Chapter 24 #2
Lyra pinched Ashlynn’s chin. “You wore a peacock mask at your little party congratulating your greed, didn’t you? Is that because you like to show off?”
Ashlynn shook her head.
“Who watches those in the shadows?” Lyra pulled up a chair next to Ashlynn and put her boot on the table, looking like the queen of hell I knew she was.
“It’s supposed to be you. But we know what you’ve been doing, setting up criminals to be replaced so you can funnel money into your own pockets.
It’s genius, really. I suppose it was stupid to think innocent people would escape your web. ”
Jonah circled the room, and his footsteps echoed in the hushed space.
“Some of us have been working to right those wrongs.” Ashlynn’s sapphire eyes flashed.
The vehemence in her tone and the way her chin quivered caught my interest.
“Like Ellington?” Lyra’s voice coaxed.
Ashlynn winced and flattened her lips. Lyra and I shared a look. Something about this council member stood out, but not greed. Belford’s smile faltered before he hiked it back into a glimmering show of pretense.
“That’s some story. Don’t you know how long we’ve been doing this work?”
“So is your level of greed. Why do you think Larson isn’t here? Your ringleader is the only one with enough brains to realize what coming for me would do to you. You’re done, do you hear me?” I snapped.
The air in the room disappeared, and the four innocent council members chattered among themselves.
Well, innocent was a stretch. Ray watched over them with a wink, ready to act if my initial reaction had been mistaken.
Lyra smirked at me, and the hot, heavy weight on my chest lightened.
I might want to tear them all apart, but my girl wanted to play.
“What are you talking about?” a hook-nosed man demanded answers.
“Stop, Ackerman. Beck’s being dramatic. Didn’t I say it was a bad idea to involve him? His lies are lunacy, and this betrayal will only end in one way.” Belford’s lips tipped up as the other council members exploded into argument.
Was he related to the Ackerman family? Another crime family that controlled the East Coast. The council of The Unseen were like chickens running around with their heads cut off. How had they survived this long?
“Proof.” Lyra slid her phone over to Ackerman. “Explicit and plentiful. Give me enough time, and I’ll dig up every single one of your corrupt offshore trusts. You messed with the wrong fucking girl.”
“Just admit it,” I laughed softly as Belford blanched. “I can kill you quick.”
Ashlynn went white, but her features also slackened with something else. Relief. The woman next to her, Artie Decoon, wailed as the facade shattered. She clutched her designer bag to her chest. “Larson coerced me. He threatened my family.”
“Who? The two Pekinese dogs you treat like children?” I scoffed.
“You think you’ll get out of here alive? Everyone in this place obeys the council.” Belford jerked his chin out.
“If I die, you’re coming with me,” I whispered.
The scent of ammonia crept up my nostrils. Someone pissed themselves.
“How long have you been sitting on your thrones, sending all your little soldiers out to do your bidding?” I stood behind a man with a freckled bald spot and lifted my gun. “This ends today.”
I pulled the trigger as I were opening a can of soda. Nonchalant, if a bit parched. My ears rang as he slumped onto the desk. I laughed as I wiped the blood splatter off my face. It must have been a tad too maniacal because Jonah flicked me a frown. I shrugged.
“Y-you can’t just kill him,” Belford whimpered, his hands over the dark-stained crotch of his trousers.
I tried and failed not to roll my eyes. “You know what? I can, and I just did.” I pressed the heated muzzle against Belford’s head and pulled the trigger before he could make another complaint.
“Anyone else want to argue? The Unseen is dead, and there is no coming back. I’m the one in charge now, understand?”
Power tasted sweet on my tongue until a hand landed on my forearm, and Lyra gave me a look. The delicate warm weight was a shackle I wanted to die with.
“She’s in charge,” I amended and swept my hand.
The room exploded into chaos. Silver flashed across my vision as Artie reached into her pocket and tossed a silver knife in our direction.
I snapped my back almost in half to dodge a meaty fist. Even Ackerman, deep in confusion, still fought against us.
Lyra rolled her eyes, pulling out her gun and using it on the next person who tried to silence her.
I watched her pull the trigger with a giddy smile.
This is what I was talking about. Ray’s back slammed against mine.
