My Name Is Adela Kirigan (A Shadow and Bone Season 1 Fanfiction)

Chapter 8: An Unwanted Intrusion

In Ketterdam... 

Kaz Brekker looked out the window from the top floor of the lair of the Crows, watching people gamble, drink, dance, the like. That was, until he heard noise coming from the front part of the room. He spun around, thinking it was Inej, who had left just a second earlier, furious with him for seemingly biting off more than he could chew with the job that was involved with Dreesen to kidnap the Sun Summoner and bring her back to Ketterdam. For what reason, he was unsure of. 

'Inej! Listen, I...' He stopped short when two men walked into the room. Definitely wasn't Inej. The surprise on Kaz Brekker's face said as much, but he never showed fear. They moved to corner him, and like a snake, he struck out with his cane. But he was soon overpowered and forced to his knees as Pekka Rollins stepped into the room. 

'Evening,' the corrupt businessman said, sniffling slightly, at a weak attempt to be polite. 'Mr. Brekker, is it?' Kaz hated Pekka Rollins, always had. There was an unspoken kind of animosity between the two. Past sins, perhaps, committed by the latter against the former during his childhood. 

'You're a long way from home,' Kaz taunted. 

'Am I?' he countered. 'Like you were earlier? When you took a Grisha from the Orchid.' 

'The Orchid isn't Dime Lions' turf,' Kaz replied, staring up defiantly at the man. 

'Well, it's a new acquisition.' He hummed. 'Well, you heard it here first. Now.' One of the men passed him Kaz's cane, and he eyed it, bringing it forward to lean on it with one hand. 'Now, I know you saw Dreesen. You got the jump on whatever job he has. I don't know the details, obviously, just that you have a little travel hazard ahead of you. So, here's the deal. You can do nothing, walk away from it. I'll tell Dreesen I'm taking over for you. Then we're even.' 

'Not even close,' Kaz snapped defiantly. 

'Hang on. The other option is...' He hooked the crow head cane around Kaz's neck and pulled him close, making the point of the golden beak dig painfully into the back of his neck. 'I'll cave your head in with your own cane and dump you in the harbor.' There was a moment of silence. 'That first option seems better now, don't it?' Pekka stood from the chair, throwing the cane onto Kaz's desk. 

'Tell me...' Kaz said softly, making Pekka look down at him. 'Have we ever made a deal before?' 

'You and me? Nah. Otherwise you'd know better. Or you'd be dead. Come on.' He and his men left, leaving Kaz on the floor alone - and seemingly defeated. 

'He doesn't have a way across the Fold, and we both know it,' Inej said to Jesper as she took a shot of clear coloured liquor. 

'I bet he'll figure it out,' Jesper replied. When she said nothing, he resorted to pleading. 'Come on. Take that bet. Bolliger won't play with me anymore, so...' The bartender placed another shot glass on the counter. 'Thank you.' 

'He's obsessed with taking down Pekka Rollins,' Inej remarked. 

'Of course he's obsessed with the one villain in town who's paid off the stadwatch to get away with murder.' The bartender placed yet another down as Inej drank again. 'Thanks. Another one, Joe.' 

'No, it's more than that,' Inej replied. 'I've seen the way Kaz looks when he says Pekka's name. Kaz wants revenge.' Just then, someone came up and handed Inej a note. She turned away and unfolded it to see the mark of the Menagerie, of her old former matron, Tante Heleen, on the note. She turned back to Jesper. 'Of course she calls for me now.' 

'Off to the Menagerie?' Jesper asked as she walked away. 'Want company?' 

'No.' 

'No, I meant to watch your back.' The comment was lost on Inej. All was quiet on his end for a few moments. That was, until Kaz Brekker, with messy hair and an angry expression on his face, limped up to the bar and took the remaining shot glass, downing it in an instant. 'You all right, boss?' 

'No,' Kaz replied gravely. 'I've been warned off the job.' 

'By who?' Kaz glared at him. 

'Who do you think?' 

'Did he remember you?' 

'If he had, I'd be dead.' He pulled out his watch from his waistcoat and eyed it. 'Sunrise is in five hours.' 

'Yeah, but we're off the job now, right?' 

'Never make decisions out of fear, Jesper. Only out of spite.' 

'Well, greed always worked for me,' Jesper said with a hopeful, half-cocked smile. 

'Go guard the door,' Kaz snapped, and just like that Jesper left on his boss' orders. 

In Ravka... 

The Grisha opened the door to the carriage for Alina Starkov. 

'You heard me. Let's go. Get in.' 

'No. There's been a mistake. I need to find Mal.' 

'The general does not make mistakes. His orders were to get you to Little Palace immediately. Now get in the coach.' 

'Everyone makes mistakes. Look at me. Do I look important to you?'

'You look like trouble. Which is nearly the same. Move.' 

'Wait,' she said. 'Malyen Oretsev. He's in the medic tent. I need to speak to him. I'm going to speak to him.' She moved to go, but the Grisha grabbed her arm forcefully. 

'Listen to me. Every spy in the area will hear what you did and our enemies will come for you. Our only chance is to get you to Os Alta, behind palace walls, before you get killed. Come on.' He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the coach.

Mal sat in the tent, getting his leg mended further, when horses galloped by, the coach rattling along behind them. Alina sat inside, screaming for Mal. He instantly got up and ran as best as he could. 

'Mal!' 

'Alina!' 

'No! No, stop! I didn't know!'

'Alina!' 

'I didn't know!' 

'Alina!' 

'Mal!' But it was too late. The coach rattled on, carrying the supposed Sun Summoner with it, off in the distance, towards Os Alta and the Little Palace. Mal stopped, looking mournfully after the carriage. 

'Are you two close?' Zoya asked, walking up to Mal. He turned. 'Oh,' she replied, rather disdainfully. 'Is she the friend you ran off to?' 

'Where are they taking her?' 

'She'll be fine. She's in good hands.' 

'Not while she's around Grisha,' Mal said, and stalked away, still slightly limping.

'Soldier! She is one now.' Mal ignored Zoya.