Vinny and his perhaps-brother were walking side-by-side behind Rhodda, the men carrying their guns with the muzzles pointing to the ground, as if they didn’t expect to need them to keep Rhodda under control. And perhaps that was right. Despite the defiance in her voice, Rhodda didn’t look as if she was in a state to try anything. Several days out in the forest, with noproper nutrition and an open wound, and it was no wonder she looked exhausted and worn down.
Girard’s hand on Hallie’s shoulder made her start in surprise, but she managed not to make a sound. He pressed down. Wanting her to stay where she was. She scowled at him, quite sure she wouldn’t like what he had planned.
He moved a little distance away from her and then rose to his feet, in full view of the trio coming towards him. No, Hallie definitely didn’t like this plan. He might be wearing body armour, but he wasn’t bulletproof. She had an impulse to tackle him to the ground and drag him out of sight of the guns. But that would reveal her presence, and take away the tiny advantage that they had, so she stayed where she was.
“Stay where you are,” the second man said, gun lifting and aimed directly at Girard.
Rhodda made a noise that sounded like pure surprise, and moved a few paces away from the two men, out of their immediate reach, back pressed against the thick trunk of the nearest tree.
Vinny had his weapon raised, too, also directed at Girard.
For his part, Girard stayed where he was, hands by his sides, apparently relaxed and at ease in the middle of a dense forest with two guns pointed at him. He was wearing his badge, Hallie realised, hung around his neck on a chain. She was sure that hadn’t been there when he’d found her, but as the chain and badge caught the light, making him stand out among the shadows, she realised why.
“You’ve got some nerve,” Vinny said, voice a low growl. “Hand over your weapon.”
“I don’t think so,” Girard answered. His voice was cool, with a touch ofhochlenarrogance that Hallie wasn’t used to hearing from him. “Why don’t you lower your weapons and we can talk?”
“Talk?” Vinny sneered. “I don’t have to listen to you. Come on. The governor, Jonah, will want to talk to you.”
“And I would very much like to talk to him, too, but not at the end of a weapon,” Girard said, in the same tone. “Let’s arrange a time and place, shall we?”
Vinny’s lip curled in distaste and he shook his head. “You’re not getting it, are you? I thought you inbred elite were meant to be smarter than us common folk? He’s not going to do what you want. This is our place, not yours.”
“Let’s just kill him,” the other man said.
“Not yet,” Vinny said. He was still angry, Hallie realised, and wondered if that was a normal state of being for him. He was watching Girard, jaw tight and a line between his brows that suggested he was still in control of his feelings, and also thinking hard. “Why don’t you come with us?” he suggested, his tone oh-so-reasonable. “We can go see Jonah together.”
“No, thanks,” Girard answered. “Let’s go to New Hope instead. As much as I want to talk to Jonah, I also want to talk to the people there.”
Hallie was distracted for a moment by a tiny flinch from Rhodda. The woman was listening to the exchange with apparent intent interest, gaze travelling between the three men. But at the suggestion of going to New Hope, she twitched and fear crossed her face. So she didn’t want to go to Jonah, but she also didn’t want to go to the main settlement. Hallie couldn’t work the other woman out at all.
“We’ve got nothing to do with them,” Vinny said, lip curling again, drawing Hallie’s attention back to the barbed conversation.
“That’s not my concern,” Girard said, with even more arrogance. “I’m here to find out what’s been going on here and report back.”
“And the Conclave only sent one man?” Vinny’s brother asked, rivalling his brother with his own expression of disdain.
“It’s not a priority for the Conclave,” Girard said. Hallie had to admire him for telling a lie disguised in the truth. “But they’re going to notice when I don’t report in, and then they will start paying attention.” And that was both true and completely believable, from what Hallie knew of the Conclave. They might regard Paradise as little more than a nuisance at best, but if one of their agents went missing, that would prompt them into action. And if Vinny was even half as smart as she thought he was, he would know that. The governor would certainly know that.
Hallie watched Vinny’s expression change and wondered if he’d finally fully realised what he was dealing with. Not someone he could just bully or push around. A Conclave Investigator. Someone who would be missed. Hallie’s stomach twisted as she wondered if they would just kill Girard and decide to deal with the consequences later. She tensed, ready to move if it looked like either man was going to fire on Girard. Beyond the shrub where Hallie was hiding, the ground was covered with short plants that looked like they had long, thin thorns on them. As soon as she left her position she was going to be seen, and likely get her clothes caught in the thorns.
“You should listen to him,” Rhodda said, surprising Hallie. The older woman had her eyes on the ground, voice low, almost subservient.
Vinny turned a scowl in Rhodda’s direction, taking his attention away from Girard.
Hallie saw Girard shift his weight. Getting ready to move.
“No, I don’t think we will,” Vinny said slowly, turning back to Girard. He gestured with his gun. “Come on. This way.”
“No,” Girard said, voice hard and flat, and charged forward, straight at Vinny.
Having done something very similar recently herself, Hallie could hardly fault Girard for the direct approach, even as fear dried her mouth at the sight of Girard rushing towards a loaded weapon pointed in his direction. And Vinny was ready for him, too, unlike Spike had been when Hallie tackled him.
To Hallie’s surprise, Vinny didn’t fire. He changed the grip on his weapon and tried to use it as a club instead. But Girard had anticipated that move, ducking under the gun and letting it bounce harmlessly off the body armour across his back while his shoulder thudded into Vinny’s midsection, forcing all the air out of the man’s lungs.
The pair of them tumbled into the undergrowth in a flail of arms and legs, an outraged, strangled cry from Vinny followed by a yell from his brother.
Hallie didn’t hesitate. The brother was moving, heading for Vinny and Girard. He didn’t see Hallie coming until she collided with his side, sending him off-balance, thudding to the ground. His gun went off. An accident. Hallie grabbed hold of his wrist with one hand, pushing against his elbow with the other, over-extending his arm. He dropped the gun, yelling again, fury and surprise on his face as he stared at her.
