“Then the people will elect another chief.”
“Exactly, Mr. Crossbow.”
Is he ordering a hit on the chief? Is he really? “I have to hand it to you. I’ve never been approached this way before.” This guy is in my house ordering a hit on the chief of police who, by all accounts, now holds the city in his fist. I’ve done deeds for governments and agencies before, but usually those are handled in underground lounges or bars, not out in the open, where anyone could connect the person who ordered the hit and the hitman. But maybe that’s the way ISC does it.
“I know about the shipment your uncle is sending.”
“Confiscate the shipment. Arrest Slada. Hell, arrest me if you like. I still won’t work for you.” If I take out the chief, it can be done of my own accord.
“The chief is with Ivan now. Briefing him. You will have two of the most powerful factions against you. I give you forty-eight hours before you’re all dead. You’ve brought what? A few dozen people. Unless you plan to invade the city and flood it with the army neither you nor your uncle has, your odds are shit. Trust me, I’ve seen this type of loss before.”
I admit that ripping control from Ivan and the chief won’t be easy. I need people. People I can trust. I also need the cops of the city to back me and not Ivan. They won’t if the police chief doesn’t. I just can’t off the chief for the ISC.
“The chief will get replaced,” I say. “You have my word. Then you can do what you will with him.”
“Which leads me to my second request.”
“I’m all out of favors.”
“This one is minor. A show of mercy.”
We lock eyes. “For whom?”
“Ivan.”
“Ivan?”
The man nods. “I need him alive.”
“I need him to bend the knee, then.”
“He’s already put out a hit on you.”
“Fuck. Who is coming for me?”
“Not my brother, that’s for sure.”
I pause. This got personal for him. “Who is your brother?”
“Sebastian Glass.”
I frown. “This is the second time today where people name-drop and expect me to know who it is. I don’t.”
“He trained with Master Yi with you. Said you are his brother from another mother.”
Rule number one about Master Yi’s training? There is no Master Yi’s training. We were never there. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.” I walk away.
“Your uncle Cass knows him,” the man shouts, and Connor looks over. I don’t want Connor involved in this. He’s crazy enough to do anything for Uncle Cass. Connor swore up and down he wouldn’t rest until Daniel Pembroke and everyone responsible for the capture and torture of Uncle Cass suffers.
I walk up to the man. We’re about the same height and eye level. “I said I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The man grits his teeth, his temper rising. “I have a match for the partial fingerprint on your rifle. Your friend Dina will not like wearing an orange jumpsuit instead of that pretty red dress. She won’t last a day in prison, and I can put her there with a single phone call.”
I reach for my weapon when I hear Dina’s heels and catch sight of her coming over.
“Hey,” she slides her hand into mine. “Are you about done here?”
Gun in hand, I’m ready to take this guy out, knowing it will cost me and mine our lives. Besides being the brother of a good friend of mine who got himself in trouble, probably, he’s an ISC agent. If you touch one of them, the agency comes for you. Right now, he’s offering to work with me, but he’s unwilling to take no for an answer.
