Price of a Bounty (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!)

by S. L. Wallace

  Eberhardt pocketed his gloves and his gun. He pointed toward himself and then to the front door. Then he pointed at me and in the direction of the servants’ entrance. I nodded. Eberhardt must have entered as a guest. I watched as he confidently strode into the night. Then I took a smaller side corridor to the servants’ entrance and successfully bypassed the busy kitchen.

  During the drive home, I had time to mull over the events of the evening. Rick shouldn’t have sent in Eberhardt after I had specifically told him not to, but if he hadn’t, I had to admit that I probably would have been captured or worse.

  I silently studied Eberhardt.

  After a few minutes, he turned in irritation. “What?”

  “Thank you.”

  “It’s what I do.” He returned his attention to the road.

  “Thank you just the same.”

  He glanced at me again. “Backup is a good thing, you know.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “I guess.”

  “Where did you learn how?”

  “How to what?”

  “Let’s see.” I began to tick off items on my fingers. “How to infiltrate. How to take out a trained bodyguard without flinching. How to be backup.”

  “Oh, that.” His eyes clouded over. “The military.”

  “Really? I didn’t think people could leave.”

  “They can’t.”

  “Rick?”

  He looked at me. “Guy.”

  “When?”

  “Not too long ago. I guess it’s been about a year now.”

  “Did you fight in the last war?”

  “The one against Mediterra?”

  “Yes, the one that caused the Divide. Did you?”

  “Yes.”

  A thought occurred to me. “Weren’t you afraid you’d be recognized at Ramsey’s party? There were a lot of soldiers there.”

  “I didn’t mingle.”

  “Oh.” Clearly, this conversation was over.

  -Keira-

  Scott Was There

  When we arrived at Guy’s apartment, he turned off the teleview and stood up.

  “It’s not over yet,” I said as I set the bag of gats in the center of the dining table.

  “What happened?”

  “I got the money and Eberhardt took out the butler, but Ramsey is still alive.”

  Guy shot Eberhardt a concerned look.

  “Had to.” He shrugged. “She was cornered.”

  “I’ll have to go back in a few days to finish the job. I won’t be safe until she’s gone.”

  “I still don’t think you should.”

  “Obviously, or you would have told Eberhardt to wait in the car like we’d agreed.”

  Guy stared at me. “I never agreed to that. Let’s talk about your other options.”

  “Scott talked about other options too. What did you say to him?”

  “To help you.”

  “What does Scott have to do with this job?” Eberhardt asked.

  “He was there, at the party,” I said.

  “What did he say to you?” Guy asked.

  “He said, ‘Don’t do this,’ until I told him she’d hired me to kill you.”

  Eberhardt looked at Guy. “Why was he at Ramsey’s party? Did you send him in?”

  “No, I already told you. He’s military. He was invited to the party,” I explained. “He’s one of her soldiers.”

  Guy spoke so softly I almost missed what he said next. “Keira, Scott’s one of us.”

  I pulled out a chair and sat down, completely deflated. I shook my head. “No, he would have told me. And he’s military. Military is loyal to the Gov.”

  Guy knelt in front of me. “Keira, people are just people, no matter what their career or social standing may be. Many in the military swear loyalty to the Resistance, even above their loyalty to the Gov.”

  I looked at Guy accusingly. “You’re not just a member of the Resistance. Not if you have the authority to send people in.” I emphasized the last part.

  He nodded. “You’re right.”

  “But you didn’t send Scott in tonight. He was surprised to see me.”

  “You’ll find, Keira, that the first rule of the Resistance is secrecy. Secrecy is what keeps people safe. You’ll be given information on a need to know basis only.”

  “That’s why Scott never told me? Because you told him to keep it a secret?”

  “You really should ask Scott about that.”

  “Not all secrets are good, you know. Just think, if you had told Scott about your plans at the Ramsey estate, he wouldn’t have told me she was looking for someone to ‘take care of a problem for her.’”

  “He connected you two?”

  “Yes.”

  Guy stood and quickly turned away so I couldn’t see his expression, but I heard an intake of breath. Then he turned his attention to my black bag and dumped the gats onto the table. He formed three equal piles.

  One pile he pushed toward Eberhardt. Guy looked him in the eye and said, “For your family.”

  Eberhardt nodded.

  He pushed a second pile toward me. “Your payment for a job well done.”

  He then indicated the third pile. “For the Resistance.”

  I reached out and pushed most of my pile toward Guy. “I’ll just keep enough for living expenses. Use the rest to help someone.”

  “You’re certain?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “Yes. I may not agree with you all the time, but like I said before, I’m in. I meant that,” I assured him. “Guy?”

  “Yes?”

  “When we first met, you asked me if you could trust me. The answer is yes, you can.”

  “I believe you.” He paused. “Keira…”

  “Yes?”

  “You can trust me too.”

  I got the feeling that Guy wanted to say more, so I waited for a minute. When he didn’t continue, I said, “I’m tired.” I turned my gaze to Eberhardt. “Would you mind driving me home?” We needed to talk.

