Too Young (The Jewel Project #1)

Chapter 15.2 - The challenge

"Fine. There must be a tent still standing around here." Sam turned his back on Snitch Gravel and his men and walked towards his brothers.

Tom grabbed his arm as Sam passed him. "Are you out of your mind?" he said between his teeth.

"Keep an eye on them." Sam nodded towards Snitch Gravel's goons.

"Punch him between the eyes if you have to. You'll have a chance to knock him out," Jimmy whispered.

Sam smiled and walked on, Snitch Gravel right behind him. They reached a random tent and went in.

"This is nice and cozy," Snitch Gravel said, looking around.

"Cut the crap. What's the message?"

"Rather rude, aren't we?" Snitch Gravel smiled shrewdly. "I'm here merely to present you with a challenge."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "A challenge?""

"I want to have a showdown to decide your fate. One of my men against one of your men."

"A showdown? As in have them shoot at each other?"

Snitch Gravel pursed his lips as though trying not to laugh. "No. I was thinking more along the lines of hand-to-hand combat."

Sam crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay. Why?"

"Because it will keep me entertained."

Sam balled his fists. He wondered if this was the right time to punch Snitch Gravel between the eyes. "I'm not here to keep you entertained, you sick bastard. We're not toys."

Snitch Gravel frowned. "I'd watch my tone if I were you. I wasn't as stupid as to throw my gun away."

Sam cursed himself. He was still acting like an idiot. "Fine, so this keeps you entertained. It's not my idea of fun. What's in it for me?"

"Ah, there we are. A much better attitude." Snitch Gravel smiled smugly. "It's a win-win situation. If you win, I'll let you run home to your mommy. If you lose I'll kill you."

"How's that a win-win situation?" Sam asked outraged.

"I didn't say it was win-win for you." Snitch Gravel grinned.

Sam once again had the mad desire to punch him, but decided on something even better. "Oh, no. How about if you win you let us run away and if we win, you give us the ruby and give yourself up?"

Snitch Gravel stared at Sam for a few seconds then burst out laughing. "You're so funny. I'm still going to kill you if you lose, though."

"Okay, if you insist upon that, I'll accept the rule. But if you lose, you give us the ruby."

Snitch Gravel narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think I'd give up the very thing that brought me here?"

"Because it's not what brought you here." Sam shrugged. "You're here because of us. You want us dead badly enough to stick around, still, not enough to actually kill us."

"I like playing with my food."

"So I've noticed. What's it to you if you give us the ruby? You'll get it back after you kill us, anyway." Sam smiled as though daring Snitch Gravel to find a flaw in his logic.

Snitch Gravel watched him carefully for a few seconds. "Fine. You have a point. Now, on with the other rules. I don't want you to be the one who does the actual fighting."

"Why not?" Sam asked, trying not to sound offended. Was his incompetence that obvious? Plus, he would be the only one left. Except... now he was certain the rest of the group couldn't leave. Snitch Gravel would hunt them down.