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HUGH, TIM AND Sassy waited around the corner. There were only four Guards on this side of the building.
“I’ve got this,” he said.
“Are you sure?” asked Tim. “We can give you cover.”
“The way the two of you shoot? You’re more likely to hit me. Just stay here.” He leaned around the corner, surveying the situation. The Guards were focused on the street below. He took aim and steadied his breathing. Now was not the time for nerves. He pulled the trigger—one, two, three, four times. He hit the first two in the back of the head—before they even moved. The other two had spun around, but he’d adjusted his aim and hit them straight through the heart. They’d never had a chance. As fast as a sneeze, four lives were ended. He walked into the hallway, Tim and Sassy behind him. He stepped over the dead, aimed out the window and killed the three Guards on the street. “They shouldn’t wear uniforms. It makes them stand out.”
“I think that’s the point,” said Tim. “They know who not to shoot.”
“I suppose, but then I know who to shoot.” He bent, gathering the weapons.
“I don’t think they took you into consideration.” Tim sent him a wary look before helping him collect the guns.
“Why are you surprised? You know I trained with the General.” He strapped a holster and hand gun to his side.
“Knowing and seeing are different,” muttered Tim.
“Holy Araldo. Shit. That was great,” said Sassy. “Back of the head. Bam, bam and then straight through the heart.” Her eyes were wide with admiration. “You have got to teach me how to do that.”
“No. If we win this, the weapons will be destroyed. Too easy to kill.”
“They could be useful in the right hands,” said Tim.
“Whose hands are the right ones? Mine? Yours? No. Unless everyone has guns no one should.”
Tim frowned, obviously not agreeing with him. There was movement on the street. “That’s Curtis.” He leaned out the window. “Gather everyone you can and come inside. The building is secure except for the west side. We’re going there now.”
Curtis nodded and disappeared behind an overturned carriage.
“Let’s go,” he said.
The three of them headed toward the opposite side of the building. Hopefully, Trinity’s team had been as successful as his. The hallways were empty. The Servants and Almightys must’ve taken cover in some of the rooms. He’d send troops to search them later. Right now, he had to eliminate the rest of the Guards.
They moved quickly and quietly down the hallway. He stopped and then glanced around the corner. The corridor was empty.
“Where are the Guards?” asked Tim.
“Don’t know.” He crept forward, checking behind every curtain and in every room, but there was no one there. He looked out the window. None of the Council’s Guards were on the street either.
“Something’s up. Be extra cautious,” he said.
A few moments later, Tim grabbed his arm. “Hear that?”
He shook his head. He didn’t hear a thing.
“Someone’s coming,” said Tim.
Sassy tipped her head, to better catch the sound. “More than one.”
He pointed to a room. “One of you in here.” He pointed to another room. “The other in here.”
“Where are you going to hide?” asked Tim.
“I’m not. I’m going to wait right here for them.” He leaned against the wall by the corner, gun up and ready.
“Not alone.” Tim ran across the corridor and leaned against the other wall, raising his gun.
He sighed. “Remember, aim for the chest.” He appreciated the gesture but Tim was going to get himself killed.
Tim nodded, fear in his eyes. Sassy hovered near Hugh’s back.
“You should get in the room,” he said to the Guard.
“And miss all the fun? Not on your life.”
“Just don’t shoot. I’m in front of you.”
“Promise.”
The minutes ticked by. If only he could hear the footsteps but his hearing wasn’t worth a damn and he didn’t dare ask Sassy because more than likely it was Guards approaching and he didn’t want to give them any hint that an ambush was waiting. He signaled for Tim and Sassy to wait, motioning until Tim aimed his gun down. He crept forward and peeked around the corner. The tension fled his body. “It’s Trinity and the others.”
The three of them slipped around the corner. Trinity and her group saw them and picked up their pace. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but there was something wrong. It was written all over her face.
“Where’s Bruno?” Sassy glanced behind the others, fear and confusion in her large, brown eyes.
Trinity shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“He was a good man.” Hugh’s gut tightened. So many had died today. So many lives wasted because of arrogance and elitism. Right now, he hated his kind.
“No. No.” Sassy shook her head, backing away from them.
Indy moved over by her and touched her shoulder.
“Don’t.” Sassy slapped his hand. “What happened?” Her voice was brittle like fall leaves.
“A Guard came out of nowhere,” said Jackson. “Bruno got off a shot but so did the Guard.”
“I’m so sorry, Sass.” Trinity pulled the other female into her arms.
Sassy jerked free, her eyes hard. “Where’s his body?”
“I’ll take you later,” said Indy.
“I’m not leaving him there like garbage.” Hate marred Sassy’s normally friendly face.
