Chương 31: The Bet

Matt kept his pace casual as they crossed the parking lot. Rushed meant nervous. Nervous meant questions. Dominic Locke walked steadily beside him, the hunting knife resting at his hip like it belonged there. He'd known Enzo and Val's father since childhood, and Dom was still intimidating in that quiet, intense way he had.

The man hadn't said more than a dozen words since they'd left the neighborhood, and right now, Matt appreciated that more than he could express, because his own thoughts were loud enough for both of them. Two guards stood by the main entrance. Aaron, who Matt had worked alongside a few times during the first week, and Davy, who he wished he hadn't. Davy noticed them first.

"Yo, Matt. Thought you were checking on the scouts." His gaze slid to Dom.

"Who's the old timer?"

"One of them," Matt said, jerking a thumb at Dom.

"Found him out past grid seven. Got turned around and ended up in the wrong neighborhood." Dom said nothing. Just gave the two men a tired nod that sold the story better than any words could have. Davy seemed to buy it. Then he grinned.

"Hey, Matt. You know the broad they brought in yesterday, right?" Matt kept his expression neutral.

"Yeah. I recognized the description. That's actually why I went looking for him." He tipped his head toward Dom.

"He knows her family. Figured the boss might want that information." Davy's grin widened.

"Oh, yeah. The redhead." He elbowed Aaron.

"You see her? She's fucking gorgeous. Got a rack on her, too." He laughed.

"Think Gus'll let us have a turn?" Matt shoved his hands into his pockets. He clenched his fists and forced a smile.

"You'd have to take that up with him. But I wouldn't count on it. She's a mage. They get special treatment."

"Yeah," Davy said, still laughing to himself.

"We'll give her some special treatment, alright." Aaron shook his head and pulled the door open.

"Head on in, Matt." Matt nodded to him and stepped through, Dom close behind. The door swung shut, cutting off Davy's laughter. The fluorescent lights were dead, of course, but someone had lined the entryway with camping lanterns that threw long shadows down the tiled floor. The place smelled like sweat and canned food and too many people in a building with no ventilation. Matt exhaled slowly through his nose. Then he glanced at Dom. The old man's expression hadn't changed.

But his hand had moved to rest on the handle of the knife, and it stayed there as they walked deeper into the store.

Signe Thorsen forced her eyes open. The world shimmered with purple haze, like the faintest smoke overlaid with reality. It permeated everything, danced and flowed with the air, though it was mostly still in the small room she was being held in. The haze pulsed gently every few seconds. She imagined it as the world having developed a heartbeat of its own. It wasn't even the craziest of ideas, given everything that had happened since the blood rain. Monsters and magic.

Signe sighed and shifted on the blanket the biker gang had thrown across the floor for her. The handcuffs dug uncomfortably into her wrists. They were beginning to rub the flesh a little raw where they rested. She couldn't afford to fall asleep. Not here, surrounded by people who might do anything at any moment. There would be an opportunity. A moment where they slipped up, and she could use her magic to escape. She just had to be patient and not fall asleep. It was very hard, though.

She was more tired than she'd ever been. The walk from Santa Rosa had taken days. She'd been forced to sleep in a tree the first night, worried about Eaters finding her in the dark. The second night, after encountering a group of families heading in the same direction, had been easier. They'd shared the responsibility of keeping watch. Then yesterday morning, some of the kids in the group had found the rift. It swallowed them, then the panicked parents who ran in after them. Signe had gone for help.

Only to run into a bunch of assholes who'd taken over her hometown. She hoped her family was okay. And her friends. If they'd been there, they would have put the bikers in their place. Even Claire. Signe's throat tightened. A single tear slipped free, and she scrubbed it away with the grimy back of her hand. There was no way she'd give anyone the satisfaction of seeing that. Purple flashes from the hallway drew her attention. Footsteps. The man standing outside her room turned in that direction.

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"Boss wants me to take the mage to him." She recognized that voice. The guard shook his head.

"I was told to let only Danny or Gus near her." Another sharper burst of purple as a figure blurred across the doorway. A knife flashed, driving up under the guard's chin. The attacker clapped his other hand across the guard's mouth and carried him into the room. Signe shoved back against the wall, using it to brace herself as she pushed to her feet. Her cuffed hands reached out, a spell invocation on the tip of her tongue. The guard spasmed once. Then the body dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

She ignored the explosion of color that caused, instead focusing on the attacker's face. Then she stumbled forward, cuffed hands reaching for him.

"Mr. Locke!" Dominic caught her in a familiar hug.

"Hey, Siggy. Heard you ran into a bit of trouble." He patted her on the head.

"Enzo sent us to pick you up."

