Chasing Silver

by Jamie Craig

  “—And you get the distraction you need to get to Nate,” she finished. Renewed vigor wiped away her earlier anger, and she stepped forward, jabbing her finger into his chest. He wished she would stop doing that. “Think about it. Kirsten wants me dead, Cesar wants a piece of me, and the only person left with a hard-on for Nate is Tian. Taking me gives you better odds on getting him out without getting hurt because you’ve eliminated two of the three people watching him. Now who’s the one being dumb here?”

  Isaac pursed his lips together at her argument. He hated having logic he’d been overlooking thrown back in his face, though usually, it was Nathan doing the tossing. Because Remy had a point. A good one. When it came to bait to clear the waters around Nathan, she was the best Isaac could get.

  His silence prompted her to continue.

  “You know I’m not some novice who doesn’t know her way around a sticky situation. All I need is a blade to protect myself with. Or give me a gun. I’m a good sh—”

  “No. No gun. You’re a civilian, and if anything goes wrong, it’s going to be my ass for taking you in to a hostile situation in the first place.”

  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Isaac realized his mistake. He hadn’t denied giving her a weapon at all, just the liability of a firearm. They both knew that meant he was going to let her go.

  Swearing under his breath, he grabbed her arm again and hauled her back out of the room, ignoring her satisfied smile. He didn’t say a word until they were in the parking lot, at which point he released his bruising grip.

  “There is only one way this goes down.” His heels were hard on the concrete as he stormed over to his car. Remy had to do double-time at his side to keep up. “And this time, you’re going to do exactly as I say.”

  “As long as it’s not that stupid ‘mouth shut, eyes open’ plan you seem to love so much.”

  He glared at her over the roof of the car. “It was only stupid because you didn’t like it.”

  Isaac barely caught her smirk before her head ducked to get in. “If you say so.”

  With another muttered curse, he yanked open his door and slid behind the wheel. As much as he was beginning to understand Nathan’s attraction for the girl, and as much as he was even beginning to like her, it would take a while to get used to her brash attitude. She needed to learn there were ways things got done in LA, buttons you just didn’t push. There was a system, damn it, and he didn’t think it was asking too much to have her follow it.

  It wasn’t until he pulled out that Isaac realized his frustrated thoughts on Remy Capra almost mirrored those written on his last performance assessment.

  * * *

  Tian would have been happy to drag her all the way into Gabriel’s bedroom, but that wasn’t necessary. They found him in the hallway, standing outside Nathan’s room with a quizzical look on his face. When Gabriel saw the two of them, he beckoned them over with a distracted wave of his hand.

  “Why is it so quiet in there? Did Cesar kill him already?”

  Tian shook his head. “I told Cesar to take a break for now. Nathan wasn’t talking and I thought we didn’t want to kill him yet.” He pushed Kirsten forward. “Not that our plans seem to matter much around here.”

  “What is he talking about?” Gabriel asked Kirsten, his hand resting on the doorknob.

  She shot Tian a hateful scowl. For a moment, he thought he would have to put his gun to her head to get her to speak, but then she turned away, staring down Gabriel as if she owned the place.

  “I called one of my contacts to see if they’d had any luck finding the girl. Your friend Tian here seems to think having a contingency plan is a bad idea.”

  “She called Nathan’s partner,” Tian explained. “And that cocksucker is smart enough to do a trace. Or don’t they have phone traces where you come from?”

  “We weren’t on the phone long enough for him to do a trace.”

  “Is that what you’re going to say when he starts knocking on the goddamned door?” Tian wanted to shoot the bitch. Didn’t she understand they weren’t fucking around with the goddamned Keystone Kops? He knew damned well he had only lasted this long because he had a healthy respect for Pierce and his former partner. Tried never to give them an opening or invite trouble and now this stupid…

  “Is there a problem? I thought we weren’t going to try to contact McGuire until it was necessary?”

  Kirsten answered first. “Why don’t you ask Tian? He’s the one who can’t get Pierce to talk.”

  Tian shrugged nonchalantly, though his stomach began to knot. “Cesar’s been working on him. He won’t be easy, but everybody has a breaking point. Cesar will find it.”

