by A. J. Macey
“The Renegades,” Declan stated. “I already named you crazy people when you took me, and I want in.”
“What do you mean, you want in?” Kane ground out, his arm tightening around my waist possessively.
“I want in on the fun. To go out at night and to do these heists. I want on the squad. You’re welcome, Sparky, that was just for you,” he teased, seemingly unconcerned he had just nearly given everyone an aneurysm thinking he was going to betray us.
“You seriously named us? Who the hell does that? I wanted to do that!” Acer argued, but Kane cut him off.
“So, you aren’t here to turn us in?”
“Psh, of course not.” Declan looked offended Kane would even suggest it. “I don’t like these assholes any more than you do. So, am I in or not?”
Kane glanced down at me, his gaze closed off and hard as he waited for my decision.
“For now,” I murmured, “but if you so much as breathe about fucking us over, I will electrocute you to an extra crispy pair of wings. Got it?”
“Deal. Now, what’s the plan?” Kane ran through the main points of the plan and what he needed from Wings. “Watch for ten minutes. If you haven’t said you’re coming out, then follow. I can do that.”
With that, Kane and I mingled some more, my face aching from all the smiling until Declan came up and murmured in Kane’s ear. Kane nodded and excused himself to the beverage table a short distance away, leaving him and me alone but still within visual distance.
“So, aren’t you going to ask?” he inquired, looking down at me with a brow raise.
“About what?”
“Me. You all were so enthusiastic about wanting to know all about me, so, aren’t you going to ask?” he prodded. He was trying to distract me from my spiral of worries and as irritating as he could be, I appreciated it.
“Fine then, Ezekial,” I hummed. “What is your story?”
“Okay, as much as I love hearing you say my name, call me Declan. It’s my middle name, and I never go by Ezekial. I was born and raised just outside of Vega City up in the mountains, and I inherited Hadid Investments from my father when he passed away six years ago.” We started walking toward the exit, our eyes scanning the surrounding space in case someone who wasn’t Kane appeared. “I never wanted it, and even now, I refuse to be out in public as the figurehead. It’s why none of you found out who I was.”
“So, why did you come tonight if you never had before?” I asked, my brows dipping down, but before he could answer, Kane came up behind me and cut him off.
“Time to go,” he murmured. Acting as natural as one can in stilettos and a flowy dress, we made our way out of the ballroom to the hall where we could access the internal halls. Acer had already fucked with the cameras, and the council was stupid enough to keep the hallway unguarded. Kane picked the lock in under a minute while I stood guard.
“Down the hall, up one floor, the second door on the right,” Acer rattled off quickly, Kane and I moving as fast as I could with my heels while still looking normal in case we came across someone. “Should be in either this room or the room one floor up.”
“See you down in the main hall in ten, Blue,” Kane commanded, giving me a quick kiss on the head, “Stay safe.”
“Why does everyone say that?” I huffed with a tiny smile, my heart full despite the insinuation that I wouldn’t. Kane smirked at me before I ran up the stairs to the next level.
“Door open in 3, 2, 1…” Acer counted down, and as soon as I heard the click, I slipped in, my eyes scanning the rows of file cabinets.
“Expansion project, file number E-P02172009,” I murmured to myself on repeat, scanning the folders and files until I finally found what I was looking for. Yanking it from the slot, I read quickly. “Oh God.”
My vision went dark for a split second. The list of names… Phenom who were marked deceased… those who were marked as high interest or desirable. My stomach turned as I flipped to the next page.
Recruitment.
“They’re recruiting Phenoms,” I mumbled. “The Council is trying to build an army based on these numbers and according to this… it’s something to do with that therapy device. Something called Project Regen. Guys, the list… the list of people checked off as deceased is exorbitant. Rett and Carlia are only two of many in whatever fucking game they’re trying to play with the city.”
No one spoke, all trying to process exactly what I had found. Glancing at the clock as they processed, I realized Kane would be coming down in less than two minutes, so I scanned the papers quickly before stuffing them back in the metal cabinet. Swallowing the lump of emotion that had built in my throat, I exited the room and stood in the hall. I had only been in the corridor for a moment before the sound of footsteps filled the space. With no time to hide, my gaze fell on the one person I hated most in the world.
Devon Carter.
The man who’d murdered my brother.
Finally, my mind hissed, my lightning immediately flaring in my arms and chest, but I wouldn’t loose my power. Not yet, anyway. I could hear Acer and the others chatting in my ear, so I discreetly pretended to fiddle with my hair until I loosened the ear bud, clutching it in my palm.
“Who the hell are you, and why the fuck are you up here?” Devon barked, his gravelly voice dredging up the memories of the alley. Get your shit together, Evera, or you’ll get lost in all of this, and the cost might be your life.
“Don’t recognize me?” I taunted. Rage, loss, and thoughts of revenge swirled in my chest, all demanding my full attention—no longer the heist or finding out the dirty little secret of the Legion Council. It was me finally being able to look the man, who’d shot my brother in cold blood, in the eye before I returned the favor.
“No, why the hell should I? You’re not allowed to be up here.”
“I mean, it has been quite some time since we last saw each other, and I would understand how you could have forgotten. Maybe this will jar your memory.” Flinging my hand forward, I let loose an arc, one I knew wouldn’t kill him but would definitely put him on his ass. “Remember me now, Devon? Or do you need another reminder? I would be happy to repay everything you’ve done to me.” I prowled, my eyes focused solely on the pitiful man convulsing on the ground.
