Page 6 of Breeding Justice

“You’re the best person I know, and you’re a hardened criminal.”

I laughed. "We were never that hard," I said. "More like soft-boiled delinquents."

“I think I’ve seen you kill more people than Skylar.”

“I have to keep him interested somehow.”

“I have a feeling Skylar would be interested in you no matter what,” he said softly. “Wait. Did you hear that?”

I shook my head. “No, he hasn’t stirred once,” he said. “He’s been asking about Bash and Justice and Uncle Skylar, though.”

Hassan rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Right. Well, aside from the fingering myself advice, maybe we can talk about how best to get Justice, Bash and Skylar out?”

I leaned back, running a hand through my hair. "It's not going to be easy," I admitted. "Getting them out requires a level of coordination and planning that we haven't had to deal with since...well, since the old days. And we’re short two men and our girlfriend.”

“Right. Okay,” he said. “Since you don’t want me to go in there guns blazing, what do you suggest I do?”

I paused, considering the complexity of our situation. Hassan was right; we were in a tight spot, and rash actions would only make things worse. We needed a plan that took every variable into account, one that minimized risk while maximizing our chances of success.

"First, we need information," I said slowly, as if speaking my thoughts directly into existence. "We need to know exactly where they're being held, who’s guarding them, and what kind of timetable we're looking at."

Hassan's brow furrowed. "And how do we get that without tipping them off?"

He had a point. The people holding our friends were no amateurs; they were as cunning as we once were, maybe evenmore so. Any misstep could alert them to our intentions and put Bash, Justice, and Skylar in even greater danger.

And even leaving…even leaving, for a second, meant putting Sebastian in danger. That little boy didn’t deserve any of this—and he was exactly what Vito wanted. He was the reason they had all been kidnapped in the first place, the reason I had been shot. The drugs were good, but I knew the pain was going to come back something fierce once they were off, and I wasn’t ready for that.

Yet I knew that physical pain was the least of our worries. The emotional toll, the fear for our loved ones, the gnawing uncertainty—that was what threatened to break us.

"Hassan," I said, choosing my words carefully, "we can't rush this. Every move we make has to be calculated. We need allies, resources...time."

"We don't have time," he snapped, then immediately looked contrite. "I'm sorry. It's just...Sebastian is scared and alone. They're my family, but I can’t bear the idea of anything happening to him.”

“Yeah, they’re my family too,” I said.

Though I didn't mean for it to, my words came out sharper than I'd intended. Hassan flinched as if struck, and an uncomfortable silence settled between us. I took a deep breath, trying to let goof the anger that had flared up. We were both exhausted, both stretched thin by the sheer weight of what we were carrying.

"I know," he said quietly, breaking the silence. "I'm just—"

"Terrified," I finished for him. "I get it, Hassan. Believe me, I do."

“I know I’m the only physically fit to go in there and get them back, but I worry they’ll try to come at you to get Sebastian,” Hassan said. “If I leave the baby for even a second…”

"Don’t leave," I interrupted, my mind racing ahead to the scenarios we might face. "Not yet, at least. We have to assume that Vito’s men are watching us, waiting for a move. If you go charging in and something happens—"

"I get it," he said, cutting me off but not with anger. More with resignation, like a man accepting an unbearable truth. "So we’re just supposed to sit here and do nothing?"

"We're supposed to be smart about this," I countered. "Bash and Justice are tough. Skylar...well, he’s insane. He’ll be alright.”

Hassan sighed deeply, running a hand through his perpetually tousled hair. "So what’s the plan, then?"

I paused, thinking through the labyrinth of possibilities. "We need someone on the inside, or at least close enough to Vito's crew that they can get us the information we need without raising suspicion."

"Who?" Hassan asked skeptically. "Everyone who ran with us is either out of the game or...well, out. And we can’t afford to play the long game and try to smoke a De Vito rat out. He’s not going to throw any more parties where I can get information out of anyone.”

I nodded, knowing he was right. Our network had dissolved over the years, and those who remained loyal were either retired or dead. The thought of trying to rekindle old alliances was as daunting as it was unwise.

“We’ll have to think outside the box,” I said. “Maybe there’s someone in Vito’s extended circle who has a grudge, someone we can turn. Or we could find a way to bug one of their hangouts, listen in on their plans.”

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