Page 26 of Rev

Racer takes a drag on his cigarette, exhaling slowly. “What’s the plan, boss?”

I outline our next steps, assigning tasks, and coordinating our efforts. As I speak, I can see the respect in the eyes of Hades and Racer. They trust me and so does Hadrian.

“Hadrian, I need you to help me follow up on a lead. There’s a meeting happening at the old factory tomorrow. I want us to head over there to see who shows up.”

He nods. “Consider it done. We need to visit your father at the hospital soon and let him know what we’ve found.”

“I don’t want to bother him with this until we have all the evidence. He’s still very weak. Maybe we can speak to him after we’ve followed up on the lead tomorrow?”

The anxiety I’m feeling must be evident in my tone because Hadrian rises, and pulling me to my feet, he wraps me in his arms and holds me for a long moment. I want nothing more than to stay in his embrace and forget about everything going on around us, but I know it’s not possible.

The next day, Hadrian and I stake out the factory, keeping a low profile as we watch members of the Mod Boys enter and exit. It’s a tense wait, but finally, the familiar face of Gordon appears. The bastard is going to pay for everything he’s done and is doing.

Hadrian snaps a few photos, recording the meeting from a safe distance. We knew Gordon was the traitor, but now we’ve confirmed the identity of the organisation working with him. It’s the last bit of proof we need, the final piece of the puzzle, and when the meeting breaks up, we slip away.

“We need to go to your father now,” Hadrian tells me as he speeds up the motorway.

His knuckles are turning white as he grips the steering wheel. He’s tense, and I can tell, he’s ready to make someone bleed. Specifically, a person named Gordon.

“Aye, I think we should head straight there,” I agree. “If we can get his go ahead, maybe we can finish this today.”

“We need to make sure our plan is foolproof. I know you want to get this over and done with, but rushing now would be a mistake. Gordon could escape, and one of us could get hurt.” Hadrian’s tone is gentle, but commanding, and I steal a glance at him.

Butterflies awaken in my belly, and I place my hand on his thigh as a gesture of reassurance. “I won’t rush into it. I just…”

“I know, Magpie.”

The fact that he doesn’t move my hand makes me smile, but I bite my lip to keep it from showing. I don’t want him to see the effect he has on me. I need to let him tell me what he’s feeling, and not the other way around. The last time I told him how I felt, he left.

My father is sitting out in an armchair by his hospital bed when we arrive, and his eyes light up with anticipation. “What have you got to tell me?”

We show him the photos and explain what we’ve discovered. Da’s expression hardens as he takes it all in. We still don’t know who runs the Mod Boys. They’ve been around for a while, but I haven’t had any business dealings with them. There are rumours their leader is a violent, ruthless monster like Gordon, which probably explains why they’re working together.

“This is all of it,” I say quietly. “We have everything we need, Da. Tell me we can end this?” The plea is clear in my voice. He knows I won’t give up until this is finished, until I see the life drain out of Gordon’s eyes. My father may not have raised a killer, but I’ll be one to save him and our organisation.

“This gang of boys,” my father spits out the word, “are ruthless. I’ve seen the shite they do, and it’s not pretty.”

“Worse than the stuff I used to do?” Hadrian asks.

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him mention the work he did for my father. He never talked about it with me. Our conversations were always focused on my life, on my hopes and dreams, and on my schoolwork.

“Aye, far worse,” Da replies with a nod, and ice trickles down my spine.

Hadrian, Hades, and Racer are seated at the long wooden table in my father’s dining room, their expressions serious and focused, while I stand by the window, staring out into the night, trying to steady my nerves.

We’ve gathered to go over the plan one last time. It’s risky, but we’ll be going in well prepared. The room is thick with tension, the air practically humming with the gravity of our discussion.

This is it—the moment we’ve been building towards.

Taking my seat at the head of the table, I begin, “We now have reliable intel that Gordon and the leader of the Mod Boys will be making an exchange at the old warehouse in two nights’ time. This is our chance to catch them red-handed.”

Hadrian leans forward, his eyes intense. “We need to be meticulous about this. Any slip-up, and they’ll bolt. We can’t afford for that to happen.”

Hades nods in agreement. “We’ll need eyes on every exit, and once the deal starts, we’ll have to move in fast. We can’t give them any opportunity to escape.”

Racer, ever the strategist, taps a finger on the table thoughtfully. “We need to set up a perimeter around the warehouse. Ensure that we cover all possible escape routes. And we’ll need a team inside, ready to move when the time’s right.”

“My da has named a few trusted men we can call on to help.” I just hope those he’s identified as backup do in fact have our best interests at heart. “We have proof that Gordon and the leader of the Mod boys will be there. We have the element of surprise and need to use that to our advantage. We can’t rely on brute force alone. We need to outthink them.”

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