Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

Daniel could still hear an echo of that tiredness in her voice. He wanted to take her in his arms, and hold her so tightly it would drive all the bad memories away . . . But somehow he knew that if he tried, and it was the wrong moment, Tina would get up off the bed and walk away.

“Why do you suppose Edward decided to save you?” he said finally.

“Because he saw something in me that he could use,” said Tina. “The same reason he made you a part of Jekyll & Hyde Inc.: because he has a war to fight, and he needs people like us.”

“He said he wanted warriors,” Daniel said slowly. “But I think he meant patsies. People he could use and then discard.”

“Only if we let that happen,” said Tina. “We both have good reasons to want the monsters dead, but once they’re all gone . . . Edward won’t need us anymore.”

Daniel looked at her thoughtfully. “You think he might try to kill us?”

“Of course! He’s Edward Hyde!”

“Sometimes I forget what that name means,” said Daniel. “You remember how he walked right over that poor waitress?”

“I’ve seen him do worse,” said Tina. “In the end, it might come down to us having to get him, before he can get us.”

Daniel turned onto his side, so he could look at her directly. “You’ve given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?”

Tina smiled. “I had a lot of time to think, waiting for you to show up so I could get this war started.” She stretched slowly, as unself-conscious as a cat. “But who knows . . . maybe we won’t have to kill him. Maybe, once we’re not needed anymore, he’ll just let us walk away and make new lives for ourselves.”

“Maybe,” said Daniel.

“You don’t sound too convinced.”

“Give me time. I’ll work on it.”

They lay tucked in close together, riding each other’s breathing, staring out across the bedroom as the morning light slowly brought it to life. Daniel smiled suddenly.

“Conversations you never thought you’d be having . . .  My life has gone through so many changes—from policeman, to cripple, to Hyde . . . ”

“I know what you mean,” said Tina. “Do you love me, Daniel?”

“Yes,” he said. “Somewhat to my surprise. It sort of sneaked up on me, and hit me over the head when I wasn’t looking. Do you . . . ?”

“No,” said Tina. “But give me time. And I’ll work on it.”

“Well,” said Daniel. “That’s something.”

They laughed quietly together, and then drifted off to sleep.

But later, Daniel woke to find Tina crying quietly beside him. She wouldn’t or couldn’t tell him why, so he just held her in his arms until morning light filled the room, and she could sleep.

They spent most of the next day and a half in bed, getting to know each other. Laying open their lives, sharing their pains and their triumphs, and all the things they’d never thought they’d be able to tell someone else. At least partly because they were just two Hydes, going up against the strength and power of the monster Clans, and they knew the odds were not in their favor.

When you believe you’re going to die, you can say anything.

Love, or something very like it, had caught them by surprise, and neither of them was very sure how much they trusted it. But they were having fun finding out.

It was midafternoon before they finally returned to the Jekyll & Hyde Inc. building. They walked hand in hand across the empty lobby and all the way up in the elevator, but they made a point of separating before they entered Edward’s outer office. Not because they were ashamed, but because they didn’t want to give Edward anything he could use as ammunition against them. Edward’s secretary greeted them graciously enough, but Daniel was convinced she was looking down her nose at the state of his tuxedo. He’d done his best to beat all the dust off, but there was a limit to what even Hyde strength could achieve. Tina’s evening dress was in rather better condition, apart from a few small bloodspots here and there. Daniel and Tina headed for Edward’s inner office, but the secretary immediately raised her voice.

“I’m afraid Mister Hyde isn’t in, just at the moment. But he did leave a message for you . . . ”

And then she made a point of searching through the papers on her desk, even though Daniel had no doubt she knew exactly where it was.

“He said to tell you that he’s in his playroom, on the seventh floor,” she said. “And that you’re to join him the moment you arrive.”

“I know where that is,” said Tina.

Daniel looked at her. “Why are you scowling?”

Tina’s scowl only deepened once they’d left the secretary’s office and set off back down the corridor to the elevators. Daniel kept a watchful eye on her. She’d been in a really good mood all the way across London, and he was concerned at how easily Edward Hyde had wiped the smile off her face. He wondered if changing the subject might help.

“Is that secretary a Hyde?”

“Of course not,” said Tina, not looking at him. “Edward has always been very particular about who he shares his potion with. Everyone else just works here.”

“She knew about us,” said Daniel.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” said Tina.

“You think Edward knows?”

“You think he cares?”