Page 55 of The Merciless

Mia’s exhale was loud enough for all of them, “If we succeed, no more of…” her voice cut off, as if the thought of the possibility was too–

Frightening. Horrifying.

But she saw the glint in Christina’s eyes. The way Jack and Luke straightened, something like starkalertnessblasting through them.

Hopeful.

“God, I hope this works.” Akash murmured, clearly catching the twinkle in their eyes. The way they all seemed all the more hopeful for success despite their entire life’s work being disbanded.

“We go slow and steady.” Ray began carefully and got up from her seat. The others got to their feet as well, their gazes following her as she walked to one side and picked up the map from earlier. Knew what she was doing was a warning she wasn’t meant to ensue. But she didn’t give ashit.

She saw Cameron shuffle backward, clearing out the living room area as she grabbed the hem of the map with one hand and looked down at it brazenly. Once the space was clear in the middle, she whipped the map open, spreading it across like a carpet, and let it sit on the floor.

The red thread was gone, the pins marking its place instead. She could see the map. The signs.

“With the groups we formed before, we go after each of these sites.”

She went down on one knee, the paper rustling underneath her as she moved to point at each of the places, “We find out the people, the workings,everything.Scout out the cameras, find anyone who looks even closely responsible for everything that’s happened.” Her eyes still rested on the map, suddenhatredburning through her as she thought of the death that had been ripped from her hands, “This is a two-day job. One day to scout without getting caught. Second day to place the bombs and blow the entire place up after figuring out who leads these bullshit groups.”

When she looked up, they’d all made a circle around her. Everyone except Angel, who stood right beside her, his expression stark with conviction and focus. It resolved something in her, making that twinge of fear disappear altogether. He would do itwithher, she realized, he would let her burn his entire life’s work down if she hadn’t given him a choice. Ray turned to the rest of them as he offered her his hand. Not to get her up. Not tohelp.

But to support.

Ray placed her palm in his and got up, her other hand balling into a tight fist as she stared straight ahead.

“And ifanyoneinterferes.” She said, her voice calm, “Be sure to get rid of them.”

“We make no mistakes.”

All of them nodded, and she looked at their circle. Noticed how close they all truly were to the end. How close they were to the ending they had envisioned ever since she’d taken it upon herself to avenge Lia. She turned to Angel and thought,somehow that ending had turned into something new.

Morphed into something different that was now merged with revenge.

And how that might change what they’d envisioned afterall.

She just didn’t know if it was for the better or the worse.

12

“You arenotcomingwith me!”Ray yelled for what was definitely the fifth time as Angel leaned back against his bike and sighed. For the fifth time. Because Ira was standing her ground in front of her Ray, her hands crossed with a fierce expression on her face. Angel would’ve been proud of her if he wasn’t in full agreement with Ray,

“Then what do you expect me todo?”Ira exclaimed with equal force and Angel noticed Mia stalk in his direction from the corner of his eye. He shot her a grim smile when she stood beside him and handed him a helmet,

“They’re still at it?” she asked sourly, and Angel nodded, turning back to stare at the two girls.

“Stay. At. Home.” Ray said through gritted teeth, “I can’t have youlingeringaround. It’ll mess with my focus.”

“Oh yeah? Like a lot of goodthatdid when I stayed home last time.” Ira shot back.

Angel bit back a grin as a tick appeared on Ray’s jaw, her eyes shutting in sheer annoyance, “Fuckin’Christ,that wasour plan!”

“I know that!” Ira said indignantly, not really making sense anymore.

Mia leaned closer, her red hair brushing his shoulder, “Just say the word, I’ll knock her out.”

Angel whipped a morbid look in her direction just as Ray shot her a dirty glare, having heard her words. Ira took a clean step away from them acutely and opened her mouth to continue when Angel noticed a shadow take form from the entry of the building.

“Are you not done yet?”

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