by Jami Gray
Her assumption gained strength when Havoc sighed, losing some of his prickly defensiveness. ‘My past, my private past,’ he stressed, ‘was why Reaper sent Katori with us. Better for someone they trust to bring back Istaqa’s son, than someone they’ve only heard about.’
Vex’s eyes flashed and on the table, her hand curled into a fist, hiding the beautiful but deadly honed tips. ‘So Reaper knows?’
Havoc held her glare. ‘Yeah, it’s the reason why he and I began riding together in the first place.’
Confusion crowded in. ‘But I thought you two started riding together because—’
He cut her off with a look as Ed came back with a cup of coffee and a muffin. Vex’s mouth snapped shut and she shook her head. ‘Fine, we’ll pick this up later.’
‘Or not at all,’ he muttered.
Mercy washed the chip down with water, effectively stifling her impatience. Just when things were getting interesting her curiosity was left hanging in the wind.
Ed settled in next to Havoc. ‘Guess you’ll be here at least the night?’
‘Yeah.’
The older man nodded. ‘Well, then I’ve got two empty rooms above the garage, if you need a place to crash.’
‘Appreciate it.’
Guess they were staying with Ed tonight.
‘You’re a quiet one.’
It took a moment for Mercy to register that Ed’s comment was directed at her. Giving the old man a bland smile, she murmured, ‘Not much to add.’
‘Hmm.’ He took a sip of his coffee, studying her over the rim, hazel eyes sharp despite the weathered wrinkles surrounding them. He set it down on the table, before turning back to Havoc. ‘Warning, boy, Nora’s gonna offer you a bed for the night.’
Vex renewed her glare. Mercy hid her pitching stomach with a smirk. Havoc dropped his head and ran a hand over his neck. ‘Dammit, Ed, why do you have to stir shit up?’
That earned a bark of laughter. ‘She don’t need much encouragement.’ Still chuckling, he shook his head, amusement adding a mischievous light in his eyes. Obviously taking pity on Havoc’s pained expression, he soothed, ‘I’m just giving you grief. She’ll leave you alone, no worries. She hooked up with Able.’
‘Able?’
‘Yeah, he took over his dad’s herd few years back.’
The two men began talking about sheep and people she had no interest in. With her unexpected bout of jealousy waning, Mercy’s attention drifted to their surroundings. The lunch crowd had thinned considerably, but there were still a few lingering customers. A young couple talked quietly on the other side, leaning towards each other over their food, the woman occasionally turning to keep an eye on a pair of youngsters playing nearby. A trio of teens messed around at another table, their loud laughter earning dirty looks from a pair of older women.
Out of habit Mercy’s gaze kept moving, scanning the tables. Even though the most dangerous threat was back in Page, she knew that when Felix set her ass up, he did it right. Proof being the Cartel had wasted no time in getting the word out that they wanted to get their hands on her. There had been a close call in Phoenix that had nothing to do with Felix and everything to do with the Cartel’s generosity for her carcass. There were enough bounty hunters out there who had no issues working with the Cartels, which meant she could be dodging all kinds of rats crawling out of the most unlikely places. Felix was just the one nipping at her heels. With this thought in mind, she gave each patron a once over, just for peace of mind.
A group of farmers were laughing and talking at a table towards the front. A man was slouched over another table, head resting on folded arms, hat pulled low, shadowing his face. His siesta was interrupted when a young man walked up and kicked his heel sticking out from under the table, jerking Napping Guy upright. She couldn’t see his face since his buddy made a perfectly good door, but his friend placed his hands on the table and leaned down to talk to him. Keeping her study casual, she moved on. A table away, three generations of women—grandmother, mother, daughter—a safe assumption since they shared the same eyes and chin—quietly ate and chatted, the daughter appearing slightly bored as she checked out the teens on the other side. All in all, a fairly non-lethal lunch crowd.
A racket at the far end of the street yanked her attention around. Ed and Havoc half turned in their chairs, while Vex got to her feet. A cloud of dust rose in the air, drifting closer on a rush of noise, a crush of yells, hooves, baas, and bells.
