Waking up, I see Azrael unbuckling and standing up to walk over to the cockpit and ask the pilots a few questions. James also pokes his head up as he looks around to see that we've landed. Opening one of the oval window covers, I look outside while squinting and see that D.C. is outside, similar in evening like when we left Tokyo but is still different.
"Have we arrived?" asks James as he stretches and yawns.
"I think so," I say with a smile, "it's good to be home."
"It really is," says James opening his own window cover, "though, I think jet-lag really will cause an issue. I highly doubt I'll sleep in a few hours when it's the time here to go to bed."
"Yeah," I say, "but, I guess it can't be helped."
Azrael walks back into the cabin, and smiles when he sees us both awake.
"Sleep well? You two?" asks Azrael.
"Sure did," we reply together.
"That might come back to bite us," says Azrael, "not being able to sleep later today."
"Oh well," I say.
The door to the cabin opens, and then following Azrael I walk down the staircase outside the jet and head to the ground and car that is ready.
"We'll swing by my office first," says Azrael to James, "then I'll have you dropped off at your place."
"No problem," replies James, and then we get in.
"I suppose that I should have gotten a separate vehicle for you," says Azrael as he buckles his seatbelt.
"No, this is perfect," says James, "I'm grateful for any ride. Not to mention this is a favor on your part. That means anything offered is already extra on your part, so I should be grateful."
"It's the least I could offer," says Azrael with a smile.
We drive out of the airport confines and then we're heading to the office and Garner building. Outside in the sky there's only trailing bits of light from the sun, and most is dark as there's only night moving into the world.
We pass by the Potomac river, before we're crossing a bridge to get to the Garner building, which we arrive at soon enough.
"Levi I think already left earlier today," says Azrael as he opens the car door, "and we'll maybe see him tomorrow if we can get to work."
"Sounds good," I say as I also step out of the vehicle, "what do we need to do?"
"Just check some papers and documents," says Azrael and turns back to James, "you can head back now. The driver is made aware of your address."
"Alright," says James, and smiles at Azrael, "thanks for the trip, and also this ride."
"It's nothing to thank me for," says Azrael with a smile, "good night, James."
"Good night, Azrael, Hogarth," says James in response.
Azrael nods, and the two of us head to the building. I don't see the car James is in leave, but I surmise he does out of view from us. Inside, a person at the front desk smiles at us in recognition, before they leave to go home. Azrael and I head up to the top floor with the elevator.
Stepping out onto the floor, Azrael leads me to his office, which strangely has the door slightly cracked open, but that doesn't quite stick to my mind.
"I hope James gets home safely," says Azrael, "there'd be nothing good coming from him not getting home.
"True," I say.
As Azrael pushes the door that is already open slightly, my eyes land on a figure that sits at the chair behind his desk, dark and ominous. Their eyes flash toward us and Azrael tenses. Out of instinct, or maybe primal protective desire, my hand finds Azrael and pulls him a little toward me, where I can step out in front of him should that be required.
"So you're back," says the person, a man, as he stands up ominously with shadows falling over his face that only the eyes and mouth I can see.
"What are you doing here, Trey?" says Azrael as he looks back at him, "Does it have something to do with Cale perhaps?"
"Yes," says Trey, the person, angrily as he steps closer, "I've had to watch him go from how amazing he was to a hollow husk, wasting away and then coming under the smasher."
Trey, shudders, and makes a sad noise, before he finds Azrael again.
"All because of you."
He starts to move closer, when Azrael speaks, "You should be very careful how it is you interact with me."
"Why, you think that it matters if I hurt you?"
"I would say you may share the fate of Cale if you do," says Azrael carefully.
"Maybe I want to, just to be near him," says Trey sadly and with some emotion, stopping his approach, "I miss him terribly."
Trey pulls out from his pocket something, but I can see it's a weapon, and my hands tense around Azrael's shoulder more.
"Duck!" calls a familiar voice from behind, and out of instinct again, I push Azrael forward and to the floors while cupping him to absorb the shock and not have him hurt.
A chair flies straight over both Azrael and us, and connects with the head of Trey, who groans out before tumbling down to the ground. Thinking quickly, I jump forward and wrestle Trey to the floor and pin him by partially sitting on him and also holding an arm behind his back.
Trey though, seems mostly unconscious, and Azrael has picked up the weapon and holds it without the clip inside it. James walk into the office and talks on the phone.
"Yes, I think he's unconscious. But please hurry," says James.
"That the police?" Azrael asks.
"Yes," says James with a nod, "they're on their way."
On the other side of the Potomac, I see red and blue lights, and they do start to come over toward us over a bridge, and I feel some bit of me relax in gratitude.
"Do you have duck-tape?" I ask Azrael.
"Yes," says Azrael with a nod, and quickly walks to his desk where he finds the stationary, and then we quickly bind Trey, who as we tie up his arms behind him is coming to his senses.
From the elevator, a few people in police uniform step out, and through a flurry of movement and conversation, the three of us explain the situation to them. Trey is hauled to his feet and taken away, while James, Azrael, and I are split up to give our story of what just happened.
But during that whole interrogation, I'm just happy and thankful that Azrael is safe, and that nothing in his office escalated too badly.
I can't imagine what would happen to me if he got hurt. Or worse.