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Alex pushed back that showing anything related to Durden to the Garras was a good way to get killed. Kana insisted it was their only lead. Hal tried to broker a compromise. Their voices layered over each other, filling the garage.

Jun stood apart from the argument, connecting the pieces. Finding the Garras’s supplier might answer why Sunny disappeared—and what the drug was doing to her. But it could also lead somewhere darker. Somewhere closer to Ruki. To why Paragon buried the project. To why Ruki, in the end, buried himself.

The realization made Jun walk closer to Alex. “I’ll come with you.”

Alex jerked back with a scowl. “The fuck you ain’t,” he spat. He lowered his voice so the others couldn’t hear him. “Sit your ass down. I don’t want to deal with another mental breakdown from you.”

Jun held Alex’s glare. Their fight at the memorial flashed through his mind, but right now, there were bigger things at stake. Alex had to know that. It made Jun’s blood boil that he was pretending otherwise.

He took another step forward and took a deep breath. “I’m involved whether you like it or not.”

Alex rolled his eyes.

“You and I want the same answers, and if you’re still unsure about it, then at least I can go—”

“Just shut the fuck up,” sneered Alex. He squeezed his eyes shut, exhaled hard, and dropped his hands to his hips. “I’ll go. Alone.”

“You sure, Augs?” Hal stepped in.

“Besides you, Hal, the best person to approach them is me.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Where’s Auggie going?” Matt spoke up for the first time, looking up from his phone.

Hal rolled his eyes. “If ya put your phone away, you would have paid attention.”

Matt shoved the phone in his back pocket.

“Augs is going back to the Nest to get some info about that flat device thingy.”

“And then?” Matt pressed.

“We wait for Augs’s report,” replied Hal.

“And if there’s nothing to report?” Jun asked.

Alex shot him a deadly glare.

“I have a suggestion.” Ken groaned, shifted in the creaking plastic chair. “Maybe untie me first, then we can come up with a backup plan.”

10

Talons

Smoggy clouds smothered what little light reached the industrial rooftops. This area used to flourish as an office space until it slowly became abandoned.

After the offices emptied out, the Garras claimed the district as their turf. The largest building in the middle of the row of establishments was the designated “Nest” on Fridays. Alex announced his departure the last time he was here and swore never to return.

Tonight didn’t count, even though it felt like coming home. He was here for business. Walk in, ask questions, walk out.

He parked the Challenger across the street. The steering wheel trembled from the bass coming from the Nest. Neon purple and green bled through the building’s glass walls.

Alex rolled his eyes. If they were going to have a secret hideout, they shouldn’t use a building with so many windows.

Sucking in his ego, he stormed out of the car and strode to the boxed building. He barely made it three steps before the front door swung open. A young guy filled the frame—black shirt two sizes too small, muscles doing all the talking. Where was Juan?

The bouncer’s frown shifted, one eyebrow climbing.