Page 98 of The Last True Hero
Twenty-Five
THE SLAVE MARKETSwere closer to the arena than Mia would have liked, and just as lightly guarded.
Vex's reputation kept most of the reivers from attempting to steal from her, Zarina explained, as they slipped from shadow to shadow. There'd been enough demonstrations in the past that nobody in their right mind would seek to thwart the warlord.
"They'll have two guards on rotation there," Zarina muttered, her dark eyes focused on the markets. She pointed toward the pair of stone gates that led into the market from each end. "Another two in the back. They're not the problem. The alarms are. Right now the war games will be keeping Vex's attention, but she's going to start wondering where I am soon. And if one of the guards here makes it to the nearest alarm, then we're done."
"You're saying we need to separate," Mia murmured.
"Hit them all at once." Zarina nodded. "The bad news is that we're close enough to the arena now that we can't risk using guns. Maybe Vex will ignore the odd shot. Hell knows that reivers like to waste bullets. But if she hears enough in a concentrated burst, she'll send someone to investigate. She's not stupid."
"I can take them down without a sound," Jake replied.
"But you're just one man," Zarina countered. "There are four guards, in four different areas. I've got the advantage of surprise. They won't be expecting it from me."
"That's two of us. Mia?" Jake looked at her.
Shooting that reiver the first night in Vegas had been harder than she'd expected. It grew easier every time, but Mia didn't think she'd ever get used to killing someone. And whilst Jake had taught her to punch and fight as a young girl, she didn't have the same instinct the other two did.
Mia focused on the gates. Sage and the others were out of the question. With the pale robes that barely covered their skins, they couldn't pretend to be anything other than what they were dressed as: slaves.
"I can do it," she said, slipping Jenny's knife into her hand.
Jake squeezed her shoulder. "Take the girls with you. If there's anyone here who needs backup, it's probably you. I'll hit the ones at the back, if you and Zarina want to take the guards at each gate."
"Let's do this." Before she lost her nerve.
Jake moved to go, but Sage caught his wrist. They'd had a brief reunion in the courtyard at the stronghold, tears flooding Sage's eyes as she threw her arms around Jake's neck and simply held him. Not long enough, clearly, for Sage grabbed his collar and hauled him close for a swift kiss. "Watch your back."
Mia looked away.
"Always do," Jake muttered. "You watch your sister's."
They pulled apart.
"Keep an eye out for Rondo," Zarina called in a low voice. "He's dangerous. He'll be the bigger one with the gut on him, and if he gets you in his hands, you're dead."
"Got it." Jake slipped into the night.
"Go right," Zarina told Mia. "It's either Zeke or Millar on the gate there, and they're the easiest to take."
Trusting her went against every grain in Mia's soul. Zarina could be double-crossing them. All she had to do was slip away and sound the alarm herself.
"Ellie, go with her," Mia said, tossing her the shotgun.
Startled eyes met hers, then Ellie nodded. The young woman had hardened in the past few days. No longer the local cattle baron's daughter, now she had blood on her hands just as much as the rest of them.
"You two walk behind me, as though I'm wearing your leashes," Mia said, eyeing the gate right in front of her. She could see a shadow under the arch, the faint flare of a cigarette gleaming at the bastard's mouth. There was no cover between here and the gate. She couldn't sneak up on him, which meant subterfuge. "Eyes downcast, nice and meek. At least until I put a knife through his throat."
"Give me the knife and I'll do it." This from Sage.
Maybe Ellie wasn't the only one who'd hardened. Mia handed her the spare she carried. "Don't use it until you get a free shot. Let's do this."
Mia strode across the dirt road as though she belonged there. She mimicked the low, hip-swinging strut she'd seen on Zarina.
Instantly the reiver on the gates stepped forward, plucking his cigarette from his lips. "What d'you want?"
Mia smiled. "What doyouwant, handsome?"
