Page 242 of Seasons of War
“We’re supposed to meet with the captain, but he thinks you betrayed him. And the United wants us dead. They figured out what we planned to do.” He held her face. “We have to go now if we want to make it out.”
She smiled. “Just us. I like the sound of that.” Yes, she could work with this.
“Well... The boss will have to come too.”
“What?”
“He won’t be safe here either. We’ll all take off and start over somewhere.”
“Me, you… and the boss.”
“Yes.”
Miya's shoulders fell. This fool. Her glimpse of hope shriveled and died, but her heart couldn't grieve yet. The violence drained her of feeling. “He’s here, isn’t he?”
Aiden swallowed loud enough for her to hear. “Sorry, Miya.”
“Damn it, Aiden. I can’t count on you for anything.” As a girl, Miya thought she could make a difference for the people of Caspador. It ruined her life. How did she grow up to make the same mistake again? This time, she took one of the only kind men she'd ever met down with her.
Miya faced the darkness of the room Aiden had left behind. In the shadows, she made out his stooped shape. The boss moved into the light, stopping right before he reached her.
“Miya, Miya, Miya…” He held a revolver at his side with his salt and pepper hair slicked back. “You don’t know when to stop.”
“Obviously, we wouldn’t leave you behind, boss man,” she said.
“You’ve played plenty of your own games before. This is the first time you turned on me, though. The United? I didn’t think you’d stoop so low.” He raised his finger to her lips. “And don’t try your games on me. Craft a weapon as good as you, and it’s only a matter of time before she turns on you.”
She pulled his finger from her mouth. If it all ended here, she'd at least speak. This was all she had left. Bitterness. “The captain is going to kill you when he'sdone with you, just because he can. He’s going to burn you to the ground and take all you have. There’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop it.”
“That’s funny.” His lips fell into a straight line. He ran his tongue along the base of his top teeth. “You’re a funny girl.”
“All your girls are going to laugh their asses off while you choke on your own blood.”
“Miya.” Aiden gave her a look. “That’s enough.”
“Are you seriously too stupid to understand what’s happening?” Miya laughed. “You’ll be worthless without me. The boss might as well get rid of you too.”
“He does what he’s told.” The boss rolled his wrist. “A priceless quality.”
She drew in a deep breath and finally let herself look at Lance. His face was red.
“I thought we could make it,” Miya said. “I’m sorry.”
The boss’s fist flashed like lightning before the cackling of thunder. His knuckles connected with her temple and blacked out her vision. She slammed into the ground.
The world blinked in and out.
His polished shoes stopped right in front of her head. Blood trickled from the side of her face onto the gravel below. Her eyes closed.
Out.
Fingers plucked hair from her bloodied cheek.
In.
It sounded like the crowd they’d traveled to the town square with had returned. Miya blinked hard. All Lance. Tangled up with Aiden’s men on the ground. What a mess.
The boss knelt in front of her. His words sounded far away. “The captain’s men are waiting for you. This is where we say goodbye.”
