Talons⛥Kaz Brekker

⛥𝔖𝔦𝔵𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫⛥

I walked around the hotel, while trying to avoid my father, maybe stealing a few things on the way. Finally, I stopped at a window. It was a large window with a wide windowsill, there was a ornate pillow at each end. I sat on the sill and stretched my legs out in front of me, I rested my head on the window and after a while of looking out I closed my eyes. I let out a long sigh.

"You're quiet today," Kaz's voice startled me slightly, my brain must of fallen asleep as I didn't hear him coming.

I bent my legs and made room for him to sit down, he kept his gaze on me as he sat in front of me.

I looked out the window again, "I have nothing to talk about."

"You don't need to worry about what your father said to me." He told me straight, "I'm not going to listen."

"I never said you would."

"But you thought it."

I turned my head to him, "and how would you know?"

"Because I've know you for long enough to know what you're like."

"Bet you could write a book about me," I joked with a laugh.

His eyes lit up again.

"An entire book series."

Silence floated around us again.

"Do you have a plan?"

"Yes."

"Will I like it?"

Kaz thought for a moment before he answered, "probably not."

I sighed before I stood up, "I guess we should round up the others so we can all hear your suicide plan."

"I wouldn't call it a suicide plan."

I rolled my eyes playfully and taunted, "yeah yeah."

⛥⛥

We all sat in the sitting area again in Colm's room, Kaz was telling us his plan. "But who's going to shill? Van Eck has seen all our faces except Nina and Specht. Even if one of us somehow got tailored or we brought another person, the Merchant Council isn't just going to turn over the money to a newcomer with no credentials," Jesper said.

"How about a jurda farmer who's been holed up in the most expensive suit in Ketterdam?" Kaz asked.

"Me?" Colm asked.

I should've seen this coming. I should've thought through Kaz's actual plan. "No way, Kaz," said Jesper. "Absolutely not."

"He knows jurda, he speaks Kerch and Zemeni, and he looks the part."

"He has an honest face," Jesper said bitterly. "You weren't keeping him safe stashing him in this hotel, you were setting him up."

"I was building us an out."

"A hedge of your own?"

"Yes."

"You are not bringing my father into this."

"He's already in it, Jes. You brought him into it when you had him mortgage his farm to pay for your degree in wasting money."

"No," repeated Jesper. "Van Eck is going to make the connection between Colm Fahey and Jesper Fahey. He isn't an idiot."

"But there is no Colm Fahey staying at the Geldrenner. Colm Fahey rented
rooms at a little university district inn, and according to the harbormaster's manifests, he left town several nights ago. The man staying here is registered under the name Johannus Rietveld."