Fear the reaper, p.16
Fear the Reaper, page 16
They approached the oversized entrance where one half was already sealed by a thick, graffiti-covered metal door and slowed. A figure draped in typical desert dweller fashion of loose clothes and goggles stood on the other side, monitoring incoming traffic.
Mercy raised her hand and received a wave in return. She led the way inside and the rumble of their engines echoed in the cavernous entry and mixed with the surrounding din of chaos. They merged with the motley group of motorized rovers that peeled off to the left, leaving those on foot to continued further inside.
It took a few minutes to snag a protective spot for their bikes. Reaper pulled up next to Havoc under an old escalator, shut his engine down and took a moment to stretch his cramped muscles. He unsnapped his filtration mask and let it hang as he freed his water-filled canteen. He rinsed the layer of road from his mouth and then offered it to Lilith when she came up to his side.
“Thanks.” Her voice was scratchy, and her wince was quick. She did a swish and swirl, followed by a delicate spit to the side, before actually taking a drink.
Mercy adjusted the straps of the bag slung crossways over her chest and joined them, her dust-covered clothes not doing much to hide her weapons. “Bikes should be safe for now.” She tilted her head to indicate a doorless entry that led to what must have been a loading dock. “If we need to bail with bikes, that’s our best bet.”
Reaper scanned the comings and goings of those around them and was pleased to see no one paid their group the least bit of attention. “What’s the travel time to the casino from here?”
Mercy kept her voice low as she did her own surveillance. “Thirty minutes by foot, less by bike.” A shrill wail of wind sang above the din of the crowd and heralded the storm’s imminent arrival. “Wouldn’t advise trying it until the worst of the storm’s passed,” she warned.
Havoc slung an arm around Mercy’s shoulders. “Thinking we’ve got about forty minutes to kill before we chance it.”
“I say we get something to eat,” Lilith offered, handing Reaper back his canteen.
Reaper’s stomach agreed, so the four headed deeper into the indoor bazaar in search of food.
Understanding their forced confinement upped the risk factor of being identified, they shoved their goggles to the top of their heads and let their filtration masks hang down because wearing them inside would be too suspicious. Instead, they drew the extra material of their grit-covered head scarves over to cover the lower half of their faces.
They moved out to the main walkways and blended into the sweltering mass of humanity. It didn’t take them long to find a little out of the way taco stand and get in line. Once their plates were piled with steaming corn tortillas, rice, and meat, they commandeered a rickety looking table in towards the back. They huddled over their lunch and ate with an economy of movement, their gazes constantly scanning nearby faces.
Lilith nudged Reaper’s shoulder and he chased the last few pieces of Spanish rice with his tortilla. When he met her gaze, she tilted her head to the side in a subtle indication. He took his last bite, sat back, and shifted enough to put his arm around the back of her chair. His change of position gave him a better angle to watch what caught her attention. He refastened the tail end of his scarf with a deceptive casualness and covered everything from his nose down.
Three men at a nearby table did a piss poor job hiding the fact that they were military. It was there in their regulation length haircuts that were revealed by their discarded headscarves. Not to mention when the one nearest their table reached for something across the table, his clothes shifted enough to reveal the gun strapped to his thigh. Guns weren’t a preferred weapon for most since acquiring the bullets necessary to make them worthwhile took more effort than most wanted to spend. Hence the reason the majority of the population preferred edged weapons. They were easier to care for and readily available. Especially here in the Sandpit where dust and grit wreaked more havoc than man.
Reaper’s pulse leapt, and then fell into a steady pattern. The soldiers’ presence meant chances were good that Michael wouldn’t be far behind, because a security force of that caliber indicated someone of importance was nearby. Reaper knew only one important player, Lilith, and since they weren’t here for her, he’d bet his ass that Michael was in town.
On Reaper’s other side, Havoc and Mercy’s quiet conversation hiccuped. Reaper flicked Havoc a look and gave a barely there head shake in warning. Havoc’s brows lowered, and he shifted a bit closer to Mercy as he resumed his conversation.
