Page 59 of Blood Bearon
Khove was nodding repeatedly, his brain spinning up now as he started thinking of all sorts of ways to rid themselves of the human thugs Korred was employing. Many options were opening up now. All of which led to Korred, and the closing of this chapter of House Ursa’s history.
Once the Traitor was well and truly dead, they could begin to heal, to act as one, once more. It was past time they cut out the cancer plaguing his family.
And Korred knew just how to do it.
He clapped the Hunter on the shoulder. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “It may have seemed simple to you, but it’s helped me immensely.”
Kincaid shrugged. “Best of luck. I wish I could be freed to help, but the Queen has decreed that we must all remain here to keep the Manor defended. You’re on your own this time.”
Shaking his head, Khove headed off, back to his quarters. “No, I’m not,” he said fiercely.
Although he’d been hoping to find a way to keep her out of this, it was becoming clear to Khove that he couldn’t. Analyzing situations like this was Rachel’s specialty, and she would have told him what to do if he’d just asked her. But now he had a plan, and the two of them were going to be Korred’s downfall.
Together.
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“Do you really think they’ll fall for this?” Rachel asked, her voice barely carrying the eight feet to where he stood, his back to the wall.
“I don’t see how they can’t,” he replied, equally quiet. “Korred’s entire mission is to destroy House Ursa thoroughly, since he can no longer control it. One of the best ways to do that, is to bankrupt us.”
“But he must know this is a trap,” she said, falling silent as footsteps approached.
Two humans muttered among themselves as they used industrial dollies to cart in boxes. The truck shook around Rachel as the heavy crates were stacked into place. The back of the armored truck was getting cramped as the bank guards loaded it full of gold. Both she and Khove were hidden at the back, one against either wall.
Their vision of what was happening outside was blocked by the shelving units affixed to both walls. It provided them with cover, but also prevented them from seeing out. Rachel didn’t like operating blind, but she had to admit, this was a hell of a plan.
“I didn’t know this much gold existed in Plymouth Falls,” she muttered as the guards left and went back for another load.
“We have special arrangements with the bank’s manager,” Khove explained, talking as if that was a common occurrence.
She shook her head. Of course they did. The Ursa family, clan, whatever, was proving to be far more powerful and wealthy than she’d imagined was possible. The sheer number of businesses and properties they owned and operated in Plymouth Falls was staggering. Now this? A casual arrangement for the bank to store an unimaginable amount of gold?
“How will they believe this isn’t a trap?” she asked, ears open, listening for any unusual sounds, including the guards returning. Nobody knew the two of them were in the back, or that a special police team had been waiting inside the bank all day, arriving in ones and twos and simply never leaving.
They were prepared. The trap was set. Now they just needed Korred to send his lackeys to try and take the truck.
“He knows it’s standard procedure,” Khove said, head turning slightly to the rear of the truck. “They’ve been waiting for this to happen, trust me.” He frowned. “You know, this might have been what he was trying to ensure would happen when he attacked our businesses to begin with.”
Rachel absorbed that information, thinking it through.
A clang outside the truck caught both their attention. She mouthed a question at Khove.
What was that?
He shrugged and pointed at the front, in the direction of the noise, but other than that, they had no idea what was going on out there. Someone grunted, and then the truck rocked slightly as something hit it behind her. Rachel swayed but the blow wasn’t strong enough to send her flying.
“Nicely done,” a voice said from the rear. “Look at all these boxes of gold. The boss is sure going to be happy with us!”
Rachel’s hand dropped to her hip, resting on the butt of her pistol, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. Looking across at Khove, she saw him shake his head ever so slightly.
Not yet, he mouthed, then said something else she didn’t catch, but his point was clear. Let them relax before we jump them.
“You two go inside, see how much more there is. I’m going to call the boss.”
Rachel straightened in alarm. Her men weren’t prepared to deal with Korred, not if he was anywhere near as dangerous as Khove said he was. They needed to stop him from making that call.
Glancing at Khove, she saw the same look on his face. They nodded, and she pressed a button on the radio. It sent a single click, the pre-arranged signal for the men inside to move in.
