Just three officers throwing a party.
Not three men about to commit arson and murder.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
CJ:
All systems green. Accelerants armed. Standing by.
Me:
Copy. 90 minutes to showtime.
Another buzz.
Kade:
All three in position by 9 p.m.
“Dredyn!” Some sophomore I vaguely recognize stumbles over, already wasted. “Dude, this party is insane!”
“Only the best for OCK. Keep drinking, brother,” I say, forcing a grin.
He wanders off, and I check the time.
7:43 p.m.
Forty-seven minutes until DSN crashes the party.
Forty-seven minutes until we burn this place down.
I make my way through the crowd toward Talon. He sees me coming, giving me a subtle nod, acknowledging my presence. When I reach him, I lean in close, speaking directly into his ear to be heard over the music.
“CJ’s ready. Kade confirmed the meeting.”
“Good. How are you holding up?”
“Ask me in three hours.”
He scans the room. “Most of our brothers are here. The ones who know the plan are staying sober, ready to evacuate. The rest … They’re having the time of their lives.”
“Good. Let them. The last party in this house should be memorable.”
There’s a crash from the kitchen—someone knocked over a tower of Solo cups—and laughter erupts.
Jasper appears through the crowd, quickly signing,“Perimeter clear. No unexpected security. Campus PD drove by twice but didn’t stop.”
“They won’t. Not until the fire.”
“Speaking of—” Talon checks his phone. “Eight p.m. Thirty minutes.”
The next thirty minutes crawl by with excruciating slowness. I circulate through the party. A group of juniors challenges me to a drinking game and I accept, lose on purpose, then laugh it off.
All while watching the clock.
8:15
8:20