  “You’re a fool,” Kirsten spat. “The only way Pierce will talk is if Cesar shoves his hand up his ass and does it for him. And if he’s dead, you can forget using him to manipulate McGuire. Because McGuire will be on you so fast, you won’t even have time to pull your dick out to take a piss. So let’s think about this again, okay? Is this about getting Pierce? Or is this about getting the Silver Maiden?”

  “Why would I give a damn about the Silver Maiden? Whatever the hell that is. You can shove it up—”

  Her fist came out of nowhere, slamming into his nose with more force than he would have expected from a girl. Something crunched, and then warm blood gushed over his lip. Before he had a chance to react, Gabriel stepped between them.

  Tian wiped the blood from his nose with an angry wave of his hand. The pain was terrible, but it didn’t touch the anger washing over him. Red dots clouded his vision. He could take her out. His piece weighed heavy at the small of his back. One motion, one shot, and then none of them would have to worry about some piece of shit coin.

  He reached behind him, his fingers brushing against the butt of the gun when a single shot shattered his eardrum. Tian ducked, cupping his ringing ear and looked around to see what Gabriel had been firing at.

  “I saw you reaching for your gun, Tian. It was a bad move.”

  From behind Gabriel, he saw the bitch smirk. “I told you he only had his own interests in mind.”

  Tian ignored her, his eyes drawn back to Cesar’s bent body. He clutched his stomach, staring at Tian as blood poured over his hands and onto the beige carpet, turning it a nasty shade of brown. Tian hurried over to Cesar’s side, unable to breathe, barely able to think.

  “It’s going to be…” Tian tried to say, but Cesar was opening and closing his mouth desperately. He fell to his knees, still gasping for air. “It’ll be okay.”

  Another shot echoed off the walls and Cesar collapsed to the ground, a single red dot above his right ear.

  “Don’t try that again, Tian. We have a job to do.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Nathan tensed, his heart seizing as the sudden, deafening gunshots echoed through the small house. Overhearing the conversation outside his room was one thing. Witnessing gunfire was something else entirely.

  Sweat rolled down his face and neck, each drop stinging as it mingled with the dried blood in the open cuts. He didn’t know who caught the bullets, but he was apprehensive. Those two rapid shots were going to change everything. One moment had shifted the game, and Nathan didn’t know where the players stood now. Or even, which players were left standing.

  But Isaac was coming. Tian had been right about one thing, and it would be a shame if he paid for his warning with his life. Nathan had no doubt Isaac would be there within the hour, which meant he only needed to keep himself alive for another sixty minutes. Manipulating Tian had bought him some time, but probably not enough.

  Nathan strained his ears, waiting for the unmistakable sound of Cesar’s approach. For long minutes, there was only silence, as though all four of them were bleeding in the hallway, shot down by an unknown assailant. He counted each second as it passed, certain each one would bring him closer to freedom—if he played his cards right. If he could keep Cesar, or Tian, or whoever had survived, at bay.

  After ten q
uiet minutes, a door slammed hard enough to shake the walls, and two unfamiliar voices shouted for Gabriel. There was a gruff exchange, but Nathan couldn’t make out the words. He imagined they were lackeys, called to clean up the dead body. After all, Gabriel wouldn’t want to deal with the mess himself.

  But who is it? There were two shots. Did Gabriel take out both Tian and Cesar? Or did Kirsten pull the trigger?

  Nathan did not have to wait long for that mystery to be solved. Tian came into the room, his young face pulled into a mask of fury and pain. Nathan had never seen him look so determined, and yet, so confused. It disoriented Nathan. Did the situation call for kid gloves, or something a bit stronger?

  “Hey, Tian, I thought you shuffled off this mortal coil.”

  Tian moved to the dresser where Cesar had left most of his supplies. He picked up an X-Acto knife and fingered the blade thoughtfully before replacing it. Nathan didn’t dare let his gaze slip from Tian’s face. He was waiting for the moment some sort of spark would return to Tian’s eyes.

  “It was Cesar, then?”

  Tian focused on a gallon of bleach, his fingers working the cap. He didn’t even seem aware Nathan was in the room.

