“No. We are Kin.” He said, leaving unspoken the universal understanding that the Kin’s respect for life was paramount. Also understood was that ‘life’ referred exclusively to the Kin. “The idea that any Kin would contribute to the abduction of their own is ridiculous, something only a Human would come up with. If you had dissuaded her from her insane theory, which you knew to be erroneous, if she had stopped investigating the Kin, then she wouldn’t have stumbled upon us. However, that was not what occurred. Lena’s research methods proved to be very unhealthy for her and her family.”
He spread his hands, “Once it was clear that she was not the type to keep her findings quiet, she and her brother were offered a place among us…”
“And they didn’t accept your generous offer of enslavement or death, so...”
“Why are they still alive?” He nodded, taking another drink. “Well, the children are young enough that they can be salvaged, although I think the girl may be slightly deranged...but, no matter. A home will be found for them and they will be groomed to be good little citizens. I believe they have a grandparent, correct?”
Sheila nodded pleasantly, crossing her hands over her knees.
“The parents, however, have chosen their own end. It is but delayed as we develop another one of our projects; it is a little earlier than we anticipated, but not out of the plan’s parameters. We’ve had our eye on an excellent young warrior who we have selected to join the ranks of our elite soldiers.”
“Scythe is your project,” Grant guessed, voicing what Scythe already suspected, “and the Young family is the bait to acquire him.”
Bait. That word burned in his ears and he began to take careful, measured breaths to calm himself. His teeth were clenched together, the ones in his mouth, as well as another set that was located deeper inside of him. People weren’t bait. His friends were not just slabs of meat thrown on top of a trap to catch some animal.
“Yes. We’ve been watching your progress with the Blades and are impressed by your strengths and particular lack of familial ties. Being a halfblood doesn’t hurt, either. In fact, it simplifies things a lot for us. Working with the Kin is so much more complicated, what with their lives being worth something. Your display mere minutes ago was delightful. It only serves to reinforce our good opinion of our choice. Occasionally, we have need of extreme methods, which we think you will be perfect for.”
“‘Extreme methods’?” asked Scythe, feeling the heavy knot in his stomach rotate sluggishly.
“Assassination, kidnapping, torture, terrorism, espionage,” said Ungol, his voice hard and disapproving.
Derril nodded, “Among others.”
“The Blades are not training him for that,” Ungol protested.
“Yes, you are,” the Kin countered, his voice smug. “At least you have been. His education will be taken up by us, now.”
“So, let’s hear it,” said Scythe, suddenly tired of the whole thing.
“What?”
“Your blackmailing deal.”
“Ah, that. Well, it is a formality, really. You will work for us. You have attached yourself to so many people that, should we make an example of two a month, we would still not run out for over a year. I think we’ll start with the boy here, and his sister. If you like, you may refuse, in which case we’ll kill them and select two more, perhaps from the halfbloods in Poinsea. It is still under debate by our betters if a halfblood is Kin or not; I’m sure you have encountered that worrisome problem before, isn’t that right?” When Scythe didn’t answer, he went on, “You may continue to refuse, and children will continue to die, until you see things our way.”
“When do I have to answer?” Scythe asked, letting the soft, gnashing, grinding feeling spread freely through him.
Derril laughed, clearly amused, and was joined by Sheila. “Today is your hire date, Scythe, but you won’t start working just yet. We’ll contact you when we need you. Please remember that anyone you speak to about the organization will be given the, what did you call it, Grant? The ‘enslavement or death’ offer.” He sat back and waved to Sheila.
Sheila stood, clapping her hands once and then rubbing them together, “Well, that’s it. You are free to go. Have a nice day.”
“Where are Lena, Ian, and Mercy?” asked Scythe without moving.
“Ian is in the hospital, badly wounded I’m afraid. He was a little overzealous about his refusal. He’s under the care of some of our people, going by another name, of course. In a few days, he’ll die, of natural causes, I expect.” He didn’t flinch when Faith began to cry quietly. “Lena and Mercy are on loan to another project.”
“I want them all alive and left alone as part of the deal,” said Scythe.
“That’s impossible. You know as well as I do that they will not cooperate.”
“I’ll make them.”
“No. It’s to be the children. You’ll do it for them alone, anyway. There’s no need to include the adults.”
“I’m asking for it,” insisted Scythe. “You are asking for my soul and I’m telling you the price.”
“You mistake your role here.”
Ian and Lena hadn’t given in. They wouldn’t become slaves to this secret Kin organization, even if it meant they would lose their own lives...or Will’s life…or Mercy’s. They had fought. He decided what he would do and was surprised at the immediate effect it had on his body. Everything started to sink down and become very still.
“You’re right. That always happens to me.” Scythe let a slow, deep breath calm him, releasing his tight fists and unclenching his jaw. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind. Let me tell you how it is going to work. I’m going to offer you a deal, Derril.”
Derril blinked, genuinely taken aback. He glanced over at Sheila, who clasped her hands together ecstatically and announced, “I knew I would love this boy! If only he were a little older! Ah, well, I can wait.”
