Blood and Bone | 1

6 | 0

J A K E

     
      I was alone in the car with my thoughts as I drove away from the compound. No one had bothered to ask where I was going; they were too upset with me for handing Peterson over with the Needles. During the car ride back to the compound, I could practically smell their anger and fear. I reveled in it. It was better to be feared than loved.

      I was aware that they were also angry that I hadn't taken the opportunity to catch Adiago Hundsen like I'd promised Hunt in London. I smiled to myself. The director of the ONNT didn't know what he was dealing with. Or who he was dealing with.

      As I drove, I turned the stolen watch over in my hand. It had Hundsen's name nearly engraved on the back. I clenched my hand around it. The golden watch was only the first of many things I would take from Adiago Hundsen.

      The familiar area came back into view. I parked the car on the darkest part of the street and shut the door quietly.

     Snaking through the labyrinth of alleyways again, I walked with a purpose. Everyone else had bought the treaty I'd made with Hundsen: the Crepuscule Club, the Needles, my crew, and Hundsen himself. The only person that I suspected saw through it was Tesla; I could feel her suspicious gaze on me as we escaped the lair.

      But it was only because she knew how badly I wanted Hundsen to burn. There was no other reason. I partly regretted telling her that much about myself; once someone knew your weakness, they could exploit it.

      And that was exactly the principle I would apply to Hundsen's downfall.

      The night breeze blew chilly air through my hair, but as usual, I didn't feel it. I had never minded the cold. In fact, I welcomed it.

      I knew that I was nearing the hideout again; I could feel it. Hundsen was near. I took another left down the alley behind a restaurant and past a couple of trash cans filled to the brim. I could hear talking inside the eating area, coming from people spending the late night with friends and family. They had no idea what was happening so near to them. There was a lamp that threw out yellow rays into the misty air. I avoided it and kept walking.

I stood before the building yet again. The hole Henderson had blown in the side of it was gaping wide, like a mouth ready to swallow me up. So I marched in, unafraid of whatever was inside.

      The warehouse was abandoned. The Club was gone, most likely raiding the Needle's headquarters since I'd given them its location.

      I lazily made my way to Hundsen's office, staying in the shadows of the vast building to avoid being seen before I wanted to be. I felt like a wraith, drifting between the numerous shelves, aimed toward my enemy with malicious intent.

      Then, I saw him. He was in his office exactly as I had predicted. Someone had to watch over the prisoners and I doubted Hundsen trusted anyone else enough to do it in these tumultuous times.

      Making sure that I was absolutely silent, I neared the door. It was cracked open only a sliver. Pushing it open, I strode inside and stood ten feet from Hundsen. I was ten feet away from dragging my knife across his throat, ten feet away from punching his well-brimmed face.

      His dark eyes barely widened when he noticed me. "I knew that deal was too good to be true. You want me dead too much to leave me in peace."

      "Letting you live in peace would be far too good for you."

      "Oh Evans," Hundsen spoke, putting his pen down and leaning back in his chair. "It must kill you to know that I'm still alive and thriving."