‘Ah dammit!’ Ed took one last gulp of coffee and pushed to his feet, before untangling from the bench. ‘Looks like Ben’s flock is making a run for it again.’
Mercy rose, Havoc doing the same on the other side. Around her the other lunch customers began their exodus. Under her feet, the ground vibrated and the noise and dust tumbled closer. Covering her nose and mouth in a vain attempt to keep the incoming grit out, she turned to follow the others even as Ed shouted, ‘Get a move on, people!’ He slapped Havoc’s shoulder and pointed to the side of the eatery. ‘Head that way, we’ll circle around back.’
The last of the patrons sprung up and bailed just as the leading edge of sheep bled into the tables, scattering them. Because their table was closer to the building’s far edge, the woolly bodies became a sea of bleating obstacles and choking dust, dividing the lunch crowd. Scrambling back, Mercy didn’t get far before a large hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. The dust got thicker and the noise became deafening, turning the pleasant lunch area into a haze-filled pit of chaos.
Havoc’s grip didn’t relent, and she stumbled in his wake, hitting one hip on a table’s edge with bruising force. She found her feet but when she fell against Havoc’s back for the second time, she yanked her wrist free, and transferred her hand to his waistband. At least that way she wouldn’t end up with a smashed nose every few seconds.
Only after a series of turns freed them from the dust and took the noise down to a background din, did they slow and eventually stop. Letting go of Havoc, Mercy took in their new surroundings. It looked like they were on the backside of the market area. She could see the cloud of dust hovering above the awnings and roofs, the confusion a dull buzz, but at least there were no sheep wandering about.
Ed took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh, knocking off dust. ‘Damn kid knows better than to bring those thick-witted cotton heads down through Main Street.’
Next to him Vex coughed and used the tail end of her shirt to wipe her face. ‘Never thought I’d have to worry about death by sheep.’
Mercy couldn’t stop her grin when Vex’s swipe left her face streaked with rusty brown, but tried to hide it by dropping her head and brushing off her pants. Not that it helped, the red dust was tenacious.
Proving she didn’t miss much, Vex growled, ‘What?’
Trying not to laugh, Mercy took a moment before lifting her head and answering, ‘You missed a spot.’
Ed resettled his hat. ‘Come on, we’ll use the back paths and avoid that mess out front.’ He gave Vex a smile. ‘We’ll make a stop so you can wash up.’
* * *
An hour later, Mercy stood well away from Havoc and Vex in a breathtaking room, as they waited on Istaqa. Normally the unique home would capture her interest—rooms carved out of the canyon walls complete with cleverly disguised solar windows—but not right now. Even the unusual floor to ceiling thick glass windows offering sweeping views couldn’t dull the edge of her resentment thanks to the argument that erupted before they headed out.
Havoc, the stubborn bastard, wanted to leave her behind with some lame promise she could meet with Istaqa tomorrow. One causal comment to that effect and her temper blew. The words, ‘fuck that’, and ‘they had a deal’ were bandied about with ‘trust your ass as far as I can toss it’, and ‘not vouching for a murderer’. Throughout the entire exchange, Vex watched and waited, an amused grin hovering over her face. Eventually, Mercy got her way by threatening to ditch his overbearing ass and finding her own way to Istaqa.
/> Now they were here, waiting for Istaqa to join them. No-one was talking, which was fine with her. What she had left to say needed to be said to Istaqa, not to the condescending, thickheaded ass occupying the chair behind her staring holes in her back. She leaned a shoulder against the wall’s edge and stared down into the canyon’s floor. From this vantage point, she could see the majority of the market place sprawled below. There was even a couple of sheep still wandering through the streets. As it was moving into late afternoon, the sun was just beginning its descent leaving the canyon walls to deflect its rays.
In the glass’s surface she caught movement from one of the room’s entryways. Without turning around, she watched the reflections through the glass as Istaqa and another man stepped into the room. The second male’s attention zeroed in on her, and the weight of his study crawled over her spine. Worry spun through her as she tried to determine if they had crossed paths at some point. She came up empty, but it didn’t ease her discomfort. Difficult though it was, she managed to maintain her casual pose.
