Love can find you |~ Kaz Brekker ~|

|4| Wylan and Nina

The two snuck into the demolition expert's domain. "Go behind there, Ellie." She did as he said. A few minutes passed and the door slammed. Down came a small boy with a huge backpack and a small instrument case. Kaz slid out of the shadows. "Wylan."

Wylan gasps slightly. "You're alive."

"Thanks in part to you." Kaz walked around to the table with multiple chemicals lying on them. Wylan followed him to the table.

"Stadwatch are after you." He stuttered.

Kaz, however, ignored him. "How much phosphorus did you pack into that flash bomb? The escape option against the Darkling?"

"Did you need it? Was it enough?" The smaller boy questioned.

"Nearly." Kaz replied blankly. "I need you to make a new package for me."

"Uh..." Wylan scratched the back of his neck. "You said that was a one time thing, not a real step into your world."

"I was strapped at the time." Kaz snapped lightly. He stared Wylan down. "When was the last time you ate?"

He stood silent.

"Danny, do to still have those mints in your pocket?" Kaz called out behind him. "He needs something to digest." Wylan raised an eyebrow and peered over. Out came Danny, reaching for the mints she always kept in her jacket pocket. Wylan's eyes widened slightly.

"Uh- um, thank you." He gratefully took the candy from her. As he did this, Kaz was examining different vials and bowls of chemicals. "Ah! Don't- don't touch that specific bottle. You'll be itching for days..." he touched his hand in a phantom moment of remembrance. Kaz paused and wiped his gloved hand on his dark vest.

"Well. Have you any extra bombs?" Kaz asked. Who am nodded and handed him a box of explosives. "I'll be on my way the. Elle stay here."

"Okay. Be safe." She said. Not wanting to show affection in front of someone new, he nodded with a small smirk sent her direction.

A few minutes had gone by with the two sitting in silence, occasionally some small talk. She had noticed how polite and overall sweet this Wylan guy was.

Wylan was looking through his shelves and Danny spinning in a chair when Jesper had come in. "Hello? Anyone here? Oh, hey Danny, Love!" He hugged her and she hugged him back.

Wylan spun around whilst wiping his hands at this. "Oh! Hi- I wasn't expecting you."

"And you are?" Jesper asked with an eyebrow raised.

"We've- Wylan." He stuttered. Elle supposed he just has a stutter or something with how much he does so.

"No, I mean why did Kaz have us meet here?" Jesper clarified. Wylan looked down sadly.

"Oh." He let out softly. "I guess I'm your demolitions man."

Jesper stopped messing around with a bottle that was on the demo table. "You? You've got all your fingers."

"Well, maybe I'm careful." Wylan said in response, trying to take the bottle out of Jesper hands.

"Careful is something you learn from losing your fingers." Letting go of the bottle, he stalked over to Danny, placing his arm on her shoulder.

"Ugh you're so bony." She playfully pushed him off her. He ruffled her hair before he walked away to Kaz who had finally came back from wherever he went.

"So this novice is telling me that he's our new demo man. Raske is better. Or even Pim."

"And yet Wylan is the one I hired." Kaz gave him an angry side glance as he limped his way down the steps.

"Shouldn't you be graduating university and, oh I don't know, start a Desmond job?" Jesper sassed to Wylan.

"Leave him alone." Danny stood up and over to Wylan, she pat his back in a comforting manner. Everyone's attention went towards Inej who had just entered with a woman behind her.

"You're here." Kaz greeted.

"With a new heartrender." Nodded Inej.

"Nina Zenik, at your service."  Ins took off her hat with a charming smile.

"Nina Zenik?" The four crows asked in unison.

The woman chuckled. "Well that's a reaction. Is there a famous Nina Zenik that I don't know of?"

"Can I get anyone some tea?" Wylan tried to defuse the tension by asking. They all ignored him. Danny inches closer to him and rubbed his arm. He gave her a thankful smile. He thought she could just tell he was a little upset but she just read his mind. He was feeling awkward.

"You worked with Arken." Kaz stated.

Nina winced slightly. "It was more of a limited partnership."

"Did you trust him?" Kaz asked her.

"That turncoat? Not on your life." Zenik scoffed. "The man was shadier than an oak at three bells."

"What's your price?" Kaz started to negotiate.

"I've expanded the legal avenues on my problem. Every clerk in the city says the same thing. 'The judge will see you in six months.'" She explained.

"So you're looking for the not so legal route?" Danielle confirmed.

"On what, exactly?" Kaz finished for her.

"I was told you could free someone from Hellgate." Nina told him matter of factly. Kaz sent Inej a glare who just shrugged back at him. "I say as if he's anyone, and in truth, he's the love of my life." Nina started to frown, clear sadness painted on her face. Kaz glanced at Elle.

He gets it. He's in love too. Though her never admit it. "I can't get you a release from Hellgate." He broke to her. Nina's frown deepened. "But I can get you a visit. In exchange for your services."

She nodded. "What do you need me for?"

"The aftermath." He then walked up the stay with the help of his cane. "Follow me."

Elle and Inej immediately went to it, Jesper quickly removing himself from the side railing of the stairs. Wylan jogged yo the stairs after then. Inej stopped halfway up. "He does this."

"Hm. Does he."

The six made their way up to the roof overlooking most of the Barrel, including the Crow, now the dime lions, club.

"Brick by brick." Kaz muttered.

An explosion. Who am looked away with a small flinch, Ellie flinching a bit as well. Kaz instinctively put out his hand to stable her.

"What was that." Jesper let out.

"The Crow Club." Inej breathlessly replied.

"I had some really nice hats in there." He looked to where Wylan was standing next to him. "Was that yours?"

The small boy looked away with shame.

"I take it we're now in the aftermath?" Nina asked the leader.

"This doesn't help us clear our names Kaz." Inej calmly scolded. "This is war with Pekka Rollins, the King of the Barrel."

"The Barrel doesn't belong to kings." Kaz snapped. He turned from the scene in front of him and walked back into the building they were all stood upon. "It belongs to Bastards."