“Here it is,” continued Scythe, ignoring her and the rest of the stares that were directed at him from around the room. “You leave me and my friends alone, including Lena, Ian, Faith, Harmony...you know, I’ll give you a list later. You and your creepy nightcrawling buddies can rule the world for all I care. Heck, it seems to me you are doing a good enough job of it anyway, so keep it up. All you need to do is return my friends to me. If you don’t return them, I’ll come after you, Derril, and then your boss, whoever I need to, until I get them back.”
Derril stared at Scythe, aghast. “Are you trying to get them all killed?”
Scythe waited.
“There are thousands in the organization. The idea is ridiculous.”
Scythe said, “Thousands, sure, but how many at the top? I’m not after the whole beast, just its head. I imagine that if most of your ‘employees’ are being blackmailed, they’ll be more than happy to step aside; maybe they’ll even work with me. What do you think? Do you need a couple of days to think about it, or is today your hire date?”
“Let us test your will power, Scythe.” It sounded like something he was used to saying.
“No. Let me test yours,” Scythe cut him off, his voice dropping. “I will kill you and every one of your superiors,” he smiled, knowing the outcome of the meeting as well as Derril, and letting him see it, “but, you are first.”
Derril stood, clearly shaken. He glanced back at the man at the table who was watching him dispassionately. Attempting to pull himself together, Derril said sharply, “I believe we need to reevaluate our decision where you are concerned. Your services are not required.”
He walked to the door, followed by Sheila, who was starting to pout, “Such a waste! There has to be another way.”
“Faith, I need you to get down on the floor, please,” said Scythe. He waited calmly, his heartbeat steady. Inside, he let the oil spread out in all directions, lit the match and held it ready. Ungol stood up and positioned himself on Scythe’s left. The metallic smell of blood barely reached him through the doorway, although there was no i
ndication of a disturbance outside.
Undoubtedly catching the same scent, Derril turned, looking around. “Looks like your friends...”
The sounds of two or three doors crashing open joined the sounds of running boots and gunfire outside the warehouse. Derril backed into the room, gesturing for the two guards nearest him on the railing to watch the door.
He turned his attention to Scythe, shaking his head in disbelief. “It is insanity to oppose us.” Seeing the lack of reaction, he said, bemused, “You are nobody...just a kid.”
Scythe continued to wait. One of the two guards by the door was hit by gunfire, falling instantly. The second pushed Derril and Sheila all the way inside and closed the door before taking a position outside.
“There are more than seven of my people in this room,” the Kin sneered, attempting to play his last trump card.
“I know. There are nine, but I have no quarrel with any of them, only the ones that stand between me and my friends, who are like my family,” Scythe said, emphasizing the Kin word. It had the predicted effect on the Kin present.
In Kin law and tradition, protecting the family was one of the highest priorities, and the one who could do it possessed a trait highly valued by all in the community. By saying that he was such a man, he had announced his determination to see it through to whatever end. It also changed the status of his otherwise unvalued friends. As Humans, their lives were not protected under Kin law, but as his family they were. The only tricky part was proving that the connection was real. He didn’t know if it was possible, but he was going on the assumption that he could, because the alternative was giving up or breaking the law.
“I will get my family back and anyone that gets in my way is dead.” The voice in his head chuckled at the sound of racing heartbeats. “Just. Like. You.”
Chapter 24
“Kill them,” Derril said, his mouth twisted.
The Human at the door lifted up his gun and pointed it at Sheila, shooting her in the chest before aiming at Derril. “I think I’ll stand with him,” he said in response to the dumbfounded expression Derril gave him. “You wait right there.”
“He’s mine. Just hold him,” Scythe ordered, keeping his eye on the room.
“You got it.”
Scythe addressed the room, “I only threaten those who have injured my family. The rest of you are nothing to me.” The words rose up from inside of him, echoes of words that were spoken by another, long ago. That man, a warrior that Scythe had read about in an old book he had found in the governor’s library, had stood against many and had prevailed by stealing the will to fight from many of his opponents. Scythe was hoping that he wouldn’t have to go up against all his enemies, either.
He felt the man reach through time to guide him. Jir Dem On had spoken from his heart and he had been heard. Hundreds of years later, through the print on yellowed paper, read late at night in a small, cold room, the man’s powerful spirit wove it’s way into Scythe’s memories and waited for the moment when he could be heard again.
Although they might not have recognized the obscure reference, Scythe saw that the strength of the words touched several of the Kin in the room. The man at the table reacted strongly, raising an eyebrow and bringing the force of his sharp gaze forward from behind a blank wall. Scythe didn’t have time to wonder about him, though, since a light shuffle warned him that he had to move.