Enzo stood on the grassy median that divided the main road, leaning on his cane. To his left, the alley beside the supermarket ran all the way to the loading dock and rear entrance. He could see both from where he stood. Val and Kenzo flanked him on either side, each a step back. Val's arms were loose at her sides, fingers flexing. Kenzo stood with his hands in his pockets, relaxed in a way that anyone who knew him would recognize as anything but.

Sumi waited further behind them, near where the bikes lay on the grass. Enzo had pulled her aside before they'd left and told her she didn't have to come. This wasn't her fight. Signe was a stranger to her, and nobody expected her to risk her life over it. She'd given him a sad smile and said that Val was her friend. That Enzo was too, now. And that both of them had looked out for her through everything, when they had no reason to. She wasn't going to sit at home while they rode off to do something dangerous.

He hadn't argued after that. They'd arrived a few minutes ago, after giving Matt and Pops enough of a head start to get inside and find Signe. Enzo had called out to the guards near the front of the supermarket, who'd watched their approach with a wary tension that hadn't been there the first time he'd ridden through town. One of them had disappeared around the corner at a jog. Now, Gus rounded that same corner with Danny at his shoulder.

Half a dozen men in leather vests fanned out behind them as they approached, all armed. Bats, machetes, a few long knives, crossbows. They spread across the road in a loose line. Gus stopped about twenty meters away. Close enough to talk. Far enough to react. He smiled.

"Lorenzo Locke. Wasn't expecting to see you again so soon." Enzo cocked his head, but said nothing.

"Oh, after you rejected my offer, I asked around about you. Turns out you and your friends are quite well known around here." Gus's smile widened.

"And then our wizards started talking about your name appearing on the skill lists. That's quite impressive."

"Then you know why we're here." Gus looked confused for a moment, then the smile returned.

"You've decided to join us, then? We'd be happy to welcome your entire group." Enzo shook his head.

"You picked up one of our friends. We're here to ask that you release her." Gus frowned, the amusement fading completely.

"You talking about the freckled redhead? Too much attitude for her own good?" Enzo didn't smile, though the description was apt.

"Yes."

"She trespassed into our territory. Hurt one of my boys," Gus growled.

"How you gonna make things right?"

"We're willing to trade. We have food." Enzo reached into his pocket and held up a mana storage gem.

"Enchanted items. Spell forms." Gus paused, studying the gem. Then he shrugged.

"Or you can all just join me. Pool our resources. I'll make the four of you lieutenants, and you can run your own teams. On your own terms." He spread out his arms.

"Together, we can take over the entire region and secure our futures. What you think of that?" Enzo returned the gem to his pocket.

"No. If you're not interested in trade, then just give us our friend and we'll go. Then we can stay out of each other's way." Danny stepped up beside Gus, and the men behind them tensed. Weapons shifting in their hands. Gus glanced at his sergeant at arms and shook his head slowly.

"That's unfortunate, Lorenzo. I was hopeful that we might work together." He smiled once more.

"But that's okay. I'm a patient man. We'll let you go home today, and maybe in a few days we can discuss terms again, eh?" Enzo watched the man turn, pat Danny on the shoulder, and make to leave. Val and Kenzo shifted beside him. The plan was simple. Stall Gus. Draw as many guards away as possible. Buy time for Matt and Pops to get Signe out. The two guards in the alley to the left had left their posts to move closer, watching the confrontation happening on the main street. But there was no sign of his people.

It was time to improvise. Enzo flicked his fingers toward the wall of the supermarket.

"Power Bolt." He felt the mana draw from his reserves. Saw Gus spin back around, arms raising to shield himself. Everyone else gripped their weapons tighter, postures shifting in response to the threat. The spell built up for a full second. Then fired with a whump of air as it went from zero to maximum speed instantly. The thick concrete exploded as the bolt tore through the wall, cracks spreading, while dust and debris sprayed everywhere. Everyone stared at the wall for several heartbeats.

Enzo spoke before the other side shifted from shock to action. He casually shifted his aim toward Gus. Kenzo and Val stepped up beside him.

"Don't move," he said, eyes flicking to Danny, whose posture had dipped lower, ready to lunge. Gus and Danny shared a glance, but nobody moved. Enzo turned back to Gus.

"I'm pretty sure we lose this fight. There are too many of you." He saw more of the bike club's men rounding the corner, drawn by the explosion.

"But we already knew that before we came here."

"Then what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Gus demanded. That was probably the first uncalculated thing Gus had said.

"Making a bet. See, we've all been through some real shit since the blood rain. I even think we're some of the most advanced mages on the planet right now. And we're all willing to put our lives on the line for a friend." Silence stretched between the two groups for several heartbeats. Enzo grinned. Eyes wide.

"What about you, Gus? Are you willing to die for our friend? For your little bike club? Because I will kill you first. And no matter what happens to us afterwards, you'll still be dead."