Tony froze when he saw Liam step into view. The image of his friend, Aiden, being lifted off the ground by his neck was still fresh in Tony's mind. His body shook as the memory came back, the urgency still raw.
He swallowed hard.
"I–I–I…" he started, voice cracking.
"Where is he?" Liam's voice was low, so cold it cut through the noise in the lot.
Tony's hand dropped to Aiden, slumped against the side of the car. "He's… he's in the back seat," Tony said, voice barely louder than a whisper.
Dickson raised an eyebrow. He leaned back against the hood of the car. "Huh! You two have history? That's… unexpected. What did I miss?" He laughed, arms folded across his chest, scanning the exchange.
Liam didn't respond. He didn't crack a smile or glance his way. He focused on the car and on Aiden. Then he moved. Quick, silent—like a panther on a kill.
In one smooth motion he opened the door and reached in. He pulled Aiden out of the vehicle as if he weighed nothing.