“You good, Chief?” he panted.
“Are you kidding?” I pistol-whipped Ackerman.
He went flying back onto the glossy black tile with a wet thud.
“This is what I live for,” I growled, tossing another unruly council member to the floor.
Jonah was sitting on Artie, trying to reason with her as she screeched about how this wasn’t fair, and that she’d have us eliminated for overstepping. Lyra pulled out a taser and aimed it at her.
“Last chance.” Lyra jerked her head to Jonah. “He’s nice. I’m not. You want a chance to live, you better shut your mouth.”
Artie dropped her bottom lip and wailed another futile warning. Lyra clicked her tongue, and Jonah moved away as she set the taser off. She jerked until she slumped on the ground, eyes closed.
Lyra pulled out her gun and shot at the ceiling.
Ackerman, who was halfway through trying to convince the other innocent members to join him, froze.
Any of these people would take up the vacuum left by Belford.
But the real master of this plan was Larson, and he wasn’t here.
Lyra shot again, and plaster rained down on us.
Ashlynn, who hadn’t moved from her seat, gulped.
Ray swept his hair off his face, grumbling about how long it would take to wash out. Who knew I would have so much affection for a narcissistic spare?
“Enough. You’re going to recall every agent in the field today. You’re going to dissolve the council and hand over the running of this place to Beck. If you do those things, we’ll let you live. If not, I have another bullet with your name on it.”
Ashlynn’s ragged breathing was the only sound as everyone processed what was happening. This might look like a takeover. But really, it was a violent dismantling. A cork twisted in my stomach. Years I’d dedicated to The Unseen, uncaring about anything but what I was told to do.
But now I wanted to burn it all down.
“You had your chance to build something,” I warned them. “Instead, you let greed turn you into the people you’re supposed to control.”
Ackerman opened his mouth, gaping for a long moment.
Maybe he wasn’t involved with Larson, but he didn’t want to let go of their power.
None of them did. I almost wished they would fight a bit more.
My blood rushed like lava through my veins, still raring for a fight.
I felt nothing except a wave of fatigue. Two days of torture caught up to me.
Ray put his arm around my shoulder. “You’re bleeding on me, Chief. That’s how you know we’re true brother-boyfriends.”
I glanced down at my chest, where red stained the shirt. I had shallow gashes on my chest that Dr. Jet glued back together. One of them must’ve reopened.
“Let’s set them loose and get the hell out of here. I’m dying for a juicy burger.”
Jonah arched his eyebrow as he opened the door and waved at the remaining council members.
“Shoo.” He rolled his eyes as they hurried to leave. “You’re insane.” That dry comment he directed at me, but there was a smile in the words.
“I have the official diagnosis and everything.”
Ashlynn paused when she stumbled to the doorway.
“I tried.” Her voice could pave roads. “When I found out about what The Unseen did, I tried to stop it.”
Lyra’s eyes flared wide. “You gave the intel to Ellington.”
Ashlynn dipped her head before leaving. Maybe she thought we’d change our minds if she stayed.
Lyra let out a laugh before slipping her arms around my waist. She was tentative about the blood, but I pulled her closer.
I winced as the pain made my vision waver, but didn’t lessen my grip.
Passing out in Lyra’s arms was worth every ounce of pain I suffered.
“Do you think it will work?” Lyra mumbled, pulling out her phone to track the scattered council members.
I shrugged, finding it difficult to think outside the buzzing in my ears. Now that we’d shattered the ironclad power running this place, I didn’t know what came next.
“What is your plan?”
“Adelaide and her guys are on standby. They’re going to have Orazio men track every council member who runs. One of them will lead us to Larson. It’s not over until he’s dead.”
The four of us stood in the wreckage of the council room.
It reeked of burnt metal and blood. My lungs stung, and my body felt disconnected from my brain.
I caught Lyra’s wrist and brought it to my bloody lips.
The soft velvet of her pulse was all I needed, and I supposed Ray and Jonah could stay while I took my place by her side again.
“Hey, big guy?” I asked Jonah.
He stiffened at the nickname and turned to face me. Warmth filled the lines of his face. We’d come a long way from suspicion and outright hatred.
“Yeah?”
“Can you catch me?” I slurred as I collapsed.