13. Jackson

Chapter thirteen

Jackson

Thorne’s nearby.

Even if instinct didn’t warn me that I’m being watched, the smell of something rotten on the breeze gives him away. The scent of death that follows him adds weight to my theory that we had killed him before and he was brought back to life. It’s a concerning idea that I’ve been mulling over.

How did someone find him after we’d buried him?

Who found him and are they a part of GE, or someone new?

Are there any limitations or changes to Thorne after being brought back, or is he the same as he was?

All are questions I don’t yet have the answers to.

I flip the phone open once again to check the time. Almost two in the morning. I’d stolen this old phone from a goon who picks up kidnapped kids and transports them to GE. The call I received earlier today had given me this address for the next delivery, so here I am.

Sitting on the edge of a six-story building rooftop and watching the butcher shop across the street .

The ripe odor intensifies. I pull the gaiter up to cover my mouth and nose, but it can only block so much. “Thorne,” I say calmly, to acknowledge his presence. He’s somewhere on the same rooftop as me by the strength of his scent.

There’s a deep chuckle and then, “You got me.” He moves closer.

I don’t bother looking his way or shifting my position. I keep my gaze locked on the butcher shop and the curb before it while leaving it to my other senses to keep track of Thorne behind me.

Everything with him is about power. Even something as simple as keeping my back to him will be regarded by him as a power move.

Thorne steps up onto the short wall that perimeters the rooftop next to where I’m sitting. “You’ve been busy.” There’s a pause where he’s likely waiting for me to say something back before he impatiently presses on, “And you’ve proven your point. But I can help lighten the load.”

“I’m not going to work for you.”

“ With me,” he corrects. “It would be a partnership.”

“We already tried that, and you hid Raegan from me.”

“I wasn’t hiding her from you. I needed your focus on weeding out a spy in the Guild first before you went dashing off into the sunset. I clearly misjudged her importance to you then, and that’s my mistake. I won’t make it again.” He moves his hand over his heart like that would mean anything to me. The man doesn’t have one.

I also know he dropped a new piece of information to reel me in. This is the first time I’ve heard of a spy. “What spy?”

A smile curves his lips. “Oh, just someone in the Guild who secretly works for GE. I caught the ones I suspected to interrogate them and send them back to GE, but someone decided to play hero and free them.” He slants his gaze my way, but I still don’t turn to look at him.

A spy in the Guild?

Or a trick to get us to turn on each other trying to find an imaginary enemy?

“So, you see, you gave up on me too quickly. Or was your little family that eager to steal the Guild from me that you betrayed me for them?” He sneers.

“It wasn’t about them.”

“Yeah, yeah. It was about her. But I’m sure you see my concern with any partnership so long as the others are around. Your little group has tried to kill me twice now.”

My lips twitch into a small smile, though it’s hidden beneath my face covering. “I haven’t agreed to work with you, Thorne.”

He chuckles. “No, but you’re still listening, aren’t you?”

“I’m waiting for my next target. You came to me.”

“Well then, listen to my new offer while you wait. You clearly can do this on your own, but I need your help to take over GE. You help me take down the board and I’ll teach you the next level of using your gift, so you’ll never need weapons again. All those knives weigh you down. And of course my previous offer to help you protect your girl is included. Gordon’s been relentless in searching for her, but I’ve been throwing misdirects in his way. If you want that to continue, you’ll accept my offer.”

This time, it’s my turn to laugh. “Is that a threat?”

Thorne shrugs and smiles. “Only if you want it to be. I need some insurance that you and your so-called brothers aren’t hatching a plan to kill me again. The only reason I haven’t killed them yet is because I haven’t seen you around them lately, and I’m curious. Trouble at home?”

Unfortunately, his intentions are exactly what I suspected they would be. The others won’t be safe until Thorne’s handled. “I don’t have anything to do with the others anymore, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh? Did you get kicked out? So, you’d be fine if I killed them all?”

“Not while they’re watching Raegan. And Dane’s more useful to you alive than dead.”

He crosses his arms over his chest as he considers that. “You have a point. He’d be a good bargaining chip.” A dark van pulls up in front of the butcher shop and three men get out. They unload large black bags into the store. “The other two can live until they’re no longer needed to babysit, then. Fair?”