“You,” he hissed. A sense of sick pride curled my lip. Good. The fucker should know who he’s spending his final moments with.
“Yes, Devon. The sister of the man you murdered in the alley ten years ago. Granted, it took a lot longer to find you than I had hoped, but now that you’re here, I would say it was just the perfect amount of time.” When he tried to move, I zapped him again, a cruel smile curling my lip at his pained scream.
“I didn’t do it for fun,” he breathed out in a whimper. The sound was like music, one I would never tire of hearing, but that would mean he was still alive, so I shoved that thought away. “I was ordered to take out Carlia Hampton. You two brats just showed up.”
“Well, that’s just not good enough, Devon. I don’t fucking care why you did it, only that you did,” I ground out, my arcs finally crawling over my skin in my rage. He shoved off the floor, just out of range of the spark I aimed at him. Sprinting, he tried to run, but with a single whip of my arm, the bolt hit him in the back, and he fell to the floor.
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” he said, struggling to talk through the blood gushing out of his mouth. Must have chomped on his tongue this last go around, I surmised disinterestedly. Good.
“Who says I care?” I shrugged. At this point, I was solely focused on finally achieving my dream of revenge. Anything he said beforehand was just icing on the cake. The lethal bolt built, the stinging running along my arm as the electricity pooled in my palm.
“That’s enough of that,” someone said, the new voice startling me out of the fury-filled haze I had been lost in. The cold metal of a gun pressed into the side of my head, and I knew I would die, even if I let the arc go. I couldn’t turn to look at who it wa
s. The man was standing just outside of my vision, and when I tried to look, the barrel pressed even harder into my temple.
The sound of a muffled, strangled scream ripped from Devon, pulling my attention back to him. I watched in horror as he foamed at the mouth, blood leaking from his eyes as he seized. It only took a moment, but the sound of his screaming echoed in my ears, the terrifying scene feeling like it spanned forever. As soon as it was over, I knew.
Devon Carter is dead.
“Yes, Miss Quinn, I think you’ll do very nicely,” a nasal voice added, completely opposite of the bored monotone of the man holding a gun to my head. Glancing to the left, Councilman Fredrick Rosen stood, looking at me with a calculated gaze. That was when reality slammed back on me. What have I done? Risking being killed, I jumped back, my arcs ready, but much to my surprise, the councilman and his Legionary stood still and allowed me to back away.
“EVERA!” My name echoed through the earbud as I stuffed it in my ear, fleeing down the stairs and directly into Kane’s barreled chest in the hall.
“Fucking Christ, Evera,” he started, but I shoved him toward the front of the building. Barely keeping my head on my shoulders as Kane and Declan followed me, they forced out questions in between panting breaths. In the throes of the panic that seized my heart and the pace that robbed my breath from my lungs, I couldn’t form any answers. As soon as we got in our car, making our way back to The Syndicate as fast as we were able, only one thought remained.
We are so fucked.
Epilogue
October 26th
Saturday Early Morning
Councilman Rosen
“So, it was truly her?” Sarah asked, her eyes sharpening with anticipation. I nodded, taking a sip of my liquor before placing it back on the coaster on the table.
“Think the plan will work?” Nathaniel questioned, looking around the group of people, greedy looks in their eyes, all still dressed in evening wear and gowns from the party. Smirking, I opened the folder I had laid out in front of me. The photograph of Arc Angel standing in the middle of a masculine office greeted me as I slid it into the middle of the table.
“Evera Quinn and Kane Renick will soon be ours,” I stated simply.
Very soon, and then? The next stage of the plan will be complete.
Cloaked by Conspiracy
Book 2 of the Vega City Vigilantes Series
Coming Spring 2020
Special Thanks
Huge thank you to Awilda Melendez for participating in on of my takeovers on social media! Keep an eye out for the Phenom powers you picked in book 2- Cloaked by Conspiracy!
Acknowledgments
My husband Jake and my best friend Jare who supported me and cheered me on even when I doubted myself!
My PA Katie for keeping me sane when things got overwhelming!
My alphabets: Jessica, Cassie, & Michelle—you guys are awesome!
Ash for dealing with my crazy and reading all of my stuff!
Finally, for all of my readers, this wouldn’t be possible without you.
Also by A.J. Macey
Best Wishes Series:
Book 1: Smoke and Wishes
Book 2: Smoke and Survival
Book 3: Smoke and Mistletoe
Supplemental Point-of-View Stories: Between the Wishes
High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds
Book 1: Lads & Lattes
Book 2: Misters & Mochas
Supplemental Point-of-View Stories: Behind the Grind (Coming November 2019)
The Aces Series:
Book 1: Rival
Book 2: Adversary
Supplemental Point-of-View Stories: Making the Cut
Vega City Vigilantes:
Book 1: Masked by Vengeance
Not Your Basic Witch co-write series with Jarica James:
Book 1: Witch, Please
Book 2: Resting Witch Face (Coming January 2020)
About the Author
A.J. Macey has a B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and previous coursework in Forensic Science, Behavioral Psychology, and Cybersecurity. Before becoming an author, A.J. worked as a Correctional Officer in a jail where she met her husband. She has a daughter and two cats named Thor and Loki, an addiction to coffee and swearing. Sucks at adulting and talking to people, so she’ll frequently be lost in a book or running away with her imagination.
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