Page 20 of King of Cruelty

Calm and safe did not describe the screaming stampede that tore out of Banana Tree.

Sienna and I plastered against the corner, staying out of the way. On the screen, the cops rushed all over the place, escorting people away from the area, and barking at those not moving fast enough. One of them turned to the reporter and cameraman, and the live feed blinked out just like that.

Only when everyone else was gone did we chance going down the stairs and out into the street where the guys were waiting.

“Let’s hurry, we don’t have a lot of time,” Liam said, leading the way to his car. “We need to get back to the compound and trace that number.”

“Genny said the place was owned by Luca. It’s where they’re keeping the Cardinals.”

“So that’s why the Brotherhood kept that shitstain around,” Bane growled. “They use his network of hellholes to hide their kidnapped enemies. Or disappear them completely.”

Sienna shuddered. “I don’t understand these people, or what they’re after. They hate the Merchants—okay. They think the Merchants are destroying the city—sure. They want revenge—blah, blah, blah. But if you guys are terrible people preying on the innocent, what the hell does that make Luca, Madison, and Vito? How can they pretend to have any kind of moral high ground when they get involved with scum like them?”

We jogged across the street, consumed by the question, but neither of us having an answer for it.

It was a long drive back to the compound, but a tense one. The guys went back and forth on how to find Genny, and how much firepower they’d need to rescue her and the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Sienna and I closely monitored the news coverage of the gas station.

We were pulling into the parking garage when the bomb squad gave the all-clear, confirming they successfully defused the weapon.

“And that’s another strike against these psychotic hypocrites,” I said. “If that bomb had gone off at a gas station of all places, it would’ve taken out that entire street and killed dozens of people. Madison whined and cried about the Merchants ruining her and her mother’s life, but she had no problem hooking up with Luca who destroyed the lives of countless moms and their children, and she just as likely doesn’t care about all the moms and kids that would’ve died today from the bomb she and her buddies left behind.

“How in the world can these people think they’re better than you when they’re the worst most vile scum in absolutely every way?”

“Honestly, I’ve been thinking about that,” Sunny spoke up. He climbed out of the driver seat, then came around the back to open my door. “I’ve been thinking about what Madison told you. I’ve been thinking about the women Luca targeted, and I’ve been thinking about where the Brotherhood has been leaving their little exploding presents.

“Maybe they’re not out tofreeall of Cinco from us. Maybe they only care about freeing some of Cinco from us. The people they think matter.”

I climbed out, frowning. “The people they think matter? Who?”

“Not anyone from Rockchapel for fuck sure. Not a bunch of biker chicks working out of a warehouse. Not a bunch of poor single moms. And not anyone who’d be hanging around an abandoned movie theater in a bad part of the city,” he said slowly, his expression serious.

“That’s why they’re not going after the Rockchapel gangs. That’s why they don’t care about the Rat King.Thatis why the bomb was only put in your car, Liam, even though that piece-of-shit valet could’ve just as easily set it off in the restaurant and made damn sure. That’s it!” he shouted, making me jump. “We’ve been so distracted by the small-time scum they’ve been sending at us that we’ve completely missed the obvious.

“How well organized they are. How well funded they are. How determined they are to take us and just us out.” Sunny backed out of the still-open garage, his eyes sweeping the soaring skyscrapers. “Bane, remember what Mom used to say? That the most dangerous criminals aren’t the poor and desperate ones—”

“—they’re the connected ones,” he finished. “The ones with a badge. The ones with a gavel. The ones in the White House, the ones with money... and the ones with privilege.”

Slowly, Bane and Sunny turned to Liam.

“Wait, no,” I cried, grabbing Liam’s arm. “You can’t think—”

“No, Kenzie, they don’t.” Liam laid a hand over mine. “They’re not saying I’m a part of this. They’re saying I’m to blame. Because the Brotherhood isn’t from Rockchapel, no matter what gas stations they hide in. They’re based right here in Leighbridge... and I didn’t see it.”

“What?” Sienna stepped forward. “But how can you be sure of that?”

“Think about it, Si,” Bane said. “Think about how wanton and callous their destruction is when theydon’tcare about the collateral damage. Now, think about the one time they did.”

Sienna nodded slowly, eyes glazing. “You’re right. I see... I see it... You’re right,” she whispered. “Liam is the most visible of all of you. A successful well-known businessman, but one that’s always working or dining in a fancy Leighbridge business. A bomb in your nightclub could’ve taken you out a long time ago, but they’d never do that becauseimportantpeople go there. The only people whose lives they value.”

“The Brotherhood is based here?” I rasped. “Right under our noses the whole time?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Sunny said. “It makes so much sense, I should’ve fucking figured it out before.”

“I’ll take care of this,” Liam growled, “but first, I need to track the number that called Kenzie. It has to lead back to Genny.”

“But then...” My mind was still going a mile a minute. I barely noticed when Liam slipped the phone from my hand and took off. “But then... we were wrong...”

“We’ve been looking at all of this upside down. We’ve been thinking upside down,” Sunny was saying to Bane. “Rememberthe Conglomerate? That band of corrupt CEOs that joined forces to cover, bribe, cheat, steal, and kill for the other?”

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