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Stryke's POV

The boy crawled along the side of the fence. The pouch bounced at his side, the only noise that filled the empty space of night. The male youth had blonde hair, and looked about only twelve years old, yet he was still a thief. The dark clothes shrouded him, but not from our keen sight.

The fence blocked off his escape to the river, and he knew we were behind him. The satchel that clung to his side was what we were after. The nameless employer said to use any means necessary to take it back. Being the weapons expert, I brought along my bow, a pistol, a knife, and had supplies the other with guns of their own.

We were spread out in an arc. Either way that the boy went, we would be there. Echo was to my left and Zero on my right. The city lights of Denver flickered on in the distance. The moon was already up but veiled by the smoke of the city. The boy's heavy breathing only told us of his fear.

Eagle had found the boy's location and Zero with Rift tracked him to it. All eyes were on Ryder as he stood up, approaching the boy. The other six of us held our positions. Hex's silver eyes glowed with an anxious light.

"Look here boy, you got into something bigger than you. Give back the purse, and you might be able to walk out of this with minimal damage." He persuaded. Ryder was always with the gentle tactic, but then switched the an aggressive approach if needed.

He was an aggressive man.

The boy said nothing, but pressed his back against the gate. Behind us was a jungle of long weeds and trees to an old neighborhood where one shot would be nothing. Two wouldn't mean much but for mother's to herd their kids inside. Cops wouldn't be on patrol near here. Eagle had tracked their movements from his Nest.

"Hand over the bag, kid." Ryder commanded. The boy clung to it desperately. The dark river gurgled behind him. From my sight, I scanned the situation, assessing any possible weapons. The little kid had a knife on him, but it was dull and dirty. The blade was barely seen behind his large sweatshirt.

"No." He spat at Ryder. Hex stood up next to him. In a fluid, graceful movement, he had pressed a knife to the kid's throat. The boy gargled in surprise.

"It's just business." Hex laughed. The boy attempted to claw his way out, to bite at Hex's hand, but was focused on not getting his throat slit and didn't move more than needed.

"Once again, hand over the bag?" Ryder asked. I could tell that that he was getting anxious to get a move on. The inpatients was tainting his voice like syrup.

The boy shook his head and suddenly slashed as Hex, who let go of the boy. Steaming blood dripped in the cold night. The small child broke out in a run to the west, where Storm was waiting.

I heard a gun shot, silenced by the brush, and then there was silence. I sighed. We could've at least reasoned with the kid a bit more, find a little more information. Well, that chance was gone.

Ryder strode past me and picked up the worn brown bag that had fallen on the ground. Storm slugged the boy's body over his shoulder. Eagle was already gone, getting the truck around on the curb to put the 'leftovers' in. This time, we had brought Ryder, and Hex's truck, with Rift and Zero's motorcycles. Storm, Eagle, and I had left ours back at the bar.

"Ready to deliver?" Hex asked me, tossing me the closed bag. I didn't dare open it up to see what was inside. That was private matter.

"Of course." I grinned to him. This was just business. The boy was just a side effect of our job. Just another casualty.

"We got our payment, now we'll just drop off and be on our way." Ryder walked beside Hex and I. Rift and Zero were already perched on their black cycles. I climbed into the truck beside Hex. Eagle rode in the white Ram truck with our leader.

By the time our seven people had dropped off the bag in the hollow stump in a small section of woods on the west side of Denver, we stopped at an old lot that was at the base of a hiking trail. Our backs were pressed against the cold metal outside of the cars as we discussed what to do next.

Eagle pulled out some papers and his phone. We all crowded around to see his information.

"On the road. By noon on Saturday, they'll be in San Jose. Tracker, the connection in the old state of sun and surf, will let us stay in his bar, which is within five miles of the target. I've mapped out their route, judging by sources of stops they've made." Eagle announced, shining his light on the map, and tracing the line of the bus's journey.

Tracker was our connection in California. We had one in most states that provided us shelter. Each one was acquired by our nameless employers.

"What's the fastest time we'll get there?" Ryder asked, aroused from deep thought. Eagle thought for a moment. It was about ten at night right now.

"With no stops, we'll be there four hours after their arrival." Eagle suggested. People passed around their guns, and I tossed the pistols and revolvers into the back seat of Hex's car, into the storage compartment. Everyone was left with a knife stored in their boots now. My bow was last to be gently tucked into the back seat.

Ryder thought it over for a moment before answering, "Storm, I trust you have the answer to the letter?" Storm nodded and looked happy. Considering he was normally content ripping out someone's throat, he was happy that the answer was bad.

"Austin ignored our warning, and according to Tracker who was listening outside a building one day, just dismissed it as an empty threat. If he is trying to protect her by keeping her next to his side, he's sadly mistaken. To me senses, he seems to think that the only way he can truly make sure that she'll be safe is by keeping a careful eye out on her." Storm chuckled gleefully. A knife was balanced lightly in his palms.

"I say we prove him wrong." Hex nodded, closing his moon silver eyes. My thoughts went to Rae. We were just heading after Austin, right?

"I saw we ride out now." Ryder closed our meeting as we headed to our vehicles. Zero and Rift were first to go, and Ryder followed them out. Hex and I hopped in and started out.

Ten minutes into the long night, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Rae. I felt hard eyes stare down to my dim screen. Hex said nothing as I shut it off without looking at it.

"Raelyn....?" The blonde haired man started, waiting for me to finish the name. I paused a moment before answering.

"Croft." I admitted slowly, and thought up a lie to cover my tracks.

"Seriously, Ryder's daughter? No...you haven't." Realization spread through his face. I shook my head.

"This was just a way to get information. She'll trust me, and it'll come back to stab her in the back." I laughed to prove my point. Part of my reputation was twisting trust around to hurt people with their own gifts.

"Good. For a second there I thought you had a thing for her. Remember, she's just an expense towards the greater good for us." Hex reminded me firmly. I nodded glumly, and was thankful that the dark hid the sadness in my eyes.

I thought back to the boy who had fallen and was now dead. His blood seemed to sizzle on the ground as it pooled on the soaked earth. There was no remorse for him. He was just a price to pay for the seven of us to survive. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder if Rae would look like the dead boy, with her gleaming hair a mess as it mixed with the dirt and blood.

She was just another price to pay in order for the ultimate prize.

But she was a beautiful price.

Notes

I'm sorry guys that I haven't been very good with updating! I've been dealing with some internet issues and I've just gotten back on.

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