  “Did Gabriel do it?” Nathan waited a beat before pressing. “You still have blood on your face.”

  Tian turned his back to him, his shoulders hunched. There were several dark maroon stains on his baggy white shirt, and a single drop of blood on his neck, almost the size of a dime. Nathan wouldn’t shed any tears for Cesar, but seeing the remnants of his life splattered on Tian’s back twisted something inside his gut.

  When Tian faced him again, something small and silver glinted in his hand. “It’s the key to your cuffs.” He held it up for Nathan to examine. “I lifted it from Gabriel.”

  “Why?”

  “In case he thinks you get to go. In case he thinks you were just a bargaining chip.”

  “Didn’t that little scene teach you anything? You cross him, and he’s going to kill you. You look at him sideways, and he’s going to kill you. The only thing keeping your ass alive is that, for the moment, you’re useful to him.”

  “Might as well take you down with me,” Tian said, his lips stretching over his teeth in a grotesque smile. “They won’t get their precious coin, but I’ll get the satisfaction of seeing you bleed.”

  “That’s worth dying for? I’m flattered. If our roles were reversed, I wouldn’t die for you.”

  “You would,” Tian countered. “You almost have, more than once.”

  “No. I told you. You were just a job. Just another punk kid, waiting for the law to catch up.”

  Tian moved to the side of the bed, pulling a small gun from his pocket. It didn’t look like much, but it would still get the job done. Nathan had lost track of time. He knew Isaac was coming. Knew it. But would he be there in seconds? Minutes? Hours after it was too late? Gabriel had made a tactical error. Tian had been under his thumb as long as Tian had something to gain. Now there was nothing holding him back.

  “I kill you, and maybe that bitch will never get the Silver Maiden.”

  “So, then, you’re going to get yourself murdered out of spite?” Nathan shook his head. “How did somebody as dumb as you elude me for so long?”

  The room darkened for a moment, as though a cloud was passing over the sun. Tian’s hand was steady. Nathan heard the telephone, its harsh ring drilling through the walls.

  “Must be smarter than you think, seeing as how I’m not the one chained to a bed.”

  “Well,” Nathan said, “you were right about one thing. Kirsten contacting Isaac was a very bad idea.”

  Tian’s features twisted into a snarl, but before he let loose the natural retort, Isaac slammed the butt of his gun into his temple. Tian crumpled, unconscious, to the ground. Behind Isaac, the sheer curtains billowed in the ocean breeze coming through the open patio doors, the same doors Nathan had seen his best friend slip through unnoticed just seconds before.

  Isaac stepped over Tian’s body, his critical gaze sweeping over Nathan. “Anything broken? Or do you need me to carry you out of here like a big baby?”

  Nathan managed a small smile despite his bruised lips. “He was still at the cutting and chemical stage. Nothing broken.”

  “Good.” Crouching, he rolled Tian onto his back and did a quick search of his pockets, pulling out the key he’d brandished in front of Nathan. Isaac unlocked the cuffs, then crossed to the closed door and pressed his ear to the wood. “How many are out there?” he asked in a barely audible whisper.

  Nathan sat up, rolling his shoulders and neck. Dull pain radiated from every muscle, but he was still mobile. “Four, at least. Cesar is dead.” He pushed to his feet, surprised by the way the room wouldn’t stop spinning. Swallowing hard, he gripped the head of the bed.

  Isaac was back at his side in a shot, guiding a strong arm around him. “Are you able to walk? The car’s parked out of sight down the road. If we can avoid a shoot-out, all the better.”

  “We might have a bit of time. They don’t seem concerned with me.” He straightened again, privately thankful Isaac still had his arm around his back. “They want Remy’s head, though. Where is she? She’s not safe in Los Angeles. We need to get her to…what?”

  Isaac couldn’t meet his eyes as he led Nathan toward the patio doors. “We…kind of figured Remy was their focus.”

  “Yes, detective, that’s very astute of you. Where is she?” Nathan demanded as they stepped onto the patio.

  “By this point?” Isaac pretended to gauge the time by glancing up into the brilliant midday sun. “I’d say in the front yard.”

