Page 80 of The Last True Hero

"Pull the trigger," the other woman sneered, though her hands were half in the air. "You'll have every reiver within hearing distance down upon you."

"I don't think so," Mia countered, cocking her head. "Can't you hear that?" Something in the distance echoed, like a drumbeat. Or maybe boots stamping on the wooden stands of the arena. "They're all heading into the arena. And even if they did hear it, all I'd have to do is fire off a couple more in the air and shout a bit, and they'd think I was celebrating." She smiled, and it wasn't very nice.

* * *

"What dowe do with her?" Mia asked.

Zarina glared bloody murder up at them from where they'd gagged her and thrown her in one of the cells.

McClain scrubbed at his mouth. "Fuck. This is not good. Vex will notice she's missing. And we can't keep her quiet."

"Then we have to move now." Mia rested her hand on his arm. "Rykker will be back soon. We don't have time to wait until we've sounded this place out. We can use Vex's games as a distraction. Free the girls, create some noise to cover our tracks, and then get the hell out of here."

Zarina cocked her head, as if listening intently to them.

McClain gestured her aside, his voice dropping. "We don't know enough about what to expect at the stronghold," he whispered fiercely. "If we rush this, we might have to make a choice between Tom and Sonya, and Sage and Thea."

"We split up," she countered. "Jake and Ellie can hit the slave markets. You and I take Vex's stronghold and get the girls. Everyone will be at the games. You saw what it was like last night."

He hesitated.

"If Vex realizes Zarina is missing, then she'll turn this place inside out. You know that. And Zarina will spill what we're up to. We don't have a hope in hell then. Then there's this general who hasn't arrived yet."

Slowly McClain tilted his head toward Zarina. He and Jake connected for a moment, and Mia shivered.

"I can't just kill her in cold blood," Jake argued. "No way."

A sigh escaped McClain. "Me either."

They all looked at one another. Bethany and Sara held each other subconsciously.

"Okay," McClain continued. "We're going to have to do this fast and hard. Ellie, you and Jake return to the rooms and get the rest of the weapons. Then you need to take the slave markets and get everyone out."

"Everyone?" Ellie faltered.

"I'm not leaving any of these people here as slaves." Confidence seemed to fill McClain now the decision had been made. "That gives us more hands to carry guns, and more people to fight with us."

"Where do we get that many guns from?" Mia asked.

"The armory," Jake murmured. "Vex has an armory nearby. She's a trusting soul."

Behind them Zarina started kicking in the straw in the cell. McClain's hand shifted to the gun at his hip. "As soon as you get the slaves, hit the armory then head for the vehicle lot. Take what you can and slash the tires on everything else. After that we need a distraction."

"I hope you're not talking about lighting a match again," Mia muttered.

"People out first," he countered. "Then we watch this shit hole burn."

"Deal. I'll even light the match." She took a deep breath. It was finally happening.

Boots echoed on stone. McClain moved between her and the stairs.

"Zarina?" Rykker bellowed, leading three of his men down into the cells. He froze when he saw all of them there. "What the fuck are you doing?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion and he reached for his gun. "I knew you were up to something."

Everything happened so fast.

Mia slammed into the wall as McClain shoved her out of the way. "Get down girls!" He and Jake hauled their weapons clear.

"Easy now!" One of the reivers called, looking nervous. "Jesus, Rykker. What the fuck?"