Kaz paced his office. He had left Amira resting in their room while he went to attend to some business. He found he was too distracted to focus on his paperwork, his thoughts drifting back to the woman in his bed.
She had said yes.She'd agreed to marry him and be his wife. He would find her the perfect ring and do right by her. He would make sure all her dreams were fulfilled and he'd find a way to be the best version of himself for her. She deserved no less from him.
Kaz was extremely nervous by the prospect of putting his woman within reach of the madman,Carlson again.
He wanted to gut the bastard and claw the man's heart out for what he'd done to both Nina and Amira.
He should be proud of his reserve considering how his mind raced, his inner demons fighting to come out to play.
Kaz would have his pound of flesh soon. Carlson wasn't going to walk away this time. Kaz would make sure of that.
Kaz really didn't need distractions right now and while he was well aware Amira was a very capable fighter and could hold her own, he couldn't help but worry about her.
She was still in recovery from the last encounter and she had new injuries that were on the mend. She wasn't presently in peak fighting form.
He was glad that Inej and Amira had reconciled,but was disappointed Amira had let herself get injured in their sparring earlier. He wished he was able to read her mind to understand what had had her so distracted recently.
He was frustrated she couldn't just tell him what was troubling her. He understood that it was easier to keep things to yourself and deal with the demons alone, but Amira didn't need to. He was here and he wanted to help her.
He hoped it was just stress about what was going to need to be done but he was starting to believe it was even more than simply facing her ex boss again.
He hoped she would come to him about it after they have dealt with Carlson.
There was a knock at the door and he stopped pacing to go answer it.
Inej stood in the hall, she gave him a small smile when he met her gaze.
"Inej have you found out what Carlson's plans are ?" Kaz asked crossing his arms leaning in his doorway to wait for her response
Inej nodded at him and frowned as she replied softly," It isn't good Kaz, the man has alot of hired muscle. He's ready to go to war against you to have Amira back. This is not going to be simple and I don't think we will even be able to get close enough to Carlson to take him out. I don't like the plan based on what I've found out . We have to think of something else, the risk to Amira isn't worth it if we cannot kill the bastard. We need to keep her safe."
Kaz snarled beyond agitated, " Why is it so difficult to kill this prick?How is it he has built this wealth to hire these mercenaries without us knowing about it sooner? I have spies everywhere in the Barrel and no one has reported this to me. Something isn't right Inej."
Just then an alarm went off. Kaz swore looking briefly at Inej who took off down the hall towards their armoury without another word to him.
Someone had betrayed them. He would find out who had dared to do so. His retribution would be swift.
Kaz darted into his office and went to his desk to pull the pistol he kept in a hidden compartment of his top drawer.
He checked the chambers making sure it was loaded and stuffed some extra shells from the box in the drawer into his pocket.
The siren was grating but he was thankful to have had it installed if just for this reason.
He left the office in a hurry limping his way to the landing that overlooked the gambling parlor.
The men below were shouting as they fought with the armed assailants who had infiltrated his club.
As he made it a rule to have all weapons checked before entry it solidified his suspicion this betrayal was from someone on his crew.
Kaz ground his molars as he watched the bloodbath play out below. He witnessed a serving girl get shot in the back of the head as she tried to run from behind the bar. Her body contorted and slumped to lay motionless, her dead eyes staring skyward. Blood pooling around her small body.
"Christ!" Kaz seethed
He noticed Saxton trying to hide in one of the booths near the back of the room. The boy looked up to meet his gaze and Kaz saw the terror in the young boy's tear filled eyes. When Saxton started to come out Kaz shook his head and the boy immediately stopped. He needed to get the kid out of there but he had no way to safely get to him yet. He prayed the kid would be smart and stay hidden.
For now he needed to find a way down the stairs. If he tried to move down now he'd be an easy target.
Kaz aimed his pistol at one of the hired men and pulled the trigger smiling when the big body collapsed.
This drew the attention of a few others who noticed Kaz at the railing above and started shooting back at him. Kaz had to dive away from the railing, his ears ringing from the shots ricocheting off the metal rail.
He groaned feeling a sudden searing pain in his left bicep. Glancing down he saw a piece of the metal railing stuck in his arm.
He yanked the hot metal from his arm wincing.Getting back to his feet he carefully peered down the flight of stairs. Two men were coming up after him. He aimed at the one on the left and fired again.The man groaned as the bullet had pierced his chest.Kaz watched as the man fell back down the stairs landing hard onto his back, cracking his skull off the tile and didn't move again.
The other man screamed as he charged at Kaz. Kaz pointed his gun at the brute and fired, the bullet ripping into the man's shoulder but his attacker wasn't deterred,he kept coming. Kaz went to fire again but the man grabbed his hand, crushing his wrist. Kaz was unable to hold onto the gun and was forced to watch it tumble down the stairs.