  “It’s not nice to lie to torture victims, Isaac.” Nathan paused, giving him the chance to laugh it off, but Isaac’s face remained serious. “Fuck. Did you bring my gun? If there is a shoot-out, I don’t want to be unarmed. Also, what the fuck were you thinking?”

  “I was thinking I needed to get you out of here, that’s what.” He tried to move them along, but Nathan dragged his weight, drawing a frustrated sigh from Isaac. “Look, I tried to keep her away, but in case you haven’t noticed, that girlfriend of yours doesn’t take no for an answer. And when she came up with the idea to use her as bait—”

  “Bait.” Nathan noticed Isaac only carried one weapon. “Bait?” He spun on his heel, turning back to the house and moving as quickly as he could to Tian’s unconscious body. He pulled the gun from his lax fingers, and the spare clips from his pocket. “You’re using Remy as bait?”

  He shoved a fresh clip into the gun, stalking past Isaac again. He didn’t know where he was drawing the extra strength. Could have been the pure, unadulterated fear at the thought of Remy in Kirsten’s clutches. It could have been the blinding rage. It could have just been the adrenaline rush, but he was ready to find her with guns blazing.

  He would have, if Isaac hadn’t put a hand on his arm.

  “Go off half-cocked like this, and you will get her killed. She’s armed, she’s aware of the danger, and most importantly, she’s doing this for the exact same reason I am. To save your life.”

  “No. No, you don’t bring her into the viper’s nest to save my life, Isaac. As soon as you knew Gabriel was involved—”

  “Gabriel?” The sudden alarm in Isaac’s voice was accompanied by a tightening of his grip. “This is Gabriel’s house?”

  “You didn’t check before you rode in here with the cavalry?”

  “There wasn’t time!”

  Nathan lowered his voice and pulled Isaac closer. “Look, I don’t know how Kirsten knows Gabriel, or knew to go to Gabriel for help, but he’s her ally. Tian was just the muscle. Tensions were running a bit high today, and I think Gabriel was the one who took out Cesar.”

  “Damn it,” Isaac muttered. He rubbed at the back of his head, his mind clearly working. “We accounted for the three, but even if Cesar is dead, Remy’s not going to know who Gabriel is.” A sudden frightening thought made his eyes widen, shooting to Nathan’s. “Tha
t means she’s going to improvise, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, and we’ll have to improvise, too. I have no idea why Gabriel is involved or what he wants out of the situation, and that makes him very much a wildcard.” That troubled Nathan most of all. He knew Gabriel was a pragmatic man, prone to kill after cool calculation rather than out of passion. Which meant, he might not take out Remy if he had nothing to gain by shooting her. “What was your plan and how can we fix it?”

  * * *

  Remy waited until Isaac disappeared around the building before dialing the number he had given her. It was a simple plan. Divide and conquer. It couldn’t fail.

  Except if she fucked up. Which she wasn’t going to do. Nathan’s life hung in the balance.

  Her palm was sweaty where it gripped Isaac’s cell phone, her eyes steady on the blank windows of the front of the house. The line only rang once before a man answered. God, she hoped it was enough for Isaac to get the signal.

  “Kirsten Henryk, please.”

  He paused. “Can I tell her who’s calling?”

  Creeping closer to the house, Remy peeked into the broad window near the front door and spied Kirsten’s willowy form sitting on a white leather couch. A dark-skinned man stood a few feet away, gazing at Kirsten with a frown, but it wasn’t Tian or Cesar. She didn’t know who it was.

  “Tell her it’s an old friend.”

  The man put his hand over the receiver and spoke to Kirsten. The pair exchanged heated words before Remy watched him pass the phone over.

  “Hello, Remy.”

  She wasn’t surprised Kirsten had identified her. The bitch was the best for a reason and really, Remy hadn’t been subtle. “Long time, no see. Miss me?”

  Kirsten rose to her feet, forcing Remy to shrink away from the edge of the window in order not to be seen. “How did you get this number?”

  This is where the lies start rolling. “Stole it from Nate’s cop buddy before stealing his car. Apparently, technology isn’t quite as backward as we thought it was. He had a trace on you in seconds.”