Wylan

Inej came rushing into the room. She stopped in front of Wylan, who picked himself up from the floor. "What is it?" He said, with trepidation.

Inej smiled, and Wylan relaxed. Kaz was alright. "He's awake. He wants to see you. And you." She said, looking at Marli and Nina. They walked through the rooms. Inej grabbed Anika's arm as they passed, pulling her with them.

"What is it?" The blonde girl asked anxiously.

"He's awake."

She beamed, then frowned. "He...wants to see me?''

"You're his lieutenant, and you have a vested interest in how this is going to end. You have as much right to hear an explanation as us." Anika nodded.

They walked in. Kaz was sitting against the wall. He looked up when they entered. Wylan felt a smile curling his lips. He looked over at the others. Marli was grinning, Inej was smiling, and Nina was absolutely steaming.

"You idiot!" Nina screeched. Kaz looked surprised. "Jesper's gone, we're all facing the threat of death, and you almost died! Asshole!" Wylan was surprised to see Kaz watching Nina rant with something close to fondness. "What are we going to do now, you stupid piece of crap?"

"Kaz." Wylan cut in, while Nina was drawing breath to yell again. "What are we going to do? What's happening? What is Geels planning?" Kaz focused on him.

"It's not Geels." His voice was raspier than normal.

"What do you mean?" Marli asked. "Geels was the one who hired me."

"Geels is a pawn. He had nothing to do with the auction."

"Auction?" But Wylan understood. The money they stole. The auction.

"We stole money. A lot of it. From an auction." Kaz explained rather impatiently. "The person who is behind all this knows about the auction, knows all about what happened." Kaz's features had hardened, and Wylan saw that familiar flat, cold rage surge in his eyes.

"Who?" Anika asked.

"This person also wants revenge." Kaz prompted grimly. "We had thought he was gone, but apparently he snuck back into the city. And we've been taking territory from him for the last month." Wylan was drawing a blank, but Inej looked like someone had smacked her in the face.

"No." She breathed.

Kaz sighed. "That's what it looks like."

"Who?" Wylan said, exasperated.

"Pekka Rollins." Kaz growled. Wylan's heart sank like a stone. They were dead. All of them were dead walking.

Marli, Anika, and Nina looked the same. "Are you telling me one of the most powerful men in Ketterdam has five gangs at his disposal, and you've been stealing his territory Are you insane?" Marli demanded.

"We thought he was gone. And it's not just the territory he's mad about." Kaz said, looking slightly guilty. "There's the money he wants, and he just wants the competition thinned." Wylan couldn't breathe. Jesper was dead, too. All of them were so very very screwed.

"What are we going to do?" Anika asked quietly.

Kaz's gaze hardened, this time with determination. "We're going to rescue Jesper, get the gangs off our backs, and destroy Rollins."

Anika laughed without humour. "Is that all?"

Kaz met her gaze. "Just about."