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“It seems like your loyalties are a bit flakey… Want to try again?” I grip her hair so hard that her skin goes taut.
“W-we can help each other!” She squeaks.
“Where is she!” I slam her forward against her desk.
“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Yelena sniffles, tears spilling from her lids and trailing down her cheeks.
“Then what use are you to me?” Keeping my grip on her hair, I grab my knife from its sheath and glide it across her neck. I hold for a beat, then press the tip into her skin a fraction.
“I-I have other information!” She sputters. “Just p-please don’t k-kill me… Help me. Your father wants to replace me with the mute girl. Help me… And I can help you.”
“Now that doesn’t play well in your favor. I like that girl; having her in this office is a hell of a lot more useful to me than having you here.” I press the tip a fraction deeper.
“P-Prudence! She’s your sister!” She’s grasping at straws.
“I already knew that. Give me more.”
“W-what do you want to know?” Removing the knife, I grab my list from my pocket and shove it on the desk in front of her. Then I place the knife back on her neck.
“What is that? Tell me what that is!”
“M-m-my name…”
“That’s right. Your name has been on my list for a while. Your name is on my list for compliance and facilitation of human trafficking.” I tap the blade against her neck. “You see how all these other pretty little names are crossed off? Give me information worth erasing your name instead of crossing it off!”
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
All she has is silence and a quivering lip.
“We don’t have time for this.” Dahlia turns away and plugs her ears at my words, ready for what comes next.
“Ah!” She quivers as I grip and drag my knife deep across her neck, then let her fall into her chair.
“Let’s go.” I walk around the desk, grab a handkerchief from my pocket, and wipe down my knife.
“Where to next?”
“Lord fucking Evander Lazeroff himself.”
“You think he’s going to give you his son’s location?” She pushes off the door.
“Possibly… In exchange for Vivienne.” Her eyes widen a fraction, then she nods. Like Dean, Dahlia is a ride-or-die type of friend. Even when kidnapping is now on the game plan. I open the door and come face to face with Mila. “Congratulations, you’ve been promoted.” I slide my knife back in its sheath. She narrows her eyes, then glances over my shoulder at the scene we’re leaving behind. She takes a breath and brings her attention back to me. “I’ve got some side work for you; follow us.”
We grab a couple of bags of supplies from my apartment, then I guide them through the passageways and out near the infirmary.
“Hey—uh—Lord Powers?”
“It’s Cain,” I say, turning on my heel. I take a breath and try to soften my expression when I see the kid. Violet’s co-worker who helped take care of me after my amputation.
“Sorry… Uh, I’m Riah. I work for Violet.”
“Yeah, I remember you. She likes you. What’s up?”
“I just saw Violet… I’m sorry for this.” My chest tightens as he holds out a little box.