Kaz swung his cane at the man's skull, but his assailant was quick and had evaded the lethal blow. The man grabbed Kaz's other wrist trying to wrestle the cane out of Kaz's hand. Kaz kicked the man hard in the left knee popping it out of it's socket. The big man screamed as his leg gave out under his weight. Kaz didn't hesitate, he kneed the man hard in the face,the man's jaw crashed shut and he ended up biting his own tongue. Blood sprayed and coated Kaz as the man howled in pain.
Kaz drew a small blade from his boot and slashed the man's throat. The man gurgled,holding his throat as he choked on his own blood. He collapsed to the ground writhing.
The man drew his last breath as Kaz felt another presence behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at Inej.
She was covered in blades. She had two short swords in her hands. She frowned at the dead body but didn't say anything to him about it as Kaz wiped the dead man's blood off his dagger so he could resheath it.
Inej held a blade out to him and he accepted it.
She didn't wait for him as she moved swiftly down the stairs. The men below had taken aim at her but she was too quick.
Kaz made his way more carefully downstairs as he let Inej clear him a path. He watched with satisfaction as the men before her fell one after another under her lethal blades.
He had made it down the stairs before anyone took notice of him again, their focus had been on the Wraith.
Kaz let the man in front of him get closer before he swung his own blade with lethal precision. The man couldn't muster any defense against the assault. The man's right arm was cleaved, the blade almost cutting the limb off entirely. The injured arm hung lamely by tendons and muscle.
The man's screams were deafening. Kaz grinned at the pain he'd inflicted as he calmly asked, " Where is your boss? What did he hope to accomplish by coming into my club? Are you ready to die for the man or do you have any sense of self preservation?"
The man tried to support his useless arm as he continued to howl in pain.
It was grating on Kaz's nerves so he snarled, pointing the blade at the man's heart, " Answer me and quit that awful racket before I shut you up permanently."
The man moaned but at least he finally stopped screaming. He was trembling and his brow was covered in sweat. He slipped in his own blood as he tried to back away from Kaz and the blade pointed at his chest.
" I dunno nothing man, I was paid to come here and rough up your crew. I don't ask questions,I do what I'm told. Please let me go, I need a healer." The man whined
Kaz was disgusted by the pathetic display in front of him. The waterworks were unbelievable. The man was sniveling and sobbing and now pleading for Kaz's mercy. He clearly didn't know who Kaz was. The man's incessant groveling was drawing out Kaz's inner demons. The voices in Kaz's head whispered to him to shut the coward up. To cut the man's tongue from his blubbering mouth.
When Kaz growled again the man flinched. The coward had pissed himself too. Kaz had to take a step back to avoid stepping in the puddle of urine forming around the man's boots.
He met the man's wide eyes and something in Kaz's expression made the man whimper even louder and start begging again.
Kaz had had enough and snarled as he slashed out at the man's throat. The man was dead before he even hit the ground. Kaz left the body to lay in the mix of blood and urine and stepped over the corpse to go retrieve Saxton.
The boy was still hiding in the booth and Saxton was visibly relieved when he notice Kaz approaching him. Kaz motioned for the boy to come out and when Saxton was free from his hiding spot,Kaz pulled the kid behind him, using his own body as a shield.
Kaz faced the room and was glad he hadn't managed to draw anyone else's attention.
Kaz said over his shoulder to Saxton," You stay close and don't look at anyone, just follow me. "
Saxton's reply came instantly as the boy said quietly," Yes sir."
Kaz sighed as he looked around the parlor, bodies were strewn everywhere. The gambling tables were overturned,chips and cards lay everywhere. The air smelled of gunpowder and the tang of fresh spilled blood.
Kaz slid the blade into his belt and bent to retrieve a pistol that one of the assailants had dropped.
He leaned into his cane, this leg was throbbing. Kaz couldn't rest yet so he'd simply have to push through it.
Kaz led the boy swiftly across the parlor back to the base of the stairs. He tugged the boy in front of him and nodded to the top of the stairs.
" Go up there to my office, lock the door and you stay quiet. Do not come out until I come get you.Do you understand ?" Kaz asked him
Saxton was trembling but he nodded and Kaz watched as the boy raced up the stairs and down the hall. He heard his office door slam shut.
Kaz was able to now focus back to the fighting.
Inej was on the other side of the parlor.She nodded at him briefly before her attention shifted back on man in front of her.
Kaz saw Jesper outside of Nina's room kneeling behind the large table he'd pushed over. Kaz knew Wylan would be inside the room with Nina helping to guard her.
He glanced then towards his own bedroom and debated going to check on Amira. It was only then he noticed her moving quickly in his direction from the other side of the room. Her fiery hair was loose and her expression was grim. She was covered in blood and he hoped none of it was her own.
He started to make his way over to meet her.
He noticed a man coming towards her from her blindspot and he cursed. He lifted the pistol he'd grabbed and aimed. The gun was jammed and now he panicked.