A dark shape dropped down through the ceiling panel above him. Scythe, moving to the right, avoided the falling woman and slid past the knife striking for his abdomen by one of Derril’s bodyguards. He brought up his own blade and cut the tendons at the elbow, shoulder and across the neck. One arm went immediately limp, so the man clutched at his throat with his free hand, his eyes rolling. Pulling on the man’s sleeve, Scythe spun him into the second guard before turning to stab the back of the neck of the woman standing over a wounded Grant, who had sheltered Faith and Will with his body. The soldier fell limp to the ground. Scythe kneeled, picking up her gun with his right hand, his knife already in his left. He shot the guard just now pushing the panicking soldier behind the couch off him and they both fell.
Scythe sighted the man leaning on the long table, passing him by when he made no move. He turned, shooting one of the two men on Ungol, and then, passing by one Human standing frozen on the wall, his hands up, he called to the last hidden soldier, “Come on down.” The panel fell to the ground and a Kin woman dropped down.
Similar to the dead woman at his feet, she was dressed in black with scent concealing mud on her skin. She raised her hands, backing against the wall with the Human. Scythe heard a loud crack and Ungol straightened; the man he had been fighting with flopped to the ground next to him.
“Okay, you guys need to leave your weapons there and go sit at the table,” Scythe said. He watched them closely as the Human and the Kin woman joined the silent Kin man at the table. “Bring him over, Ben.”
Ungol stared at Scythe in disbelief, and then asked, “You know him?” He watched as Ben ushered a stunned Derril over to the couch before returning to the door.
“Kind of. You okay, Grant? How is Faith?”
“I think we are okay,” he answered, helping Faith into a sitting position on the ground.
“Your people out there are doing a thorough job of it, as usual,” Ben observed, peering through the crack in the doorway.
“My people?” Scythe asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Ben smiled, nodding.
“I thought you might have bought it after all the trouble I went through to beat you nearly to death. I like that nose, by the way.”
“It’s my souvenir,” Ben boasted, tipping his head to show off the bulge.
“Who are you?” demanded Derril. His surprise had been taken over completely by fear.
“I’m who you made me, with your manipulation and your superior planning. How’s it working out for you?”
The door swung all the way open and Smoke strode in, looking a little worse for wear with blood soaking through the cloth of a bandaged arm. He looked around, taking in the three soldiers at the table, the various bodies and the Kin on the couch. “Good work, Mismatch.”
Ungol grunted and then said sarcastically, “Nice.”
Smoke grinned but otherwise ignored him.
“Is it clear?” Scythe asked.
“Yep, mostly. We got a few runners, but Pride and Leandra and Grant’s boys are on them. We would have been here sooner, but Grant’s boys were late.”
Grant asked, “What?”
“Smoke is complaining because the border patrol arrived late.”
“I’m sure that Fiola did her best, given that she had thirty minutes.”
Scythe nodded, and then turned to the three at the table, “You guys are free to go.”
The Human got up and strode out without hesitating. The two Kin stayed seated, looking first at each other, then over at Smoke and Scythe.
Smoke looked at Scythe, who shrugged, before inquiring, “Yes?”
The woman said formally in Kin, “I would like to stay with the halfblood, who fights for his family; I will help Scythe, son of Scythe, whose blood runs strong.”
“What?” the man across from her blurted, genuinely startled by her announcement.
She responded resolutely, “I know you see him, Watcher.”
“What about your position…”
“It was meaningless. This...shows promise.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“What about you?” Smoke asked the Kin man.
“I would like your permission to stay and observe for a bit longer.”
“What? Why?”
“It is my office and would be my honor,” he bowed his head.
Smoke looked at Scythe questioningly.
Scythe had already noticed that the man had reacted differently from the rest of the people during the interview and hadn’t moved at all during the fight. “You’re not with them, really.”
The man nodded, �
��That is partially correct. I am a Watcher. Interference is outside the parameters of my assignment.”
Scythe said to Smoke, “He did not intervene when he could have.”
“We’ll come back to you in a moment.” Smoke said and then gave Scythe a suspicious look, “What is going on?”
“I got a little pissed off,” said Scythe, returning Smoke’s stare defiantly.
“Crap. What did you do this time?” He turned to the elder Blade, “Ungol, did you guys forget your job? Distraction.”
Ungol shrugged, “I liked Scythe’s plan better. It was fucking beautiful.”
“It wasn’t a plan, really. It was more of a personal vindictive measure.”
Smoke looked back and forth from Scythe to Ungol, his lips drawn in a tight line. “Just tell me.”
“Our apprentice didn’t like Derril’s offer of serve or die,” Ungol explained.
“They were after you?”
“Yeah, and they said they would kill two children a month, including the halfbloods, until I agreed to serve them. That’s about when I changed our plan.”
Smoke turned his attention to Derril, who flinched at his sharp look. “So what is your new and improved plan?”
“I’m gonna hunt them until we get Lena, Ian and Mercy back.”
Smoke nodded, closing his eyes momentarily. When he opened them, he looked at everyone in the room, taking in their determination, before settling finally on Scythe. “You’re going to do this, how exactly?”
Halfblood Heritage Page 33