Xavier snorts under his breath, earning him a dark scowl from Gray.
“We’re talking about a huge position of power, Jas. A chance to be on the top, and not just in the Point. On the entire Continent. Once the Company is out of power, we’ll need to build a new world. Don’t you want to be part of that?”
“You say this as if a win is guaranteed. I prefer to wait it out and see where the chips fall.”
“Aren’t you tired of being a self-serving asshole?”
“Is this a negotiation tactic? Insult the other party?” Chuckling, Jasper reaches into a tin box and pulls out a cigarette that he shoves in the corner of his mouth. It dangles there while he rummages for a lighter. “Tell me, how do you plan to bring about this new world of yours, Gray? How are you ‘taking down’ the Company?”
“By uniting everybody we can. The network spans every ward and every level of the Company, but we don’t have enough people. Weneed allies. We need the Faithful. There are tens of thousands of them living in the shadows. You can plead our case to them, if you’re so inclined.”
Jasper takes a long, slow drag of his cigarette, watching us.
“You know,” he says, “when I was a child, my parents used to read me fairy tales. Or at least my mom did. My dad didn’t believe in that nonsense.” He blows a cloud of tobacco smoke in our direction. “Guess who I take after.”
Gray lets out an irritated breath, eliciting a rumble of laughter from Jasper.
“Look, I’m not jeopardizing my entire empire for a bunch of Mods with delusions of grandeur. And I don’t believe for a second that I have a place in this new regime. Adrienne is a stone-cold bitch. She might suck my dick every time I’m on her base, but I’m under no illusions that she wouldn’t cut it off in a heartbeat.”
I hide a smile, while Xavier snickers.
“She’s agreed to full immunity for you,” Gray assures him. “You won’t face retribution for anything you’ve done in the Point or will do under the new leadership. Picture it, Jas…Protection, a seat at the table. You won’t have to skulk around in the shadows like a criminal anymore.”
“What if I like being a criminal?”
“Then you get to control the black market the moment the Company falls,” I interject. When Gray turns to me with a frown, I offer a half shrug. “What? I’m not under any illusions, either. No matter who takes over, the black market will always exist. Weapons, supplies. People always want their contraband.” I meet Jasper’s amused gaze. “So you just keep doing whatever you want, and we look the other way.”
“I knew I liked you,” he says, beaming at me.
“So you’ll help us rally the Faithful?” I ask.
He laughs. “No.”
Gray sighs.
Jasper’s boots scrape the floor as he gets up and strides toward us. “You still haven’t given me a convincing argument. Why would I join your little revolution when I can just wait it out?”
“Wait what out?” Gray counters. “This war is happeningregardless. Soon even you won’t be able to hide. At least with us, you have a future.”
“I decide my own future,” he says, shrugging again. “Is that all?”
Before anyone can answer, Evlynne’s voice echoes through our earpieces.
“Gray, you need to get out now. We’ve got a Command convoy heading your way.”
Xavier and I stand at attention, while Gray addresses the other snipers. “Mako, Orin, do you have them in your sights?”
The two men quickly report. “No, sir.”
“They’re five minutes out,” Evlynne says. “Nichole, my contact in Command Intelligence, just linked with me. She said it’s two trucks. Gold Block.”
Our team leader hesitates.
“Gray,” she presses, tone firm, “the intel is good. Get out of there.”
I see him make the decision in a split second. He looks at the rest of us. “We need to move. Gold Block is bearing down on the warehouse.”
“What the fuck?” Jasper growls, eyes blazing. “Who disclosed this location?”
