Page 88 of Martyr
“The military was penance.” Reese elbows me. “It’s fine.”
“You know whatisn’tfine?” Tem turns around.
The handgun is back in its holster at her hip, the wide belt accenting her figure. The Kevlar vest is strapped on tight, and she holds the rifle her brother gave her. I’m sure the rest of her magazines are in pockets, a knife in her boot… Everything about her screamswarrior. But she’s not, is she? She’s a martyr for this city. She’d rather die for it than see it ruined.
Hell, she proved that by coming back here. By enduring everything she’s been through.
She flicks her braid over her shoulder. “People come into this city withplans. They keep trying to take what’s ours. But it isn’t for sale. It’s not up for grabs. And we don’t go down without a fight.”
Reese sucks in a breath. One look at his face tells me everything: he’s invested.
He didn’t answer his own question—about the burning building—but I have no doubt he would run through Hell to save Artemis.
Tem lifts her chin. “Lucky for you guys, I have a plan.”
38REESE
Listeningto Artemis talk soothes something inside me. She’s smart and articulate. Those are traits Iknewshe possessed, but I absolutely appreciate and admire them. She sees the big picture and paints the picture for us.
Ouranos is the queen bee, and the Cyclopes are his soldiers. Kade confirms that beyond himself and Gabriel, there aren’t true leaders within their ranks. It isn’t like the military. They’re given orders at random, paired together as it suits Ouranos. They’re just pawns moved across the board, sacrificed at will.
And, like a true cult leader, Ouranos has convinced all of them that his will can lead them to some sort of salvation. He used that tactic on Kade, didn’t he? Maybe with a more personal touch… maybe with a bit more manipulation. But the messaging is the same, and it’s widespread. Surround yourself with like-minded people, become a mass or a horde or a swarm, and you’ll forget the individual.
They might’ve had objections, but there is nowhere to voice them. Ouranos perfected a combination of fear and adoration in his leadership.
And yet, at the heart of it, he is still Justice Marcus Graves of Emerald Cove. He’s still a man. He was once four years old. He was once sixteen and acne-prone.
What he won’t become is old, because his time is coming to an abrupt end.
Artemis has hinted at her plan for that, but what she’s decided to focus on is the worker bees.
The Cyclopes.
We took out their meeting spot—here. We killed some and piled them on the sidewalk out front as a warning. We turned on the Bow & Arrow neon logo above the door.
It isn’t much, but it kind of felt like a signal of a turning tide.
We didn’t find that many here, but Artemis has determined a few reasons:
One, it might not have been a night where Ouranos had anything major planned. We struck on a whim, and in a way, we got lucky that there weren’t more.
Two, the Cyclopes are in charge of enforcing a curfew across the city. I agree that it probably takes more manpower than we anticipated.
Three, they also have control of the sheriff’s office. To suspect that they mightalsobe holding that building would be logical.
Ouranos wanted Bow & Arrow for what’s underneath. But strategically speaking, the center of town would give him a better vantage point. He would be able to dispatch the Cyclopes to all parts of the city faster, especially North and East Falls. They took West Falls early. North Falls isn’t residential enough to cause a problem, especially once the club was theirs.
“Are you sure about this?” I call to Artemis.
She, Kade, and Saint are on motorcycles.
I’m in my truck, which has been packed to the nines with weapons. I am a driving arsenal… and I don’t even have a backseat.
She winks at me, then slaps the tinted visor down over her helmet. Her bike is all black, and she sits astride it like she was born there. I have no idea where she procured it, along with Kade’s and Saint’s. I got back from retrieving my truck, and there they were.
The plan is to ride through town, cause a ruckus, and get the Cyclopes to chase them.
The sub-plan is to not get shot in the process.
