Fehrin chuckled. “Well, glad you were able to make it back my way.”
Kinzer slid the syringe out of his pocket, when Fehrin stopped and turned to them.
Kinzer pressed his hand against his jeans, hoping to conceal the weapon.
Fehrin motioned to the stairwell, dimly lit by what sunlight came from a window on the second floor.
“After you,” he said.
Kinzer and Hayde headed up the stairs. Hayde’s gaze shifted about.
Don’t look so damned suspicious.
But as sweat collected on Kinzer’s palm, he knew he wasn’t doing much better.
“So what’s this news you’re here to discuss with me?” Fehrin asked.
“One of the Almighty’s operations was compromised last week,” Hayde said. “Kryler in Houston. I’m here to warn you. Just be careful with whom you’re exchanging intel.”
“That how you’re face got all torn up?”
Hayde’s gaze sank. “Uh-huh.”
Kinzer felt a familiar pang of guilt.
“So Janka sent you to warn me?”
“Yeah. The Raze thinks it might have been someone on the inside. Someone who was working for Kryler. I would advise you to be careful about who among your peers you trust right now.”
“Fair enough.”
Kinzer wanted to turn around and jam the syringe in Fehrin’s neck, but he worried any sudden movements would alert him and cause him to block the attack… and he wasn’t strong enough to fight a higherling, particularly a mammoth one like this guy.
He just had to wait for him to let his guard down.
As they came to the top of the stairs, Kinzer and Hayde stepped into a hall. Fehrin walked past them and headed to a room on the other side. He retrieved a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. “Where are you boys staying tonight?”
He wasn’t looking. Now was Kinzer’s chance. He positioned his fingers around the syringe so that he could take a good stab at him, but before he could raise it, Fehrin turned back to them. “You must stay here for the night,” he said as the door opened. “I insist.”
“Oh, well, I guess,” Hayde said.
As Fehrin stepped through the doorway, Kinzer lunged at Fehrin and jabbed at his shoulder. It was the perfect target because it was impossible to miss.
Fehrin spun around, his movements so fast that he snatched Kinzer’s wrist just before the needle had even grazed his shirt. He twisted Kinzer’s arm back and forced the syringe into Hayde.
“Ah, fuck!” Hayde cried as Fehrin jammed the end down with his thumb, injecting him. “Not again!”
Fehrin elbowed Kinzer in the face so he flew back into the room and landed on a desk.
“Not the slickest thing, are you?” Fehrin asked.
Kinzer drew Hayde’s dagger from the back of his belt and lunged at Fehrin.
Fehrin grabbed a floor lamp beside him, swung it around, and slammed it against Kinzer’s side.
Kinzer soared through the air before his head bashed against a bookshelf. He dropped the dagger beside him as he collapsed onto the floor.
Hayde stumbled toward the dagger but fell just as gracefully, Kinzer assumed, because the serum had already kicked in.