Reaper was too far away to hear what the soldiers were saying, but the kernel of concern he carried about coming here eased. At least they were on the right path.
Hidden behind the covering of his scarf, his fierce satisfaction escaped in a grin. Maybe, just maybe, he would finally get his chance to deal with Michael once and for all.
Twenty
Lilith stood in the shadows on the second level of the Castille’s main floor and swore she could feel Reaper’s need to pounce vibrating along her skin. It was so intense, it raised the hair on her arms, and to keep his ass in check since his wasn’t the only one on the line, she issued a soft hiss of warning.
Swear to god if the man made one wrong move…
All four of them were in a precarious position and swinging in the wind on this little foray. The last thing any of them needed was a confrontation with the armed men gathered below.
Lilith, Reaper, Mercy, and Havoc had trailed the security detail through the bazaar undetected, and once the worst of the storm had passed and the doors opened, they continued to ghost the three-man team hoofing it into the night by using the lingering haze of dust-filled shadows to their advantage. When the returning trio paused to bullshit the guards on watch at Castille, the four trailing hunters found Havoc’s alternate entrance by slipping deeper into rubble of the wrecked sections of the old casino.
Not an easy feat as the bleached architectural bones stretched high above the mounds of ruins and marked the structure’s old hundred-foot height. What remained was now a tricky terrain of sand-covered disasters waiting to happen that left them exposed. Although the night stayed quiet as they worked their way in, Lilith's neck itched under the weight of unseen eyes during the entire nerve-shredding trek.
That itch didn’t fade until they were safely inside, and Lilith came face-to-face with why this end of the building was unsecured. The forest of rebar and maze of half-collapsed walls were a daunting prospect, especially when their only light sources were their small, hand-held solar sticks.
As it was sharp broken ends snagged her clothing, some scraping away a layer of skin before she could get free. Footing was just as tricky because apparently solid ground would shift into ankle-twisting pits that slowed their progress to a near crawl. It took them roughly twenty minutes before they surfaced and if not for Havoc’s memory and Mercy’s blueprints, they would have never found their way through the debris-choked narrow passages.
It didn’t help that the tight passages had created a serious case of claustrophobia and caused serious concerns for the two broad-shouldered men. In fact, they had been forced to stop a couple of times to bind Havoc and Reaper’s more serious cuts so as not to leave a blood trail. Once nice thing about headscarves, they made damn good bandages. In the end, Lilith wasn’t alone in sporting an impressive collection of stinging scratches and irritating bruises.
Once out of the worse of the ruins, they followed the rise and fall of muted conversation until they pinpointed the meeting place. Heightened security quickly became apparent as they dodged random patrols prowling the area. Staying undetected was a challenge, but the chosen spot sat in what was once a mixture of dining and gaming areas. The main floor lay wide open and was surrounded by an overhanging walkway interspersed with thick pillars that created a second level viewing area.
Despite the risk, the four agreed the viewing area was their best bet. The railings that once connected the columns were long gone, so they had to watch their step. Yet there were enough nooks and crannies not even the security detail could cover it all. It was a bitch for security and privacy, but great for their needs which made Lilith wonder whose bright idea it was to pick this place for a clandestine meeting.
They had split up—her and Reaper to one side and Havoc and Mercy the other. Once in place, the four settled in for the show. Now snippets of conversation drifted to where she and Reaper hid in a dark alcove half protected by a pillar, confirming the only thing that hadn’t gone to shit around here was the acoustics. As long as they remained aware of the patrolling guards, listening in on the conversation would be easy.
Their hiding spots proved to be effective as they evaded the armed patrol’s last walk through of the second level. Even as the guards took their final positions at strategic, stationary points along the second level, all four hunters remained undetected.
