Page 22 of Sloth
“That’s why we are here.”
“And what if something goes wrong?”
“If the Deadly Seven don’t stop the slaughter?” Despair reached into a tool box and retrieved a canister filled with acid. Her solution was to destroy the evidence?
Barry’s stomach rolled. The Syndicate were constantly pushing the buttons of the Deadly Seven. It was an obsessive game of theirs. The ultimate goal was to push them over the edge, get them falling prey to their sin, and becoming insatiable beasts themselves. Becoming unstoppable.
Barry wasn’t blind. He wasn’t stupid. He knew the boss was trying to prove that he could still manipulate and control the Deadly Seven, even though they weren’t in their grasp. But the real question was, who was he trying to prove it to?
“Need I remind you who will suffer if you don’t do this, Mr. Pinkerton?”
Stuffing his doubts deep inside, he adjusted the dosage on the drip feeding into the sleeping beast’s vein. Immediately, the animal awoke and snarled at them, knocking against the cage.
Despair opened the door and released the beast.
Six
Midday heat reflectedoff the sidewalk as Max walked along, tracking the GPS on his cell. He could have stayed at the office where Wyatt had ordered him to remain, but he’d been hired for security, and he took orders from Parker. Security was what he’d damn well provide.
Protect the Lazarus brood during civilian activities was his goal. If any of them gave away their powers or abilities, their identities would be compromised, and they wouldn’t be able to fight to protect those the system failed. He’d gone against his better judgement once, and a life was lost. A life very important to him.
Never again.
Sometimes these Lazarus siblings were their own worst enemy.
Coming up to a block of retail stores, Max checked the tracker. Looking up at the street sign, he knew he was close. This was the Quadrant, the lifeblood of the city. Four shopping and cultural districts surrounded an enormous park enjoyed by many, especially on a clear summer day. It was the perfect place for Sloan and her usual brand of hijinks to ensue.
AIMI’s voice came across his ear-piece, directing him as he walked.“Turn next right and you will find your destination in twenty feet.”
Max packed away his cell, stuffing it into the pocket of his fatigues. Despite the heat, he wore a denim jacket to conceal his Glock. It still amazed him how easy the license had been to obtain. In Australia, it was unheard of to walk around with a gun strapped under your arm.
He approached the shop window and stopped, pretending to be enamored with the mannequins dressed in evening attire. He searched beyond into the store. Sloan was in there with Misha, somewhere. Unless this was one of Sloan’s pranks…nah. He dismissed the thought immediately. Sloan had been conspicuously silent since the incident on the gym mat. She was as rattled as he was. A fact that tugged at his curiosity, and concern.
His heart clenched at the memory. He still had no idea how he’d made her nose bleed. Didn’t even touch her there. That first kick she’d planted on him had been professional and ruthless. He was surprised she didn’t break his nose. She wasn’t fragile. She was strong. He liked strong women. Strong, funny, and with long black hair.
The question now was, should he go inside and let them know he was there, or keep watch from a distance? He used his cell to check the map displaying all the Lazarus GPS signals. Wyatt’s location had him at the café across the street from the salon a few blocks away. It was odd that he’d let Sloan and Misha go without him. The dude had been savage with his protection tendencies lately.
Max had better go inside.
Pushing the door open, he almost sneezed from all the perfume in the air. Racks of expensive-looking dresses lined the walls. A chandelier hung from the ceiling. Pastel blue patterned carpet lined the floor.Bloody hell. Looked like a sherbet candy had puked in there. Women drank champagne on pink velvet ottomans, laughing and talking as their girlfriends came out of dressing rooms to show off their latest clothing acquisition.
Where are the girls?
A few of the champagne-drinkers stopped laughing and eyed him. He moved to the far end of the store. Misha’s curly blond hair was hard to miss, but the woman standing next to her… it took him a moment to recognize Sloan. Her usual messy nest of hair was cut just below her shoulders. It shone in a glossy stream, vibrant red tips at the end, almost as if they’d been dipped in paint. Instead of the usual blunt cut, the baseline of her hair was an arrow—shorter on the outside, longer down the middle as it kissed between her shoulder blades. She did love her arrows. She always picked the bow during their online games. He wondered if she knew how to use one in real life.
Probably.
He still had a lot to learn about her.
As he drew closer, their conversation came into earshot. Should he interrupt?
“… he’s not always going to be like this, right?” Misha asked Sloan, who only seemed to be half listening. A small frown and distant look marred her face. “Sorry, Sloan,” Misha continued, “I usually vent to Lilo but she’s been so busy with this latest story. All that stuff you uncovered on the you-know-who has really got her journalist instincts firing.”
“All good,” Sloan replied. “Vent away. I’m happy to hear about someone else’s problems rather than mine.”
“You’re amazing. I’m so glad we did this. It’s nice to feel independent again, if only for a few minutes. Oh, wow. That dress is simply stunning.” Misha gushed over the dress the attendant folded into a bag. Rubbing her belly, she added, “I’m so jealous. Soon I won’t be able to fit into something as sexy as that. You’re going to look incredible.”
What would Sloan need a sexy dress for?
