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DINARA DIDN'T KNOW if she was going to have to hold Kaz back from trying to attack the man in front of them. She was mad at herself for not noticing him sooner, how she could have not noticed the slight shift in the floor boards because of the new weight that had managed to come into the room, unless he had been there the whole time. But how could she had not notice the man who was lurking in the shadows, it was her speciality to hide in them after all, how could she have not seen him. Dinara could practically see the steam that was flooding out of Kaz's ears at the sight of Pekka Rollins standing in front of them, the boys hands clenching into fists as vision flooded with red. Blood red. The blood of his brother, the way his lifeless corpse helped Kaz survive and make his was back to Ketterdam, the way that Pekka didn't even notice that Kaz was the same boy he had conned. Dinara's fingers slowly started toying with the knife that was hidden in her waistband, waiting for the signal from Kaz to use it.
"The thing never keeps the time right," Pekka said, taking out his pocket watch ( the watch that he had to replace after Kaz stole the old one ), flicking it with his hand a few times, making sure that it was working right before stuffing it back into his pocket. "Well, right about now, my lieutenants should be rounding up your crew and a certain priceless hostage at Black Veil Island. I've also prepared something special for the Wraith. An extraordinary asset, that girl. I didn't like the thought of that particular arrow in your quiver, so I found someone ever more extraordinary to take care of her. Did you really think you'd be that hard to find, Brekker? I've been at this game a long time. All I had to do was think what I'd have done when I was younger and more foolish."
Kaz and Dinara arrived at the same thought immediately, Van Eck was smarter than he looked. "You're working for Van Eck." It was smart really, teaming up with the richest man in the Barrel, one who didn't think like a businessman, but wanted to act like one.
"I'm working with Van Eck. After you came to me lookign for cash, I had a feeling he might have need of my services. He was hesitant at first, hadn't had the best luck making deals with Barrel boys. But that little stunt you pulled with his wife drove him right into my loving arms. I told Van Eck you'd always be a step ahead of him because he can't help thinking like a businessman. He's a savvy one, no doubt, but a man of limited imagination. Whereas you, Brekker, think like a villainous little thug. You're me with a lot more hair and lot less style. Van Eck thought he had you all tied up on West Stave, felt pretty good about calling in the standwatch too. But I knew you'd be more slippery than that."
"You knew I would be here?" "Classic stalker behavior." "Shut up, Dinara."
"I knew you couldn't resist it. Oh, I didn't know what plan you'd concoct, but I knew whatever scheme you devised would bring you here. You couldn't pass up the chance to humiliate Van Eck, to take back what you thinks he owes you."
"Okay, now listen here," Dinara snapped. She moved forward a little bit, still placed behind Kaz as she knew he wouldn't like her being in front of him. "A deal is a deal. He broke that deal. Now, either pay up or my knife is going to end up in your thigh before I torture you."
Rollins clicked his tongue as he eyed her up and down, his mind rolling with thoughts as Kaz tried to get her to stand behind him. It was useless, seeing as Dinara had a mind of her own and she was more than capable of taking care of herself. "I suppose you're right. Brekker, maybe we can discuss terms, and for one, I want her."
"Burn in hell," Kaz said, not even waiting a second to let the words slip out of his mouth. There was no way that Rollins was going to lay a finger on Dinara, not while he was alive and breathing. His hands had slipped into Wylan's satchel, feeling the Shadow's eyes piercing his gloved hand as she watched him, curious glances going between his hand and Pekka. Kaz pulled the seal from his pocket, enjoying the way Pekka's eyes glinted at the sight of it.
"Come now, Brekker. You're tough, I confess, but I've got you cornered and outnumbered. You can't make the drop from that window, and the stadwatch are waiting down below. Don't do anything foolish."
"Get ready," Kaz mumbled, sending a quick wink to Dinara who was getting excited at the possible notion of causing commotion. He tossed the seal to Pekka, not even allowing the man to catch it before the acid hit the ground, burning up the carpet which was below their feet. Dinara let out a laugh as the floor caved, causing them to land on the dinner table, smashing it.
"See you on the other side!" Dinara laughed as she grabbed a roll and dashed behind Kaz and Wylan, making sure the younger boy was safe. As she jumped over the ham, her hands went down and made sure to grab a few slices, shoving them in her mouth. "Send the recipe, this is amazing."
Kaz and Dinara took out the two guards that were waiting for them in the garden, Wylan trailing behind them, watching with awe. The three of them managed to get across the garden and leaped over the railing of the dock, landing in the boat that Rotty had kept waiting. Dinara could hear the sounds of guns being fired, but as soon as one hit over her shoulder, crushing into the stone, Kaz sent the word to Wylan to drop everything he had. Rotty was beside himself when he was told that Pekka Rollins was there, but Kaz had shut him up quickly, his mind racing with all sorts of possibilities, all of them leading back to Pekka. He barely had time to catch up his mind before words were tumbling out of his mouth, "We're going to the warehouse district."
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