Lilith identified two distinct groups among the guards—one carried the notable rough edge of the Cartels, the other the rigidity indicative of military training. There were a total of sixteen men, evenly split between the two groups.
A lean, brown-haired man who issued clear orders in a level voice, led the military group. The speed with which his men jumped when he directed the majority into positions around the main floor lent weight to Lilith’s assumption of his position as a security leader. He sent two of his men to the second level.
This meant Lilith and Reaper were forced to sneak cursory looks from their hidden positions to take in what was happening below. Lilith wished for Charity’s insight as the security leader continued to issue orders. No doubt her master spy would know who the hell the man was and what threat he represented. For now, Lilith was relegated to playing audience to the unfolding drama below, while praying Reaper’s legendary control held steady.
And the stage was definitely set for drama. A ring of solar lights surrounded what looked to be two reclaimed leather chairs that sat in the floor’s center and were divided by a small table. While the set up highlighted the meeting area, it left those guarding the perimeter in shadow.
Tension rode the air and strung Lilith’s nerves tight, but she wasn’t the only one. Done with his orders, the leader took up a position just inside the entrance, his attention on the Cartel men moving in to take up their positions in-between his security force. Hell, if someone dared to fire a shot, it would guarantee an old-fashioned shoot out with no survivors.
Xavier Suárez, the oldest, and last surviving son of the Suárez family, and second only to his father was sprawled in one of the leather chairs, and he did not look impressed. In fact, if Lilith were to hazard a guess based upon his stony countenance, she’d say Xavier was pissed. There was no sign of Greer or Michael, but her instincts whispered that wouldn’t be the case for long.
A minute ticked by and the second counted down when Xavier finally broke the quiet. “Where is he?” The accented demand was directed to the security leader.
The response was clipped. “He’ll be here shortly.”
Xavier grunted and the strained silence resumed.
Lilith caught the measured cadence of an imminent approach at the same time things below went wired. She dared to peek around the crumbling edge of the pillar in time to watch the entrance of two men.
The first was dressed head to toe in familiar desert tan, their weapons clearly displayed. They cleared the entrance and unwound their head scarf to reveal a harsh angled profile under a buzz cut. The man’s gaze swept through the room in a practiced surveillance as he exchanged a nod with the brown-haired man in charge of the military group. Lilith watched the newcomer’s behavior and revised her earlier assumption. This new arrival was the true head of security.
Dressed in similar fashion and standing next to him, was another figure. When they shoved their head scarf back a head of dark hair was exposed. He moved forward and Lilith’s breath caught at the familiar profile. Next to her, Reaper went solid, and a chill emanated from him.
Michael had arrived.
Xavier, his face an unreadable mask, maintained his casual position, even as he tracked Michael’s approach.
Michael stopped near the chairs and held out his hand. “Xavier.”
Tension crested as Xavier held his dismissive position for a breathless moment. Then, just as it threatened to snap, Xavier rose to his feet with an unhurried grace and shook Michael’s hand. “Michael.”
Greetings exchanged, Michael waved Xavier to resume his seat. Once Xavier settled, so did Michael. “I appreciate you making time to see me.”
Xavier held his tongue and his gaze never strayed from Michael as he dipped his head in acknowledgement.
One of Michael’s men stepped forward and set two amber-filled glasses on the small table. As the heavy cut glasses hit the wood, Xavier glanced at the drinks and then lifted one dark brow in mocking question.
Michael, correctly reading the other man’s suspicion, reached for a drink, and raised it. “Salud.”
Xavier leaned over, grasped his glass, and mimicked Michael. “Salud.”
Lilith gave Xavier points for waiting until Michael took his sip before doing the same. She wasn’t sure she’d be quite so daring.
Michael sat back and templed his fingers, his expression filled with a sincerity Lilith learned long ago didn’t stretch beyond the surface.
On the second floor the two security personnel shifted into roaming mode which had Lilith and Reaper sliding deeper into their hiding spot. Forced to rely only on her ears, Lilith concentrated on analyzing the conversation.