‘Havoc.’ Istaqa moved to the bigger man, who rose to meet him. They did the male arm grasp thing again. When they separated, Istaqa turned to Vex, who was stretched along the length of a couch. ‘Vex, apologies for my shortness earlier.’
Vex swung her legs around and sat up. ‘Not needed.’
Mercy turned away from the window to meet Istaqa’s study. She waited, letting him take his time. No sense in speaking first.
Sure enough, he tilted his head, his smile polite, his face hard. ‘And you are?’
‘Mercy.’ She gave her name and waited, because her name alone wouldn’t satisfy him. Hell, most of what she could give him wouldn’t endear her, but it was a chance she was willing to take.
Proving her assumption, a chill wiped away his politeness. ‘You’re not a Vulture and you’re not sharing Havoc’s bed.’
His blunt assessment brought a cynical curl to her lips. ‘No to the first, and not any time soon, to the second.’
Her answer brought a snort from Vex, and Havoc simply heaved an audible sigh. Their reactions earned a surface thaw from Istaqa. ‘So why are you here?’
She couldn’t help but glare at Havoc while her smile tightened. ‘Made a deal with Havoc, his part was to get me face time with you.’
Istaqa looked at Havoc, who shrugged. Istaqa turned back to her, eyebrow raised, and genuine interest slipping around the edges. ‘Before I ask the next obvious question, I’m curious as to what you offered him, considering he understands how much I value my privacy.’
Yeah, she knew just how difficult it was to get time with the leader of the Free People, hence the reason she used Havoc to get it. Once again her gaze lifted to Havoc. Despite his unreadable expression she could see the remnants of their earlier argument staring back. But he wasn’t the only one still feeling the effects. Knowing it would be taken for the challenge it was, she held his gaze before turning away to answer Istaqa. ‘He wants to screw with the Cartels, and he needs me to do it.’
That wiped away Istaqa’s amusement, replacing it with something she didn’t understand. He looked to Havoc. ‘Again, my friend?’
Havoc shook his head. ‘Not like you’re thinking. She ran into Boomer’s, dragging a couple of roaches behind her. Decided helping her meant pissing them off. Win-win.’
Istaqa folded his arms, lines creasing his brow as he studied the other man, clearly not buying it. ‘For you maybe, but I don’t need them infesting my house.’ Some serious eye contact took place between the two, then he shook his head and came back to her. ‘Why do you want to speak to me?’
Just like that, the spotlight turned to her. Her nerves went tight, leaving her fingertips tingling. Either Istaqa believed her and helped, or he kicked her out, leaving her on her own with the Cartels. One gave her a slim chance at survival, the other guaranteed a dirt nap. Ignoring her twisting gut, she took a breath and stepped into the unknown. ‘Your dam’s set to blow sky high. I can help you stop it. In exchange, you get me a meet with Guillermo Suárez.’
Chapter 7
Mercy’s pronouncement hit the room with sonic force. Stunned, Havoc sat there absorbing the shock. She wanted a meet with the head of the Suárez family? Was she suicidal? It made him wonder if his ears were playing tricks on him. Never mind the part about the dam.
Istaqa must have had the same question, because he stepped right into her face, fists clenched at his side, fury raging over his face and spat, ‘Say again?’
Havoc couldn’t help closing in, not that Mercy needed his help. He gave her credit. The woman had balls, rock solid ones. Because other than tilting her head back to keep eye contact with the taller man, she held her position. The rigid length of her spine revealed the only sign of her tension. ‘If you check your dam, I can guarantee you’ll find it’s been seeded with explosives.’
Unimpressed with her undaunted façade, Istaqa stared her down, tension still curling around him like a cat. ‘Say I send men to check your claim and they come up empty.’
She didn’t even flinch at the hard whip of his accusation. ‘Then I’d suggest upping your security because from what I can tell, things were already set in motion before I left. Which means if they aren’t already here, it’s only a matter of time before they show up.’
