Vale cocked his head.He truly didn’t understand that man.He might be a professional assassin, but he was a beginner.Vale would never understand why John had taken the hit on him, but he’d been in over his head, and Vale had kicked his ass.Why John was still here was a mystery Vale didn’t understand.
“You do know that this isn’t a game, right?”he asked.
“I know.I know the Organization is dangerous and all of that.I looked into them, and while I’m sure I’m not as good as your handler, I was able to find some information.They’re not good people.”
“And you still want to fight them?”
“I think someone should.If they can threaten someone like you, the rest of us don’t stand a chance if they turn their attention to us.Besides, I wouldn’t miss the chance to work with you guys.”He turned toward Russell and Rachel.“Do you know how famous you are in the forums?”
Rachel snorted.“Is that why you’re here?Because we’re famous and you want to work with us?”
“And because Cyril and Vale helped me when I needed it and didn’t ask for anything in return.Besides, I like them.I don’t want anything to happen to them.”
Rachel looked around the room.“Well, it looks like we have a team.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, and of course, John had to be the one who broke it.He grinned like an idiot and declared, “We’re like superheroes.”
Vale had to resist the urge to throw something at his head.He turned his attention back to Rachel since he knew she’d keep things on track.“What’s next?”
“I’ve been trying to locate Helena, but they’re constantly on the move.They’ve taken out another target since they arrived in town, and unless you’re aware of more of their old employees working in the area, I think it’s clear that you’re next.”
“We have to find out more about the people she works with.I already know what Helena’s capable of.I have no idea what her team can do, though, and that’s a problem.”
“If she recruited them the way she’s trying to recruit me, there might be a way to get them to turn on her,” Cyril offered.
Rachel hummed as she typed.“That’s actually a good idea.I don’t think she’d keep hostages because it would be too much of a bother, but I can look into it.If she’s kidnapped someone close to one of the people on her team, we might be able to get them to flip on her by helping those people.That’s gonna be hell to find, though.”
Cyril’s smile was sweet.“I have faith in you.”He looked around the room.“I have faith in all of us.I’m not going to deny that I’m terrified, but I know that the people here will keep me safe.I know that you’ll do everything to keep Vale alive.We can do this if we work together.”
Vale wished he had Cyril’s optimism.He had no idea if they were going to make it out of this mess alive, and while he had every intention of doing his best to make that happen, he’d made plans in case Helena won.
He exchanged a glance with Russell, who knew what those plans were and had agreed to implement them.He hadn’t been happy about it, but he hadn’t been able to deny that it would be for the best.If something happened to Vale, he wanted Cyril to be taken care of, and the best person to do that was his best friend.
Vale knew for sure that if he’d been on his own, he wouldn’t have won this battle.Helena was too strong, and she wasn’t working alone.Vale wasn’t, either.Surrounded by the people he cared about, he knew that he had at least a chance to survive, and that was all that mattered.
“I’m going to call my mom,” Cyril said as he stepped closer to Vale.“I hope I can convince her to go visit her sister out of town for a bit.”
“I don’t think Helena really plans to grab your mom.She’s not who Helena’s interested in.”
“Maybe not, but I’d rather be safe than sorry, and she did threaten to do it to get me to work for her.”Cyril bit his lower lip.“That’s one of the few threats that would work.If Helena has someone I care about, I’ll have to do what she wants.I don’t want to, but I wouldn’t have a choice.”
“Tell your mom to leave town, then,” Vale said.“If you know she’s safe, you’ll be able to focus on what’s happening.”And Helena wouldn’t be able to use her as a pawn.
Vale glanced at Robbie.He half wanted to tell him to leave, too, but he already knew that Robbie would tell him to fuck off.He wasn’t going anywhere if they weren’t, and they were stuck here because Helena would find them wherever they ran.
Getting Cyril’s mother out of town was the best thing they could do.It still left them plenty of people to worry about, but most of those people could defend themselves, so Vale thought that would be okay.Someone would have to keep an eye on Cyril and Robbie, but they both knew how dangerous Helena and the Organization were.Unlike Cyril’s mom, they knew what was happening and to be careful.Vale didn’t think it would be enough to protect them, but it was something.
“Guys,” Robbie called out, getting everyone’s attention.“I think I found her.”
Vale frowned and moved so he could look at Robbie’s computer screen.There was a map there, and Vale didn’t have to ask before Robbie explained what they were looking at.“I mean, it could be someone else, but I cross-referenced some of the information Rachel just gave me with hotel bookings.I focused on the high-end ones and didn’t find anything, so I moved to rental houses.I still didn’t find her, so I checked the cameras in areas we knew she was in since she and her team killed three people.I think she’s staying in the house of one of them.”
“That would be just like her,” Vale grumbled.“We know where she is now.We need to start planning.”
“What are you going to do?”Robbie asked.
“Take the fight to her before she can bring it to us.”
* * * *
