“He’s good at fighting one or two hunters, but more than that?Besides, how can I trust anything you say about fighting when you lost your fight against the asphalt?”
Cullen’s cheeks turned red.“Not fair.I thought we agreed not to bring that up.”
“Youdecided we wouldn’t.I never agreed to it.”
Jasper relaxed.Archie would be behind him, one hundred percent, no matter what happened and what he decided to do.He might bitch about it the entire time, but he wouldn’t let Jasper down.That was the main reason Jasper knew he could do this.The other reason was that, looking around the room, he knew that everyone there with him would do everything in their power to ensure he got out of this mess in one piece.
He clapped his hands.“I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready for this mess to be over.Let’s go.”
* * * *
ARCHIE WASN’T SUREhow he’d ended up with Martinez during this operation, but it probably wasn’t a good idea.He was already on edge.Having to stand around with a hunter wasn’t helping.
At least he wasn’t alone with Martinez.Braith was with them, his expression serious, and Jasper knew that if something happened, his best friend would step in.Not that he thought that Martinez would do anything to him.He was here because he wanted to know what was going on within the hunters’ organization.He wouldn’t put that in jeopardy by picking a fight with Archie.Archie wouldn’t do it because he needed to focus on Jasper and keep him safe.They might be hunter and monster, but for now, they were working together.
“Are you planning on taking Johnson’s place?”Archie asked as he stared ahead at Jasper, who was working on a car just outside the garage where he worked.Since his boss was an ex-hunter and was aware that something was going on, they’d been able to convince him to help them.He hadn’t liked it because it was putting Jasper in danger, which had made Archie feel vindicated, but he’d agreed to help, and here they were.Jasper was making sure everyone in the area knew that he was here on his own, working, and hopefully, someone would take the bait.
“Why are you asking me that?”Martinez asked, still staring at Jasper, too.
“I just feel like you’re too involved in this.Why does a hunter care about what happens to a bunch of monsters?”
“Did you miss the memo that explained that those monsters are kids?”
Archie wasn’t allowed to hurt Martinez, and he had to remember that.“I was there.I was the one hired to find Finn.I know exactly what he is.I’ve been taking care of my people for years, something that can’t be said for hunters.”
Martinez grimaced.“I’m not saying that I was always on the right side of things.Hell, I definitely wasn’t, especially at the beginning of my career as a hunter.I went into it wanting to help people, though.I still do, and I don’t care if they’re monsters or humans.If they need help, I want to provide that.”
“And you could do that more easily if you were in Johnson’s place.”
“I can’t deny that.I also can’t deny that the thought of having more power is appealing.Do you know how many things I could make happen if I was in Johnson’s place and had his power over the hunters?How many people I could help?”
“How rich you could become,” Archie murmured.
“I know you don’t believe me when I say I’m not interested in the money, but that’s okay.I don’t need you to believe me.I’ll show you.”
“Well, someone needs to take Johnson’s place, right?We can’t leave the hunters without leaders.”
“We can’t,” Martinez agreed.“It doesn’t mean it has to be me.”
It didn’t, but Archie couldn’t deny that Martinez didn’t seem like a bad idea.At the very least, Archie knew him and thought he knew what to expect of him.He could be wrong—he probably was—but only the future would tell.He supposed that if Martinez ended up not being the right person, they could find someone else.Hell, maybe they’d even be able to convince Kerry.From what Archie knew, she shared a past with the guy, and she’d be a good leader, definitely better than Johnson, although that didn’t look like it would be hard.
“Do you two really have to bicker right now?”Braith grumbled.
Archie narrowed his eyes at his best friend.“It’s either that or have me going crazy watching Jasper.Which one would you prefer?”
Braith sighed.“Fine.Be my guest and continue,” he said, waving between Archie and Martinez.
The two of them exchanged a glance, and to his own surprise, Archie found himself grinning when the hunter smiled at him.He quickly turned his attention back to Jasper, but maybe Martinez wasn’t a bad guy, after all.
Jasper had said more than once that he was sure that most hunters just wanted to help people.The way the organization had been led over the past few decades made it impossible for them to, though, and it was time to change that.Archie didn’t think that once they did, everything would be perfect within the organization, but it would give those hunters a chance to fight for what they thought was right.It would give Martinez and the others the opportunity to show everyone what the hunters were supposed to be.
* * * *
THE EVENING AIR WAScool against Jasper’s skin as he worked on the oil change outside the garage.It was way past closing time, and the street was quiet except for the occasional car passing by.Everything was normal.Peaceful.
It was a lie.
Jasper knew Archie was watching from across the street.Kerry and Corey were in the alley to Jasper’s left, and Cullen and Martinez’s hunters weren’t far, either.They were all waiting for the hunters to make their move.