Istaqa’s jaw flexed, then he cocked his head, calculation and suspicion darkening his face. ‘And you know this how exactly?’
At his question the edge of her defiance softened proving she wasn’t stupid. Istaqa hadn’t killed her where she stood, which meant he was listening. ‘You have paper and a pencil?’
Havoc found her question curious. He wasn’t the only one.
Istaqa studied her, then coming to some internal decision, he motioned to the man standing silently off to the side. Without a word, the guard disappeared. Mercy and Istaqa continued their stare down until the man returned with the requested materials. Instead of handing them over, he laid them on the low-slung table in front of the couch behind Istaqa. When he straightened, he didn’t move away, instead, hovered at the table’s edge as Istaqa stepped aside letting Mercy pass.
Ignoring the silent threat, she knelt by the table and began sketching while she talked. ‘I was sent to the Cartels to find out who they’re currently in bed with. While there, I happened to stumble across detailed plans on the Antelope Lake’s dam.’ Her hand flew over the paper. Havoc watched as she sketched, an image of the dam coming together in recognisable lines. ‘From what I could piece together, the plan is to keep you off balance with a series of nuisance hits, before they go all-out. Then, when you’re run ragged, they’ll sweep in and destroy the dam.’
Lifting his head, Havoc shared a frown with Istaqa over her bent head. ‘What the hell do they think they’ll gain by taking out the dam?’ Destroying the current system harbouring the lifeline of water was beyond stupid, falling right into self-destructive. Unless there was something he was missing.
Mercy cut in. ‘It takes out your greatest bargaining power.’
Istaqa narrowed his eyes, his brows lowering as he shook his head slowly. ‘They’d be better served trying to take control of the dam itself.’
Without looking away from her drawing, Mercy offered, ‘I think that option was considered, but when they realised taking your forces head-on was suicidal, they went with the distract-and-destroy route.’
‘That’s bullshit.’ The comment came from Vex, who now sat on the edge of the couch, feet on the ground, elbows on her knees, and unconcealed suspicion colouring her face. Probably the same storm of suspicion gathering in Havoc’s mind, thanks to the information that brought the Vultures here to meet with Istaqa. Information Mercy didn’t have. Correction, shouldn’t have.
‘Is it?’ Mercy paused to meet her stare, before turning back to her sketch.
Vex looked to Istaqa and Havoc, annoyance not quite covering the worry underneath. ‘Cartels are many things, but stupid isn’t one of them.’
Mercy didn’t bot
her to look up, but shook her head. Instead of arguing with the other woman, she asked, ‘Do you know the history of the Colorado River?’
Before Vex could answer, Istaqa cut in, impatience clear in his voice as he folded his arms over his chest, staring down at Mercy’s bent head. ‘Before the Collapse, the Colorado was the main water supply for the west coast and its power was harnessed by a series of dams. After things went to hell, the Free People reclaimed Hoover and Glen Canyon dams and regained control of our water rights. To ensure others wouldn’t abuse Nature’s bounty any further, we adjusted the series of dams to sustain what was left of the Colorado and Antelope Lake was born.’
‘By “adjusting” the river’s route, the Free People became a power player while ensuring their survival,’ Mercy said, without looking up.
Istaqa’s mouth tightened, but he kept on with the history lesson. ‘Water doesn’t recognise territories or politics. If those around us want access, they abide by our treaties or they’re cut off.’
Which is why Katori’s kidnapping by the Raiders had come out of left field. To survive in the southwest, you needed access to water, water controlled by the Free People. Mess with the Free People, and you were left high and dry—literally. But if there was a will there was a way, and Havoc could see exactly where Mercy was leading them. ‘If they remove the dams, the lake will flood through the old canyons. Not only will that redirect the water into the old channels, but it would wipe out Navajo City.’
‘Right.’ Mercy stopped, twisted her spine so she could see Havoc and Istaqa. ‘Which means the Free People would be left scrambling to contain the damage at the dam and deal with losing a shit ton of your people in one swoop.’ Her voice softened. ‘By the time you got a handle on things, it would be too late.’
