The Curse Of The Fold ━ shadow & bone [2] ✔

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑜

CHAPTER TWO
These Scars Wound

Marissa walked into the pub earlier, now she was sitting at a booth, ignoring Jesper and Inej's conversation as she drank her third tea slowly. Soon enough, Kaz, Wylan, and Nina walked in.

    "You made sure you weren't followed?" Kaz wondered.

    "Always."

    "Ooh. Is this place still serving breakfast?" Nina asked with a smile.

    "Jes has a question to ask you." Inej told Kaz.

    "Look, a lot has happened since last night. We found out we lost our home, and then you blew it up just to piss off Pekka Rollins." Jesper muttered, glancing back and forth between Kaz and Wylan.

    "And?"

    "Have you heard we also shot a Stadwatch with his own gun?" Jesper brought up.

    "All Stadwatch carry the same gun and it's standard issue. This is Pekka Rollins firing back at us." Kaz spat.

    "Who is this Pekka Rollins?" Nina asked.

    "A dick." Marissa answered simply, continuing to drink her tea.

    "You say his name and your blood pressure skyrockets." Nina added.

    "That's not part of your purview, Heartrender." Kaz spat.

    "You're right. But I tend to have opinions and... here's one: anger clouds judgment." Nina said.

    "Pekka Rollins runs the Barrel." Inej told Nina.

    "He cheated his way into an empire by running cheap cons. He isn't a boss, he's a scourge." Kaz ranted.

    "If you hate him so much, why not just hire me to kill him? Or why hire me at all? Your sharpshooter or your Wraith could take him out, easy. I've seen Marissa kill a group of men easily with one wave of her hand." Nina stated.

    "It's not enough to kill him. Killing him doesn't help us clear our names. That's why I need all of you, so I can hang everything back on him." Kaz explained.

    "And we are the pawns who enact your personal vendetta?" Inej wondered.

    "the four of us are under equal jeopardy. And if they catch us, we can't protect you. And you'll have to turn to Pekka to see your man. And sooner or later, they will start to realise who you are." Kaz turned to Marissa finally. Then he turned back to look at Nina. "No doubt with some very unappealing conditions attached."

    "All of that in mind, I mean, Marissa, Inej and I need to know the plan." Jesper said.

    "Um, yes, I... I, too, would like to know the plan." Wylan announced, looking at the Crows then he crossed his arms.

    Kaz looked around quickly. "To get leverage on him, I need to know the scope of his business, inside-out. There are two ways to learn this. The first is by following his driver, tracking his schedule. Second, his accountant, Henrick Van Poel. If I get access to Pekka's books, it'll tell me everything I need to know. So, we need to get into that building." Kaz instructed, prompting Inej to open the small curtain.

    "It's where his accountant works. Although, there's no way of knowing which office. That's the mission." Kaz said.

    Nina stood up. Kaz explained the plan, then Nina came back with waffles, handing a separate plate to Marissa.

    "I need you with me while I copy Henrik's books. Gunfire would only draw attention, but a Heartrender—" Kaz started.

    "Has many skills. Yes, like this. Second floor, second-last door on the left." Nina told Kaz.

    "What?" Kaz said, bewildered.

    "Henrik's office. Do you mind?" Nina said, asking Inej to pass the water and glass.

    "How do you know this?" Inej asked.

    "I asked the waitress."

    "How did she know?"

    "People who work in places like that, they eat in places like this. And sometimes they get the meals delivered, so I said, 'Um, excuse me, but I have a delivery and I can't read the directions'. Ta-da." Nina smirked.

    "Now this is the Nina I remember." Marissa smiled.

    "I'm sorry— how many people do you know other than us?" Jesper questioned.

    "A few."

    "I like having her around." Jesper said, referring to Nina.

    "And I like truth. You said you'd get me in to see Matthias." Nina said to Kaz.

    They were all getting prepared for this mission. Marissa stood in the alleyway in the streets, hidden away from everyone and everything. Kaz told her to stay in the literal shadows until they needed backup. Throughout the night, she heard almost a million gunshots, then Kaz found her and gave her the clear signal.

    Now, the group was reunited.

    "Assuming you got ambushed, too?" Jesper asked.

    "Oh, yeah, so many of them, I lost count." Nina said.

    "I got what I needed, and Wylan's bombs took care of the rest. Get her inside." Kaz said about Inej, who was severely injured.

    Marissa went in as well. The large cuts across her face kept bleeding recently. She took a cloth and started to clean the scars. Her right hand started to feel a sudden pain. She opened her eyes and when she looked in the corner of the room, she saw a version of Aleksander. She shook her head and the vision of him disappeared.

Marissa and Nina are >>>

Marissa is just enjoying her tea and waffles happily

Okay, bye!