“But we are having the conversation.” Hawk’s upper body tensed. “If we neutralise the threat, we take control. You can see I’ve been trying to help, right, Artan?”
Artan’s lips tightened. “You might have been trying …”
“But—”
“I hate to say this, Hawk”—Max pointed away from them to the other end of the alley—“but I’m going this way. You can come if you like. It’s your call. I won’t risk my life unnecessarily for you again.”
Hawk’s internal battle played out on his features. It started with a hard scowl, which wavered, his glare softening. “Fine. Whatever. You lead.”
Max led them down the alley, away from the army they’d avoided. They walked between a large warehouse on their left and a smaller shop on their right. Just getting his body to respond took a great effort. Between Edin, the Asylum, and now this city, he’d fought a lifetime’s worth of battles and more. If only he could find somewhere to rest. At the very least, they needed to avoid any more conflict. Hopefully, when they finally got to Gracie’s tower, Olga and the others would be waiting for them.
As he closed in on the end of the alley, Max turned back to Artan and Hawk. He pointed over to his right. “We’re going to head that way for a few blocks to get us closer to the tower. Any ob—”
Over the heads of Artan and Hawk, Max saw Olga, Matilda, and William. They stood on the roof of one of the buildings closer to the end of the alley they were avoiding. Olga’s lips were pursed, her eyes sad. What did she know?
Max raised his hand to wave, dropping it the second footsteps appeared behind him. Hawk and Artan reached back for their knives, but halted when the tip of a blade bit into Max’s neck. It was like they felt it too.
A deep male voice said, “Get on your knees and I might let you live for a few more hours.”
Artan and Hawk dropped. Max followed a second later. The unforgiving road hurt his kneecaps.
“I told you we should have fought the others,” Hawk said.
The brilliant glow from several drones appeared at the other end of the alley. Even in daylight, their strong glare damn near blinded Max. They’d run away from about ten soldiers, but now there were roughly forty of them, blocking off their exit. He could only guess at how many were behind him.
Hawk looked back. When he turned around, his shoulders slumped and he dropped his head. Whichever way they’d chosen, they were screwed.
Chapter 26
“You need to calm down,” William said.
Olga pointed to where Max, Hawk, and Artan were being led away, her eyes wide. “But we need to go now.”
“We need to think this through. Did you see how many of them were down there?”
“That’s exactly why we have to help them. We might have the element of surprise if we attack now.”
Matilda said, “The element of surprise isn’t a panacea, Olga. They outnumber us fifteen to one. We want to get to them as much as you do, but you were the one who said we have an advantage if we don’t reveal ourselves until the right time.”
“That was before they got captured.”
“They don’t know we exist,” William said, “and we need to keep it that way until the time’s right.”
Olga bounced on the spot, throwing glances in the direction the army had gone with their three friends. “But Max is down there. It’s all right for you, you have Matilda up here with you.”
“I still care about the others.”
Matilda said, “And what about Artan?”
“Yet you still agree with him?” Olga said.
Matilda shrugged. “I want to get them free as much as you do, but I can’t see what we’ll accomplish by rushing in. What use are we to them if we all get caught? Maybe if I saw an angle, I’d be up for risking it, but no matter how you look at their situation, in this moment there’s nothing we can do for them. First, we need to follow them. We need to find out where they’re going.”
Olga burst away from them, breaking into a jog, but William caught her before she stepped out of reach, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.
A raised fist, her teeth clenched, Olga said, “What the fuck are you doing? You said we should follow them!”
“Come on, Olga.” William shook her. “Get your head together. You’re pissed off with Hawk for charging into things without thinking.” He flinched when Matilda grabbed his arm. She pointed away from them. About ten more soldiers dressed in blue were heading their way at a jog.
Olga lowered her fist. Her tight jaw loosened.
William dropped onto his front on the small white stones and crawled on his stomach towards the edge of the building.
Olga slid up next to him.
Matilda ran away from them across the roofs, tracking the path of the main army, a road and a row of buildings separating them.
The newest group of soldiers entered the alley Max, Artan, and Hawk had walked down. Olga raised her eyebrows at William, who nodded. They remained on their fronts while the soldiers followed the path of their friends.
The slightest crunch of her steps, Matilda rejoined William and Olga.
“Now imagine if we’d followed the first lot,” William said.
“All right.” Olga scowled at him. “I get your point.”
When the soldiers vanished from sight, William and the other two stood up. Matilda led them, tracking the smaller pack. They caught glimpses of them