“Of course not.” Hugh kept his voice calm. This wasn’t over. He had to make sure they stayed together. “We’ll go and collect him. He’ll have a hero’s burial.”
Sassy nodded, some of the tenseness slipping from her shoulders.
“But first we need to finish securing the building. We need to finish this war”—he held up his hand, stopping her outburst—“or we won’t be able to do anything for him. If we lose, he’ll be cremated in a mass burial and you know it.”
“Then let’s get this done.” Sassy stormed off down the hallway.
Indy trotted after her.
“Are you okay?” He took Trinity’s hand.
“Sassy’s right. Let’s finish this.”
“Where are the Guards?” asked Jackson.
“Not sure. It was like this when we arrived,” he said.
“I smell a trap,” said Jackson.
“So, let’s spring it.”
They caught up with Indy and Sassy and moved as a group, checking each room, closet or anywhere big enough for anyone to fit but the only creatures around were a few Servants who’d been hiding. They locked them in rooms and continued their search. They’d find the Almightys and the Guards soon. There weren’t many more places to hide.
“Where would the Almightys go?” asked Jackson. “The Guards probably fell back to protect them.”
“Good point,” he said. “There’s a small, council chamb—”
“Where do they keep the guns?” asked Trinity.
“Better point.” His heart skipped a beat. This could get ugly fast. “Find the guns and we’ll find the Guards and Almightys.”
They continued to search, several of their troops from outside joining them which was great because it gave them enough bodies to cover all the windows. He stationed a Servant at every other window. His soldiers couldn’t shoot, but they could see, hear and smell better than the Council’s Guards. They’d be warned well before Cal and his soldiers arrived. He also sent other teams to help look for the guns. They were instructed to bring all the prisoners into the Hall of Truths. It was the largest open area. It was easy to defend with few places to hide.
Hugh waited in the vast hall, ordering his soldiers to search the building in quadrants. He sent a large group to the nearby jail to make room. They had a lot of prisoners to house until he could hear each one’s tale. Most would be victims of circumstance, not able to choose which side to support. They wouldn’t be punished, but others would be.
Trinity touched his arm. He glanced at her uneasily. He’d convinced her to stay with him. It hadn’t been easy and he wasn’t looking forward to round two of that discussion.
“What are you going to do with all of them?” She nodded at the House Servants and Guards who huddled together in small groups in the Hall of Truths.
He almost sighed in relief. They weren’t going to argue. “Most of them will be set free. They just work here.” He took her hand and kissed it. It was almost over.
“You’re a good male, Hugh Truent.” She smiled and brushed a strand of hair off his forehead.
“I’m your male.” He moved a little closer to her, drawn like the sea to the moon.
“Yes, you are.” She grinned and then her eyes clouded with worry. “I need to find Gaar.”
“No. Stay here.” He grabbed her arm. Out there on the street was worse than searching inside. The soldiers would arrive soon.
“I told you he was shot. I have to find him.”
He ran his hand through his hair. If he didn’t think of something quick, she’d go. There was no way he’d stop her.
“We’ve got the rest of them.” Jackson and his team burst into the room, shoving eight Guards, the Supreme Almighty and the council members into the hallway.
This would buy him some time.
Jackson strode toward him as his team moved the group over with the others, the Almightys clustering together away from the Servants and Guards. He shook his head. Always separate.
“They were hiding in a back closet.” Jackson grinned. “All of them scrunched together in this tiny room.”
His gaze roamed over Jason and then each council member. He knew them all by name. He’d had dinner with all of them, had been to their homes and they’d ordered his conviction and execution. Fortune had changed. Most squirmed under his perusal, but Conguise stood tall and defiant.
“The Guards were in the room with them?” That’d be unlikely unless the Almightys had thought his soldiers would shoot through the door.
“No. They were in the weapons room.” Jackson’s face sobered. “You should see all the weapons. It’s a good thing we weren’t a day later.”
Yes, the end would’ve been completely different if they’d arrived after the weapons had been distributed. As it were, they’d lost too many. “We need to lock up all the prisoners until we can hear their stories. I’d like you to sit in on that with me.”
“I’d be honored.” Jackson tipped his head.
He turned to invite Trinity too, but she’d wandered across the room toward the door. “Shit.” His time was up. He had to stop her from leaving to find Gaar.
The AC Guards and Producers near the door parted, leaving a wide opening. Mirra moved into the hallway, Gaar leaning on her with Curtis on his other side.
“Gaar!” Trinity raced across the room.
“Thank you, Araldo.” He made his way toward Gaar and the others, Jackson and Tim following him, one on each side.