge blue-painted man was coming for him and his friends. Nate had encountered the blue man before in his trips to Angel’s, back when he’d been one of the privileged assholes who came here for fun. He went by the name Djinni, and he seemed to take great pleasure in patting people down, trying to provoke a reaction by being unduly rough or invasive.
Djinni was enough of a bruiser that even hardened Basement veterans moved aside for him as he made his way toward the back of the pack. His eyes scanned the entire crowd without ever pausing on anyone in particular, so Nate figured he could be excused for not seeing the man’s purpose until it was too late.
Nate turned his face slightly away, but it wasn’t like that would stop Djinni from recognizing him. Not that Djinni had any idea who the Ghost really was, but Nate wasn’t sure of his welcome here after his last encounter with Angel.
Djinni’s eyes didn’t lock onto them until he was within arm’s reach. That was when his hand suddenly shot out and latched onto Agnes’s upper arm, startling a choked scream out of her and cries of protest from both Nate and Dante.
Nate grabbed Djinni’s arm, taking his own life into his hands, but the blue man had to weigh over three hundred pounds, all of it muscle. Nate had no chance of prying Djinni’s hand free. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.
“Let go of her!” he said, but he felt about as effective as a five-year-old trying to wrestle a football player.
Dante was smart enough not to try to pit his strength against Djinni’s, but his hand was in the pocket of his duster, and he withdrew it just far enough to show he had a gun. Nate didn’t like their chances in a shootout—a large percentage of Basement-dwellers were armed at all times and might enjoy the chance to participate in some random mayhem.
“You need to get your hands off her now !” Dante commanded. He sounded like he actually expected Djinni to back down. But then, he hadn’t spent a whole lot of time in the Basement.
“Angel wants to see the three of you,” Djinni said, still holding on to Agnes’s arm. “The girl’s coming with me. You boys can either come along or get lost.”
Their little confrontation was drawing the attention of bored club-goers still waiting their turn to get in. Drawing attention was a bad idea, especially with Agnes looking so frightened and vulnerable. Basement predators would have a field day with a girl like her, even not knowing who she was. And if they should have any reason to realize she was not only a top Executive but a Chairman’s daughter, they would tear her limb from limb.
Even knowing the drawbacks of creating a scene, Nate didn’t let go of Djinni’s arm, and Dante didn’t take his hand away from the gun. They couldn’t just stand idly by and let Agnes get manhandled by some blue-painted bruiser.
“We came here to see Angel anyway,” Agnes said. Her voice sounded far calmer than her face looked. “There’s no need for any drama here.”
She had a point.
Nate and Dante didn’t say anything to one another, but somehow they came to a mutual agreement with just a look. Dante’s hand eased out of his pocket, leaving the gun behind, and Nate forced himself to let go of Djinni’s arm.
The blue man’s teeth looked startlingly white as he bared them in a satisfied smile. He kept his hand on Agnes’s arm, but it didn’t look like he was squeezing uncomfortably tight, and he didn’t so much drag her from the crowd as guide her. Nate and Dante followed close behind. Nate expected to have to wipe blue paint from his hand after holding Djinni’s arm like that, but there was no
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