“Got it.” He pulls his hand out holding a small, locked box, and opens it with his keys. He holds up the hard drive.
“I’m not a complete idiot,” he says smugly. “The one in the toilet was a decoy, and it looks like they fell for it.”
“Well, not completely,” a voice says behind us.
We both freeze at the sound of a gun cocking.
Fuck.
I stand in front of Owen as I spin round. My eyes end somewhere in my hairline as they fall on the face of someone I very much recognise—except they have a gun pointed directly at us.
“Anya?” I ask confused.
“You know her?” Owen asks from behind me, but I hold my hand up to silence him.
“Hi, Kara.” She smiles smugly. Dressed all in black, her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail.
“What the fuck?” I hold my hands out and step towards her.
“Uh huh, stay where you are, little one,” she spits, the words sour in her mouth. “I suppose you haven’t checked your phone recently. Here.” She takes the gun in one hand, still pointed at my forehead, and reaches into her back pocket. She pulls out her phone and throws it, it tumbles through the air in slow motion. I catch it easily.
“Came in this morning. I’m surprised he hasn’t called you to check on his favouritelittle one.”
“What’s going on?” Owen asks from behind me.
But I ignore him instead, staring at the screen, not quite believing what I’m seeing.
Target Lucy Cook, wanted dead, reward £1,000,000.00. Additional target Owen Cooper, wanted dead or alive, reward £500,000.
“Who put a fucking target on me?” I ask, furious. “Andyou. I thought we were friends.”
“Come on, Snow, it’s a million quid. I mean, Jesus, it’s more for your head than it is for your boyfriend here!”
“Well, this complicates things,” I say, reading the message again.
Anya continues to block the only exit, her gun raised.
“I’m going to need that hard drive,” Anya states.
“Do you even know what’s on it?” I ask, wanting to see the contents for myself more and more.
Owen says it’s enough to take down the serving members of cabinets. And colour me curious. I really want to knowwhatwill bring the country to its knees.
“That’s not going to happen.” Owen steps next to me, and I glance up at him.
“Get behind me, please,” I mutter.
“How about no!”
Anya is watching our little exchange with a smirk on her face.
“I’ve got to say, Snow, he’s hot. Have you made up after your shared childhood trauma?”
“Fuck you,” Owen spits, his body tensing. He steps forward and I grab his arm, holding him in place.
Anya may be small, but she’s just as capable as me—and she’s got the upper hand with the gun currently pointed at Owen’s chest.
“I thought the price was for my head, not for whatever is on that thing.”