I shrug with indifference. “Sure.” I pull one foot up against the building and push off into the air. My gift controls my fall until I land at the glass doors to the shop. I crack the door open enough to buffer the air and sound around the bell above the door, then slip inside.

The storefront is dark and empty, but there’s heated voices and crying coming from the back. Knives in hand, I creep to the next doorway. The room is vacant, but the freezer door is open.

“You text him?”

“I’m doing it now. Let’s grab the cash and go. ”

The phone in my pocket vibrates softly as the three men exit the freezer and close it.

One. Two. Three blades sink into their throats at once and they drop to the floor. This one was quick and easy. I’m sure it won’t be so simple after GE catches on to their transfer locations being attacked.

Stalking over to the bodies, I slash each blade through the rest of their throats. There will be no miraculous survivors. I grab a nearby towel and wipe the blood from my knives before stowing them away.

The thick scent of copper spreads through the room with the mess on the floor worsening by the second, but I can still smell Thorne when he arrives.

He takes one look at the three men on the ground and scoffs. Thorne kicks one of them. “Pathetic. At least hire people who aren’t completely useless.”

I ignore his childish behavior and scan the room. Ah. That’ll do.

“What’s your end goal with this?” He waves at the bodies.

Grabbing the black tarp in the corner, I shake and snap it until it’s fully spread. “Remove any enemies in the city and get GE’s attention.”

“And then what?”

“Hopefully, earn an audience that’ll get me closer to the ones in charge.”

“I can help you with that now. There’s no need to go around murdering half the city.”

If GE makes up half the city, then that’s exactly how many I’ll go after. The entire city could be GE goons and I’d still eliminate every last one to know Raegan is that much safer .

I place the tarp over the bodies. “If you’re here to help, leave a message with those three after I’m gone.”

Thorne frowns. Probably displeased that we’ll be separated so soon after our alliance. “And where will you be?”

I nod toward the freezer door and open it until I can see the two children inside. “Taking care of them.”

“A waste, if you ask me.” He bends down to lift the tarp, and I shoot a knife at it, pinning it to the linoleum floor. Thorne hisses and rubs his finger that I’d grazed.

“Not until we leave.”

The girl sobs when she sees me. It’s a good thing I’m wearing black to hide the blood, but seeing any stranger dressed as I am isn’t comforting either. The boy sniffles and shifts himself protectively in front of her.

They’re both shivering from the cold, even though I’d been quick. I can feel the chill on my exposed fingertips, but I’ve always been more resilient to cold than heat.

I hold up my lock picking tools so they can see what I have before I squat in front of the boy first. There are dried tracks of tears on his cheeks, but he’s putting on a brave face for the girl.

“What was that noise out there? Who are you? What do you want with us?” His teeth chatter as he talks.

“You’re safe. I’m getting you out of here.” I slide the lock picks into his cuff and start working it. It clicks open in under a minute. The girl’s still crying when I look at her cuffs next.

“Let him take the cuffs off, Annie,” the boy tells her reassuringly.

“He’s scary! ”

I tug my gaiter down and reach into my hoodie pocket for the treat I’d brought just in case. Pulling the chocolate bar free, I hold it out between us and smile. “For one of these?”

“I’m not supposed to take candy from strangers.”

Mm. I can’t argue with that.

I peel the wrapper back and snap off a corner to toss in my mouth, then re-offer the bar to her.

My lips curve into a smile when she hesitantly reaches for it. She takes a small bite and the boy gently pulls her arms out. “I’m freezing and I wanna get out of here. Let him take them off.”

The cuffs are released in seconds and the girl immediately shovels the chocolate bar in her mouth. I pull my gaiter back over my nose and hold out my arms. “Climb on.”

Annie goes first, grabbing my neck and clinging like a sloth to one side, before the boy does the same on the other.

Thorne’s head snaps up when we leave the freezer, but I’m already using my gift to propel us into and then out of the room. I kick both storefront doors open and get us outside. The girl squeals once we’re airborne, her arms tightening around my neck.

I need to drop them off. Then there’s one more stop I need to make before I return to Thorne.