"Amira behind you!" Kaz yelled out to be heard over the commotion.
Amira's eyes widened as she started to spin. He watched her slip and his heart raced as the cloaked man grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled hard.
She screamed out in pain as she tried to free herself.
Kaz growled as he dropped the useless firearm and drew his blade and raced towards Amira and her assailant ignoring the throbbing pain shooting through his leg with step step forward he took.
The man's cloak fell down in the struggle with Amira,who had managed to free herself from the painful grip on her hair. It was Carlson.
Kaz's vision went red as the man smiled at him. He saw the glint of a blade and his eyes narrowed. Amira was back in the big man's grasp and Carlson had moved his blade to press at her throat. Kaz met Amira's wide terror filled eyes and his stomach sunk. He knew he wouldn't get to her in enough time.
He let his rage fill his eyes for the man who held his future in his arms. Carlson's expression was unnaturally calm.
It sent a chill over Kaz. The man's eyes were empty it was the only way Kaz could describe it.
Amira kept struggling and had managed to claw up Carlson's arm and back of his hands. Carlson didn't seem to feel the pain,at least he didn't react as you would expect.
Kaz watched him lean into Amira and whisper something. It had her finally stop struggling.
No Kaz thought keep fighting baby please don't give up.
Amira was sobbing and shaking but she went still in the man's arms. She met his gaze and the hopelessness he saw reflected back at him gutted him.
Kaz was close enough now for Carlson to hear him. He seethed, " Let her go. She isn't yours anymore, she is mine."
Carlson laughed," She was never going to be yours Mr. Brekker, she knows better then to disappoint me. She will be punished for it. Now that I was retrieved my property we will leave you. "
Kaz growled," You won't take her from me, I will kill you. "
Carlson laughed again and it was eery," You cannot kill me, tell him Amira. Tell Mr.Brekker what I'll do. "
Amira sobbed as she meet Kaz's fearful expression," He's going to blow up the club Kaz, he said he'll let you all live if I go with him without a fight. I'm so sorry Kaz. I love.. "
Carlson slapped Amira hard across the face silencing her. Kaz growled and went to lunge at the man but Carlson stepped back and shook his head. " Now now Mr. Brekker, you're a business man, you know how this all works. You won't put the lives of all your people on the line for one mere woman. I will honor my word and leave your people alone but you need to make a choice. Her life or theirs. Tick tock Brekker, I have to go to my demo man before the next hour or he blows your entire world apart. So what will it be?"
Amira spit blood as she tried to meet his eyes,she was silently begging him to let her go, to save his people, his friends, his family. Does she not realize she is his family too. That he couldn't be without her.
His mind raced, could he get his people out? could he save Amira and keep his family together if he killed Carlson now.
He did know if he let Carlson leave with Amira now he'd likely never see her again.
" Carlson there has to be something else you want? I have money,I have connections. You have just to ask but you cannot have Amira." Kaz growled
" I have my own money and you'll discover I have more connections than you can imagine. You have nothing I need and what I want I have already taken." Carlson smirked as he started backing away with Amira in his arms.
This could not be happening right now. He could not believe this man was still breathing and taking Amira from him.
Carlson's hired men had started gathering around him and Kaz had to watch helplessly as Amira was being taken from him.
He would never forgive himself for letting this happen, for the fear he saw in her eyes.
Inej had come to his side and had to stop him from foolishly charging at their attackers.
Inej met his wide panicked eyes and shook her head at him.
" No Kaz you cannot help her if you're dead. We will get her back, I promise you. " Inej vowed.
Inej squeezed his gloved hand as they watched Amira disappear out the doors of the club.
Kaz's knees gave out and he collapsed. He roared,fury and pain consuming him.
Inej tried to soothe him but he was inconsolable right now.
He wanted answers and he wanted blood. Who ever had betrayed them would feel the full weight of his wrath.
The last shred of decency inside him vanished out the door with Amira.
He knew the others had gathered around him. He heard Nina's quiet sobbing and Jesper cursing under his breathe.
Wylan knelt in front of Kaz and said gently ," Kaz we're crows,we don't give up, we'll get her back."
Kaz's eyes narrowed as he met Wylan's worried expression " Yes Wylan she will come home to me. I will burn the entire world to ash to find her. I suggest not getting in my way. "
Wylan frowned at his harsh words and smartly got up and out of Kaz's line of sight.
Inej frowned down at him but didn't say anything. She knew better and was aware he was doing his best simply not to rage at everything and everyone.
Jesper asked him quietly," Kaz what's the plan?"
Kaz didn't bother looking at him as he said simply, " We find the traitor and then we get my woman back."
Carlson didn't know what he just created, the halestorm that Kaz would deliver to his doorstep would be talked about for many years to come. Kaz was going to win, Carlson will beg for mercy but Kaz would deliver none.