Cape Crossed

Chapter Twenty-One

"I don't care who you have to talk to, just find me the person who ratted me out, Warren," Jake whispered into the phone. He glanced back to check that Hannah was still occupied with her phone call out of ear shot. From where he was he could just barely hear every other word she said but he couldn't make sense of any of it. Whatever she was talking about had her on edge, judging from the stiff set of her shoulders and her tapping foot. He knew if she turned her lips would be pressed together in a hard line.

"Why don't you come down here and help me out then, mister reporter," Warren taunted over the phone.

"You know I can't leave her here alone," Jake argued. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "What if something happens?

"You've been hovering over her for a week. If anything were going to happen don't you think it would have already?" Warren tried to reason with him, like he'd been doing all week. Hannah was fine, nothing was going to happen, she'd be okay at work and didn't need a babysitter. No matter what he said, Jake insisted on supervising every step she took. "Get her to go out with a friend or something."

"Ok but... only for an hour," Jake said slowly. He ended the call and nearly bumped into Hannah who'd walked up behind him. "Oh, done on the phone?"

"Yeah, guess you are too," Hannah noted. They both cleared their throat to speak and chuckled nervously when they noticed they'd done the same thing.

"Why don't you go first," Jake offered.

Hannah puffed her cheeks and let the air out in a slow whistle. "I was going to run out and grab some coffee with Claudia. I know you've been really antsy about me going anywhere but she sounded like she really needed to see me."

"Actually, I was going to go and do the same with Warren. He's been trying to fix up an article and sounded like he could use some help." Jake took her shoulders and stepped in closer. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"I promise, I'll be safer than steaks at a vegan convention," she joked. The smile that spread across his face settled some of the worry in her stomach. "Text me when you get there."

Jake tapped her nose and grabbed his coat from the rack by the door. "Yes mom.

"Ugh, I've told you not to call me that." She smacked his arm and nudged him towards the door. "Now tell me you love me and remember to be back for dinner.

"You can't say stuff like that and not expect to get called mom," Jake pointed out, kissing her quickly. He rolled his eyes when she put her hands on her hips. "I love you, see you at dinner... mom." He ducked her swinging hand and bolted out the door.

Hannah watched him go down the hall, keeping up a smile until he stepped into the elevator. As soon as the metal doors slid shut, the smile fell away. She shut the door, phone already in her hand as she strode across the floor to pull on her shoes and jacket. The screen lit up, Claudia's face flashing across it.

Claudia was waiting in a black car, unlocking the passenger door when she spotted Hannah. "Are you calm?" she asked once the door slammed shut.

"Would you be calm?" Hannah snapped. The car pulled out into traffic, moving effortlessly in and out of the lanes.

"No, but I'm less likely to do some serious damage just because I'm mad." Claudia guided the steering wheel around lazily with her left hand, working the radio dial with her other. "So, are you calm?"

"What exactly are you going to do if I'm not?" Hannah's voice came out low, nearly a growl.

"Grab some popcorn and a front row seat," Claudia answered. She pulled into the underground parking and flashed her ID at a screen. "Just try not to demolish the building.

"No promises," Hannah let the car door slam behind her and took the steps two at a time, deciding the elevator would be too slow. Besides, Claudia had been right about not tearing the building down.

The main lobby was just as busy as normal, people walking back and forth, passing papers and files. The occasional super wove through the crowd, nodding at anyone who called out to them. Hannah ignored most of them. Her eyes scanned the crowd until the found the golden curls she'd come searching for.

In just a few long strides, Hannah was across the room, her hand wrapping around Magda's upper arm like a vice. "We need to have a chat.

"Is everything alright?" Magda asked, her eyes widening slightly. The edge of fear in her voice was all the confirmation Hannah needed. The younger man at Magda's side gulped. His face was unfamiliar to Hannah, but they had new supers coming in often enough that there was no way she could keep up with all of them.

"Did you have Jake picked up to see if he was Hijack?" Hannah gripped the woman's arms tighter when she didn't answer right away. "You did, didn't you?"

"Hannah, look, I had someone tail him­-" She didn't get a chance to finish. As soon as she'd said what sounded to Hannah like a confession, the red head was hurling her across the room and through the wall into the neighboring room.

There was an uproar of shouts and panicked screaming. Most people were smart enough to jump out of Hannah's way as she followed after the staggering woman. "They locked us up, put us in handcuffs, they could have hurt him. They could have figured out who I was." With each step her voice rose until she was practically screaming in Magda's face.

"Well then it's a good thing he got cleared, isn't it?" Magda propped herself up on her hands and knees, trying to spit out the plaster dust that was trying ot coat her lungs.

"Good thing for you the real Hijack was causing trouble at the right time," Hannah snapped back. She knelt on one knee, leaning in close. "If you come near him again, I won't hold back the next time I hit you. You've taken enough from him."

Magda scoffed as Hannah turned to leave. "What happened to his girlfriend wasn't my fault. If he's still so hung up on her, what makes you think he has any real feelings for you?" A second hit sent Magda through the next wall where a support beam kept her from going through the window. The crowd parted as people hurried to get out of Hannah's way. She bypassed Claudia standing at the front door, popcorn jellybeans in hand.