“I found one of the other team members,” Rachel declared.“He sees the future.”
Vale frowned.“What does that mean?”
“Well, I haven’t found a precise description or anything like that, but this guy has the power to predict our moves.From what I could find about this one guy who worked with him, his prediction ability isn’t very long, but it still means that he can see when we’re going to attack and how.”
Vale swore.How were they supposed to fight someone who knew every single one of their moves before they could make them?
“We can’t let that distract us,” Cyril declared, sounding calmer than Vale expected.“We knew this would be near impossible when we decided to fight.I’m going in there.”
“We all are,” Russell said.“It would be great if we knew what we were going to face, but we can deal with it.We’ve dealt with worse.”
Vale wasn’t sure that was true, but he appreciated Russell’s effort to reassure Cyril.He doubted anyone could say anything that would actually reassure him right now, unfortunately.
“Well, let’s get ready,” Vale declared, looking around their group, who looked more ready to go on a family picnic instead of fighting a bunch of people who could kill them with barely a thought—because as far as he knew, that was the ability of the last member of Helena’s team.
There wasn’t a way out, though.Cyril would go into that cemetery alone if he had to, which meant that Vale and the others had to do this.Vale’s heart was heavy as he grabbed weapons from the car and placed them anywhere on his body that he would be able to reach.He wanted to be prepared, but he was preparing for the unknown, which made it difficult.
“You’ll be careful?”Cyril asked.
“As careful as you’ll be.”
Cyril narrowed his eyes.“That’s not funny.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be funny.You know how these things go.We can promise we’ll be careful as much as we want, but there are always complications.”
“We can still win this.I know we can.”
“I hope you’re right, but even if we don’t win, I’ll do everything I can to get you, your mother, and Robbie out of there.”
“I don’t want to lose you, either.”
“I can’t promise you that you won’t, but I’ll do my best.”It was all any of them could promise.
They finished getting ready in silence and walked into the cemetery the same way, separating just past the gate.They didn’t have anything else to say.They knew what they were about to walk into and how to defend themselves.There was a real possibility that not all of them would survive, but Vale had to believe they would.Hell, he even hoped that nothing would happen to John, even though he found him annoying.The baby assassin was helping them even though he didn’t have to, and Vale was grateful.
Vale and Cyril walked together.They didn’t have to look far for Helena.Cyril had mentioned that someone famous was buried in the cemetery and that their headstone was visible from afar because it was topped by the statue of a cherub.Vale had never heard of the guy buried there, but there was no missing his resting place, even without the woman leaning against it.
Helena was still beautiful, even ten years after the last time Vale saw her.Her black hair was cut into a severe bob, but it suited her.She was wearing a black suit and a white shirt, and no jewelry.Vale could feel her gaze on him as they approached, and he told himself that he knew her.He knew how she worked and her weaknesses.He could use that to their advantage.
Cyril’s mother and Robbie were there, too.Their hands were tied in front of them, and their mouths were gagged, but both of them looked angry rather than hurt or scared.They were sitting on the ground and leaning against two headstones near Helena.Vale couldn’t see anyone else, but he knew there were people around.Helena wouldn’t have come alone.
“I have to admit that I wasn’t sure you’d come,” Helena said, her lips curling into a smile.“I’ll give you one last chance, Cyril.I’ll let everyone but Vale go if you agree to work for me.Unfortunately, Vale has to die, but your family doesn’t.I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.”
Cyril looked like he was about to kill her.Vale wouldn’t be surprised if he did just that.Helena might think she’d won, but she hadn’t yet, and even if she did eventually, they wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Cyril certainly looked ready to give her one.
* * * *
“WE BOTH KNOW THAT WORKINGfor you wouldn’t be the right decision for me,” Cyril said.His mouth was dry, and he wanted to scream, but instead, he focused on Helena and how much he hated her.
He didn’t think he’d ever hated anyone as much as her, not even the people who’d kidnapped him to reanimate a guy who’d been dead for way too long.He’d been terrified then—almost as much as he was now—but he hadn’t hated them the way he hated this woman.
She’d dared to touch the people he cared about.She was threatening his boyfriend.How could Cyril feel anything but hate for her?
“Wouldn’t it be?”Helena asked.“I think that for your mother and Robbie, it would be.”
“They would hate me if I agreed to work for you.I’m pretty sure they’d rather die than let that happen.”He wasn’t lying.He was convinced that if he said yes to Helena’s offer, his mother would kick his ass, and Robbie would help.They wouldn’t want him to sacrifice his integrity and his life to save them.