  -Guy-

  Killing Is Never Good

  I closed the door behind Keira and Eberhardt and went to the front window. Tonight went better than expected. I watched them walk to the car together. If anyone could convince her of the benefit of team operations, it would be him.

  I was glad Keira had not killed Elaine Ramsey. Killing was never the best option. And Ramsey was too high profile. Removing her was too risky.

  We would have to do something to make her lose interest in Keira though. Probably the best way would be to get Keira a new identity, whether she wanted one or not. If Keira Maddock couldn’t be found, Elaine Ramsey would not be able to control her and could not use her as leverage against Scott.

  Keira had also demonstrated her loyalty to the Resistance tonight, in more ways than I had anticipated. She was definitely an asset. Scott should have told her a long time ago.

  I had to admit, I was starting to like her. Keira had a spark, an energy that I was drawn to. She forced me to think about situations from different perspectives, and she kept me on my toes. I smiled and turned away from the window.

  -Keira-

  My Apartment!

  As Eberhardt pulled the car away from the curb and accelerated, I turned and glared at him. It was one thing to keep secrets, yet another to lie. “You told me you’d never met Scott,” I accused. “Why?”

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I haven’t met Scott.”

  “What? When you walked me home that day, you told me he wasn’t part of the Resistance.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Well, you implied it. Do you keep secrets too?”

  “It really is for the best. You don’t need to know all the facts to follow orders.”

  “I don’t follow orders. If I wanted to do that, I would have joined the military.” I thought for a minute, and then said, “If you had met Scott before, you still wouldn’t tell me. You would probably even lie to protect that secret, right?�
��

  Eberhardt turned his head and gave me a steady look. “I haven’t met him, but I know who he is. I’ve only ever seen him from a distance.” He returned his attention to the road.

  I sat back in my seat and mumbled under my breath, “I hate secrets,” even though I knew very well that I had many of my own.

  When we arrived in my neighborhood, the streets were nearly deserted, and it was very dark. Streetlights didn’t work around here, so the unexpected light was almost blinding, and the noise left my ears ringing.

  My heart jumped to my throat.

  Eberhardt swerved to the side of the road and pulled to an abrupt stop.

  My apartment! I pushed open the door and leaped out of the car. The sky was aglow. I pushed forward into the heat to witness the devastation that had been my apartment building.

  My mother’s locket, her music! I moaned and fell to my knees. My stomach reeled. Elaine Ramsey was still one step ahead of me. I stood and stumbled blindly to some low bushes. I threw up again and again, until there was nothing left.

  Strong hands on my shoulders pulled me away from the bushes. Eberhardt turned me around so that I was looking him in the eyes. He held my gaze until I was steady. Then he guided me back to the car. I collapsed onto the seat and bent forward with my head on my knees.

  -Guy-

  Bringing Her Back

  I was just about ready for bed when I heard someone at the front door. No one other than Eberhardt and my parents had a key, and my parents would have called first. Did Eberhardt need to tell me something without Keira present, something that couldn’t wait until morning? I hurried into the living room to see what he wanted but stopped short when I saw Keira. Eberhardt led her to the sofa. Her face was ashen.

  “Her apartment just exploded,” Eberhardt informed me.

  “It burned down?” I asked, dumbfounded.

  “No, it exploded,” he repeated, “just as we arrived.”

  “Elaine Ramsey…” I began. “Could she have?” If there had been any doubt before, it was gone now. Keira was right. Elaine Ramsey had ordered a hit on Rose – there was no doubt about it. And this…this was more than a warning.

  I sat down on the sofa and put my arm around Keira’s shoulders. Eberhardt dropped into a nearby chair. Keira leaned into me and began to sob. Eventually, she settled and grew quiet.

  “She’s asleep,” Eberhardt whispered.

  “Thank you for bringing her back.”

  “Do you want me to stay?”

  “No, you can go home. We’ll talk tomorrow.” He reached over and squeezed my shoulder.

  I lifted Keira and carried her into the bedroom. She was so light and fragile-looking. One would never guess she was a Freelancer. I set her on the bed and gently removed her shoes. Then I sat down to watch over her.

  Would this strengthen her resolve or weaken it? It was obvious that she’d been shaken to the core, but why exactly? Was it because of the attempt on her life? No, I felt it was something else. The building was just an apartment, wasn’t it? I’d have to ask Scott exactly where they’d lived when their parents were still alive. Maybe the building itself had been important to her. Perhaps it was one her father had designed or maybe there was something important within her apartment. What had Keira lost tonight?

  -Keira-

  Needs

  I woke when Guy set me gently on the bed, but I didn’t open my eyes. The locket, my mother’s music, they’re really gone. My last ties to my parents, gone. I felt myself sinking. Breathing became difficult.

  I was aware that Guy had not left the room – that he watched over me. After sinking and sinking and sinking some more, I realized I could no longer feel anything. I was just hollow, empty, gone. I needed to fill the void, to feel something other than the emptiness and the suffocating pressure on my chest.

  I listened to Guy breathe: inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale. He sat next to me on the bed and held my hand. He kept me tethered to the world. I began to breathe in sync with him. It released some of the pressure. Scott said I could trust him. April suggested that I should seriously consider him. Even Guy had talked about trust.