Michael’s voice floated up. “My condolences on your recent loss.”
“Yes, my brother’s death was deeply felt.” There was a sibilant undertone to Xavier’s response. “I had hoped to gain more insight into the situation from your second.” Then came a pregnant pause. “However, I do not see her here.”
It was no surprise that Xavier wanted to talk to Greer since she had partnered with Felix, a Suárez lieutenant, to undermine the Free People’s hold on the all-important dam that supplied water to the Southwest. Unfortunately for Greer, Felix had decided to improvise on his own and took out Tavi, the youngest Suárez, after he questioned Felix’s behavior. Felix would have gotten away with it if Mercy hadn’t been an unintentional witness.
With the consummate smoothness, Michael said, “Unfortunately, Greer is currently resolving a rather pressing matter.”
Lilith would bet that pressing matter was all about the Vultures.
“Yes, so I’ve heard.” Xavier’s reply was layered with nuances, and the Cartel heir apparent landed the first blow. “While I understand such things must be addressed, due to the current situation and recent events, my father and I have serious concerns.”
“I understand,” Michael’s voice was tight, “and I share those concerns, but please be assured, they are being addressed.”
Lilith’s memories filled in the visual blanks. Michael would be the picture of unconcern, complete with that damn cold, mocking smile he always wore to hide his disdain of dealing with those he considered beneath him. She didn’t doubt that Michael felt he was far above Xavier and the Cartel families, but it wouldn’t stop him from working with them to get what he wanted.
“Are they?” Xavier’s question was filled with patent disbelief. “Explain to me, señor, why should I trust la perra loca to take care of such things? Especially after her actions in Salt Lake? Or perhaps a better question—why should I trust you?”
Rustling noises were followed by Michael’s unruffled reply. “How would you like me to answer that?”
Next to Lilith, Reaper’s predatory vibe shifted to a disconcerting stillness. Being mindful to not draw unwanted attention, she carefully turned and shot him a questioning look. Since his attention was firmly focused on the meeting below, he missed it.
Yet the rigid set of his jaw and the dark frown that marred his face triggered her concern. Reaper had caught something, something she missed, and he was far from happy.
Unease curled in her gut like a heavy weight.
“Greer was simply correcting a problem,” Michael continued, not waiting for Xavier’s response. “Something I would think your family would be grateful for, as we delivered the one who betrayed you.”
What a crock! Lilith wondered how he managed to choke that lie out. Greer wanted to kill Felix, not turn him over to the Cartel. In the end, it was Mercy who tossed the traitor into Suárez’s arms, not that he gave her much choice.
“You may have corrected one of your problems, but not all of them.” Based upon the cold edge of Xavier’s statement, Michael’s manipulation missed its mark. Lilith wasn’t surprised. Xavier was probably still pissed at almost being blown to kingdom come by Greer’s crazy ass plan in Salt Lake.
“That is why we are here, correct?” Michael’s voice lost some of its smooth and a tense moment passed before he continued. “Since our schedules are rather tight, shall we get to business?” The sounds of weight shifting and bodies moving indicated further positioning. When it settled, Michael began. “The concerns you and your father have—”
“Are many,” Xavier cut in with a hard voice, clearly not buying Michael’s bullshit.
“Are in the process of being solved.” Michael’s straining patience was evident in his sharp correction.
A humorless chuckle sounded. “And I am to believe you simply because you say so?” Xavier delivered his insult and continued down the same challenging path. “The last promise you made has not been kept. The dams still stand under the hands of the Free People, no?”
“That was most unexpected.” Michael’s curtness evidenced his fraying temper and made Lilith wonder how much longer before he snapped. Yet somehow the arrogant ass leveled out his tone. “While not ideal, there will be other opportunities.” There was a creak of leather. “More importantly, we’ve managed to cause major disruptions on the routes between the borders, allowing your shipments to slip passed with ease.”
