Page 79 of Crown of Lies

The warehouse door bangs open, and our contact storms out, his face twisted in annoyance. “Hey! Where the hell do you think you’re going? We ain’t finished here!”

Nico doesn’t even spare him a glance, still barking orders into his phone. I’m about to tell the guy to shove off when Nico finally lowers the device, fixing Rat with a cold stare.

“Something more important came up,” he says, his voice leaving no room for argument. “We’ll be in touch.”

Before Rat can sputter out another protest, Nico’s kickstarting his bike. The roar of three engines drowns out whatever the man might’ve said next.

We tear through the city streets, weaving between cars and blowing through red lights. My focus has narrowed to a single point—Quinn—and every second feels like an eternity, another chance for Harlan and his goons to hurt her.

I can feel Nico and Killian flanking me, their engines roaring in sync with mine. We’re a force of nature, unstoppable and relentless.

As we near the outskirts of Young Killers territory, I spot the gathering of our people. Bikes line the street, their riders tense and ready. We screech to a halt, and immediately we’re surrounded.

“What’s going on?” someone demands. “Why’d you call us all here?”

Nico steps forward and doesn’t mince any words. “The Young Killers have taken Quinn.”

A murmur ripples through the crowd. Not everyone has been sold on Quinn or the alliance, but the mention of the Young Killers overrides any internal bickering or bullshit drama.

“This isn’t just about Quinn,” Nico continues, his voice carrying over the low rumble of idling engines. “This is an attack on all of us. The Young Killers think they can come into our territory, take one of our own, and get away with it.”

I watch as the mood shifts. Doubt gives way to anger, hesitation to determination. The Young Killers have always been a thorn in our side, and this feels like a direct challenge.

“We’re going to show them exactly how wrong they are,” Nico growls.

A chorus of agreement rises from the crowd. Engines rev, and I can feel the energy building, the collective rage and anticipation of the fight to come.

As Nico outlines the plan, I scan the faces around me. These are our people, ready to ride into battle for us, for Quinn. In spite of everything that’s happened, they’re here, united against a common enemy.

The urgency inside me hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s grown stronger. We’re close now, so close to getting Quinn back. I gripmy handlebars tighter, ready to ride the moment Nico gives the word.

“We need to be smart about this,” he says, with an intensity in his eyes that matches his voice. An intensity I haven’t seen in a while. “We’ve done recon on the Young Killers before. We know which buildings they control in this part of the city.”

He’s right, of course. My urgency to find Quinn is making me reckless. I force myself to take a deep breath, to think strategically.

“Which spots have had movement recently?” Killian asks. “Where have Young Killers members been spotted?”

Kendrick, who does a lot of recon work for us, rattles off a list of locations. I nod as I listen, my mind racing as I consider the possibilities of where Quinn could be.

“The old factory on Riverside,” I say suddenly, my head whipping up. “That’s where they’ve got her.”

Nico and Killian turn to meet my gaze, their eyes boring into me.

“How do you know?” Killian asks.

“It’s the most logical place. Kendrick said there’s been extra activity in that area recently, and it’s the best place to keep a hostage. They’ll have a strategic advantage against anyone who tries to break in. That’s where they’ve got her. I’d bet my fucking life on it.”

Nico nods slowly, his expression shifting as he considers my words. “Yeah. I think you might be right. But we still need to cover all our bases.”

He glances at the gathered Carnage members and rattles off several other addresses, assigning teams to check out each potential hideout.

“If one group finds her, call for backup immediately,” he continues, his tone hardening. “Do not engage alone. We go in together.” His gaze sweeps over the crowd, landing on each facein turn. “And let me be crystal clear about one thing. Quinn is not to be harmed. Protect her at all costs. If anything happens to her…”

He leaves the threat unfinished, but the message is clear.

Nico dismisses our crew, and the air thrums with energy as everyone breaks off into their assigned groups, engines roaring to life.

As the last team peels away, I’m left standing with Nico and Killian.

---