Prue actually showed that she wasn’t completely clueless as we headed south towards Crystal City. On the way, we hid the detonator in a sculpture garden in Rosslyn. It wasn’t a place I figured they’d look.

If they found it, we were all screwed. If they found it…but I couldn’t carry it. If I did, I was sure it would somehow go off in the fight we were heading towards.

Kanesha still wasn’t answering her phone. I stopped trying, setting my face grimly. The one lucky thing – Prue had a bike. It wasn’t a very good one, and it felt uncertain and uncomfortable when I was used to “bikes” with minds of their own and the ability to stay balanced.

But it was a bike, and it beat running. Especially, it beat running at Prue’s pace.

“Where are they?”

“An apartment in one of the older buildings in Crystal City. Across Eads Street. Wait…that one.”

I suddenly knew exactly where Kanesha was. And exactly how much trouble she was in also came flowing into my mind. “And we don’t have much time.”

She nodded and gunned the bike. “Alright.”

We ran inside…the doors were broken and propped open, which I thought was a very good thing indeed. Had they been locked and we’d had to buzz ourselves in? Even that delay might be too much. And there was residue. “Somebody let off a bomb in here. I can smell it.”

“Hopefully it was the only one they had,” Prue said. “Which floor…”

I ran for the stairs. “I’m not sure but I’ll know when I get there.”

Of course., it was the top floor. Of twelve. I pounded up the stairs, aware of Prue’s somewhat labored breathing behind me. But I couldn’t slow down. “Catch up.”

I heard no response, but I ran out into the corridor…only to see Kanesha crumpled on the floor.
She wasn’t dead. I’d have known if she was dead. But she would be if I didn’t stop whoever was doing this. The door was open, and I heard the sounds of a fight. I also, distantly, heard sirens.

Some neighbor or other had called the police.

Mike’s voice, raised in a shout.

And I ran into the apartment to face a standoff.