  I kept my eyes closed, pulled my hand away from his and reached out to caress his thigh. I willed him to lie down next to me, to gather me into his arms, to make me feel something.

  When he didn’t respond, I opened my eyes and looked deeply into his. I wanted to sink into that sea of blue rather than into the blackness that surrounded me. I wanted to leave this world behind, if only for a little while. I stretched my hand toward his face and cupped his cheek, rough with stubble. Couldn’t he understand what I needed? Didn’t he want to help me?

  He stood and backed away. I let my hand drop and just looked at him. I’m wrong. He doesn’t want me. He turned and walked away.

  -Guy-

  A Decision

  No, not like this. Not tonight and not as an act of desperation. I was shaking, but I refused to do something we would both regret.

  I walked into the bathroom, closed the door behind me and leaned against it for support. When the shaking subsided, I walked over to the sink and turned on the faucet. The background noise helped me think. I leaned forward and gazed into the mirror until I’d made a decision.

  I’ll give Keira a place to stay for as long as she needs. Not here. One of the safe houses will be fine. I’ll be there for her. We’ll take it slow. She’s loyal and trustworthy, Scott said. Maybe soon, I can trust her with more.

  When I returned to the bedroom, she was already gone.

  -Keira-

  On the Run

  Guy left. He shut me out. I sat up and pulled my knees under my chin. What does he want from me? What does he expect? I knew he wanted my help with the Resistance, so he must value my skills. He’d asked me all those questions, made me think about changing my ways. Didn’t that mean he cared for me?

  Who was I kidding? I didn’t even believe in love. I was crazy to have thought he might want more.

  It didn’t matter. I could take care of myself. I was back in control. I had to be, and I knew I couldn’t stay here. I needed to figure out my next move and get back on my own two feet. Where would I live now? I would have to pick up the pieces of my life and begin again. There, that was the answer. I would go back to the beginning and begin again.

  My high heels swung at my side as I began a barefooted trek toward Tony’s, a bar I knew well from my earliest days of living on the streets. Darkness sifted down from unlit streetlamps. When I spotted the familiar windows lit with candles, I hesitated. Did I really want to go down this path? I took a deep breath. Yes, right now I needed familiarity and a place to hide. Here, I knew what to expect, and I knew what would be expected of me.

  I opened the door and made my way inside, into a roomful of people who had nowhere else to go. I scanned the crowd until I spotted him. Cole sat at a corner table intent on some playing cards. A red pillar candle lit the players’ faces. Cole wasn’t the first person I’d stayed with back then. I’d met him a few months later.

  I slipped behind him and gently placed my hands on his shoulders. The men across the table grinned in my direction, their poker chips momentarily forgotten. Greed reflected clearly in their eyes. As they looked me up and down, I became intensely aware of my short caterer’s skirt. The women at the table regarded me with neither friendliness nor hostility.

  Cole turned his head. “Ah Keira! It’s been too long.” He addressed the men. “Show some respect! Don’t you know who this is?”

  They looked confused.

  “This is Keira Maddock. Tell me you’ve at least heard the stories?”

  Two of the men looked down, but one shook his head. The woman on his right nudged him and pointed at a man seated at the bar. I looked too. How could I forget? He’d burned my left shoulder. He picked up his drink and took a sip.

  “Hey, what happened to his fingers?” the man sitting across from me asked.

  Cole sighed and returned his attention to me
. “I heard you were doing well for yourself.” He looked at my outfit, and his eyebrows shot up. “I thought you were self employed though.”

  “I am. This was necessary for my last job. Cole, something’s happened.”

  “Something that brought you to me?” He smiled.

  “Did you see the fireworks display earlier this evening?”

  “No, but I heard about it. You did that?”

  “You know me better than that.” I playfully slapped his arm. “That’s not my style.” I leaned down close to his ear and whispered, “Someone did that to me. I need a place to stay for a while, a place to lay low.”

  He set down his cards. “Did anyone follow you?”

  “No, I’m pretty sure they think I was in the apartment.”

  “Chrissy’s moving out.” He glanced across the room and tilted his head in the direction of a petite brunette.

  I turned to see Chrissy. With her was a tall slender woman I didn’t recognize.

  “She’s moving up in the world. Payment includes room and board. How will you be paying this time?”

  I needed to keep every gat I’d just earned. “In the usual way,” I said.

  Cole nodded in agreement and picked up his cards.

  I walked over to Chrissy’s table and looked for an empty chair.

  “Oh, here,” her friend said. “I was just leaving.” She stood, then leaned down to give Chrissy a hug. “Congratulations!”

  I sat in the vacated chair and ordered a beer.

  “I saw you talking with Cole,” Chrissy said.

  “I need a place to stay. I hope you don’t mind.”

  She shrugged. “I figured that’s what you were talking about. I’ll take the couch tonight.”

  “What’s the good news?” I asked.

  “I’ve replaced the Beckett’s nanny.”

  “Oh? What happened to her?” My drink arrived, and I took a sip.

  “Rumor is she’s expecting, and Lance Beckett is the father.”