Six of Crows AU

Chapter Eight: Kaz

As requested by coolcool23 and b-ball_and_books.   (Yes, I know that isn't three, but I wanted to finish this chapter) ;)

Kaz flicked his fake ID across the counter of the Crow Club. The bartender looked up at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" she asked, just sliding the ID back over the counter, she knew who he was.

"A shot of whiskey. And whether I'm supposed to be in school or not is none of your business." The bartender raised a brow.

"I'm not giving you alcohol."

"Then I'll take a tonic," he growled. She nodded, pink hair bobbing in its loose bun as she turned away. Kaz slipped the ID back in his wallet and put it back in his pocket, taking out his phone. He went into his photos, looking for pictures of him and his friends, he felt lonely, and he didn't know why. He clicked on one of his favorites, Nina in a skimpy black bikini jumping up into Matthias' arms, a look of terror on her face, and Inej in a white bikini, smiling and running after them, and you could just make out a fin in the background of the photo, between waves. Kaz chuckled, Matthias had almost fallen over when Nina had jumped into his arms, surprising him. Another was one Jesper had taken of him and Inej, against his permission. Inej had tripped on the boardwalk down to the beach, and he had caught her. Jesper had snapped the photo and sent it to him. He was in his black swim shorts and Inej in her white suit. She was laughing and he was slightly smiling too. He clicked on one of Jesper and Matthias, doing an arm wrestle, Matthias smirking and Jesper sweating, his face contorted with concentration. His drink was slid across the counter too him. Her blue eyes found his.

"Your friend just went missing, right?" Kaz glanced up at her from a picture of Inej in a red prom dress for junior year, she'd gone with a boy named Quentin, one of the populars.  The woman flicked a paper across the bar to him and then left to tend to someone else.  Kaz read over the article, and cursed when it mentioned him.  Now people would be coming after him.  He downed his drink then got up and limped to the back of the Crow Club to his office.  He locked his door and slumped into his desk chair.  He took out his computer and looked up everything he could about the new gang.  His phone started ringing.  he took it out of his pocket, his eyes still taking in the words he'd just read.  He looked down at his phone, it was Jesper.  He rolled his eyes and took the call.

"What do you want?" he snapped.

"We've been at Nina's house, me, Wylan, Matthias and–"

"What do you want?  I'm busy."  Kaz leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on his desk.

"Well, we've been doing research, and I just found out that the new gang kills when they don't get what they want.  Inej is in more trouble than we thought."  Kaz could have sworn his heart stopped for a moment.  Thoughts started turning in his head, and he didn't realize it'd been a few minutes since he'd made a sound.

"Kaz?"

"Okay.  I've got a plan.  None of you go near where I'm going tonight, or near the Barrel.  I don't want to see any of you till tomorrow, or hear that you've been here.  I've got things to do."

"Kaz?  Kaz!  Kaz, wait!  We just want to–"  Kaz hung up, setting his phone down and rubbing his eyes.  He stood up and walked out of his office, going over to the bar.  He found one of his good spies, Emil.

"Emil, go to the Emerald Palace and play a few rounds of cards, and bring up the topic of the White Alligators.  Figure out as much as you can, and bring the information back to me.  I'll be here for only two more hours."  Emil nodded and ran out the door, going to do his work.  Kaz closed his eyes.  He had a plan.  It had to work.  He had to save Inej.