Die Once More Read Online Free

can’t think of a better reason to exist.”
    Frosty slows, puts an arm around Faust’s shoulders, and gives him a sideways hug. “One of New York’s finest,” she says, and astounds me once again by giving him a peck on the cheek. He gives her a sad smile and then abruptly looks up, listening.
    â€œTirado’s got something over on Bushwick and Devoe. Three of our evil twins . . . on their way to stir up trouble, no doubt.”
    â€œAt this time in the morning?” I ask, as the three of us jog in the direction he had pointed.
    â€œNew York: the city that never sleeps,” quotes Faust.
    Frosty fills me in as she runs. “We wondered if news of your battle in Paris had reached our city’s numa, and if so, if they would react. If it would make any difference to them. Their activity’s been growing steadily over the last decade, but recently something . . . different . . . seems to have been brewing,” she says, confirming what Faust said.
    She throws a glance at me, a flicker of worry flashing across her blank-screen face, and says cryptically, “The dark prophecythat gave you your Champion doesn’t only refer to France. It’s the Third Age here too, you know.”

THREE
    WE ARRIVE AT A FOUR-STORY BOX-SHAPED BUILDING that looks like it’s been sided with roof tiles. Green. Ugly. I shouldn’t care, but used to the beauty of Paris, I can’t help but cringe. It looks like an architect threw up on a blueprint and decided it looked good that way.
    I’m back, Frenchie. Miss me? Ryan says in my head. I see Faust and Frosty talking to the air and know the volant spirits have congregated. “What do you see?” I ask him.
    Top-floor apartment, he responds. Three numa versus four trust-fund-looking twentysomethings . His voice disappears for a moment, and then he’s back. The kids are selling drugs for the zombies and didn’t turn over all the money. Typical TV-cop-series scenario. Could have written a better script myself. Oh great . . . here come the numa volants .
    Frosty talks to her spirit for another moment and then announces, “Okay, we’re on our own. The numa brought a volanteach, and they’re blocking ours. I’ve sent Oreo back to the Warehouse for reinforcements. Ryan and Tirado, do what you can to stay with us.”
    She turns from where she’s staring into space and focuses on Faust and me. “What’d you get from your volants?”
    â€œThree numa, four twentysomething kids shifting drugs for them, deal gone bad,” Faust summarizes, fingering his weapons and looking up at the building.
    â€œSame for me,” I say, “and Ryan specified top floor.”
    â€œOreo got more,” she says. “A numa forced one of the kids to overdose. Got the opioid injection?” she asks Faust. He nods. “We have two entries: one through the front door and the other at the back through a fire escape. Faust, go up that way and block the exit.” Faust takes off around the side of the building. “Wait for my signal, and then enter if you can without breaking the window,” Frosty calls after him. He waves to show he heard her.
    She marches up the front steps, her long quilted coat flying open on either side as she unbuttons it, fishes around in the pockets, and pulls out a large set of keys. Leaning over to inspect the lock on the front door, she murmurs, “Schlage single cylinder,” and rifles through the key collection. Sticking one in the lock, she turns it and opens the door. I follow her into a small front-hall area with another locked door in front of us. Boxes and letters are stacked haphazardly on a side table.
    Without hesitating, Frosty picks up a large Amazon box, inspects it, rings a doorbell labeled APT 1, and when a voice asks, “Yes?” she says, “FedEx.” The door buzzes open, she heaves thebox toward a door marked 1, and