Page 65 of Rising from the Ashes

I’ve got to figure out what has changed in her.

As we sit down, CiCi clicks a button on the small remote she is holding in her hand, pointing it at three large computer screens. They are hanging from the ceiling above the table in a triangle so that everyone sitting can see the screens clearly.

“CiCi did some digging. In two weeks, there’s a shipment coming in via the rail system containing three large crates of M240s. Not as big as last year, so I don’t think they’re using it to start a war amongst the street gangs.”

He nods in my direction. “Shado tells me your father hired mercenaries. I think they’re going to use the guns to hit The Society guards at each subway or tunnel entrance into the city and take it over. No way in or out. Then they will infiltrate inward.”

I clasp my hands together on top of the cold table. “There were at least ten mercs when we took them down a few weeks ago. For this, he may hire more. My father will not go down easily.”

Shado looks at Quinn. “We need to train her in minimal self defense. She needs to at least be able to throw a punch. There’s three railways out of the city. There’s only five of us.”

Drake interrupts him, “I can enlist help if needed. Someone should at least be at the docks to keep watch, regardless if Everly owns all of them now.”

Once we go over the information CiCi pulled on my father’s plan, I feel more settled and eager to take him down for good this time.

My Society phone pings in my pocket.

T: He sent the money. It’s legit this time.

Retrieving it, I smile at the screen when I read the message from Tavish.

Shado looks over at me, “What is it?”

“He took the bait. He sent the ransom for her,” I say, pointing toward Quinn.

She rises from her chair, “Great. So now you can serve me up to the dogs.”

She walks over to Drake’s large five drawer toolbox, similar to what I use to stash my weapons in at my own safe house. She opens the top drawer and her eyes grow wide. I hurriedly walk over to her. When I get closer, I can see the drawer is filled with guns, a few grenades, and some knives.

Quinn runs her fingers along the semtex grenades. Wrapping her hand around it, she picks it up, examining it in her hand.

Gently grabbing the explosive from her, our fingers touch and she winces. I hate that she is so mad at me.

I place the grenade back down on the felt drawer and close the toolbox. I quietly whisper, “Okay, princess, let's maybe not blow us up tonight.”

Grabbing her hands, I pull her to face me. “We’re not serving you up to the dogs. We will protect you, and once your father is out of the picture, you can go back to your happy life back in Manhattan.”

Instead of responding to me, she stares at her feet and nods solemnly as if returning to New York is the last thing she wants to do.

Chapter twenty

Calista

While Shado and Drake are staking out more intel and planning our future attack, I am standing on the boxing mat behind the makeshift wooden training doll. I watch as Quinn carelessly hits its arms. I’ve been training her in the same methods of self defense that I was taught for the past week. Surprisingly, she was more receptive to me teaching her than I thought she would be. She is a lot stronger and controlled than I initially gave her credit for, but today for some reason, she is frustrated and haphazardly landing her hits.

Stepping out from behind the wooden statue, I walk around to stand in front of her.

“Move,” she snaps.

“What is with you today? You’re not even fighting. You’re just thrashing around.”

Letting her hands fall to her sides, she exhales, “Why am I hitting a wooden dummy? I feel like an idiot.”

“Because I need to know you’re ready to hit a moving target.”

“Why do you get to decide when I am ready?” She raises her voice in frustration. “We only have a week until the shipment gets here. Let me hit something!”

“Look I get you’re mad, but you’re being sloppy with your form and you’re going to break a wrist.”

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