Wanted

Chapter 22

Once again, the group was standing in that dodgy shop. They couldn't stay there for too long; the hunt would be starting soon. It was the first place Isaac would look for them, and they couldn't be caught; not yet.

The shop was the same as it had been when Conlaed and Katrina came in last. Arthur and Pricilla had stayed back when they all tromped into Isaac's mansion to steal back Katrina. Everything was still pushed to the sides in a neat heap of mess, but now just over twenty guns were lined up on the counter. It was barely a snippet of their weapons stock.

Up and down Ben walked, his hair swishing with his movements. He kept his gaze on his feet, running something through his head. He stopped walking, running his hand through his hair. Swivelling around, he stared at Arthur.

"Figured out whatever you were trying to? Wanna share it with the rest of us?"

Pricilla, Jacob, Nathan, Ruby, Katrina and Conlaed were huddled in a corner of the shop, their eyes glued to the figure previously pacing in the centre of the room. Arthur was leaning again the counter, stifling a yawn.

"We really need to get going, so can whatever mid-life crisis you're having wait?"

"I'm not have a mid-life crisis, Arthur," Ben forced out, clenching his jaw. "We need more people. We can't take Isaac down without more people." His eyes flickered between Arthur and the guns, until he let out a frustrated sigh. "What's the point in having guns if we don't have the people to use them?"

"Aren't you the one who said if we joined you, you could lend us men?" Pricilla said, carefully rotating the hand Conlaed had dislocated, before mustering up enough courage to snap it back into its proper position.

"Yeah, well I'm sorry if half of my men are in prison, a quarter are dead and the others are god knows where."

Everyone knew better than to ask what had happened.

Nathan walked carefully over to Ben as if he was a stink bomb. When he got to Ben's side, he looked him in his cold, emerald eyes. The instant anyone looked deep inside, you could tell they weren't meant to be dived into. If you did, you would get stuck inside like a prison, and not in a good way. The protective layer was so thick, like a swimming pool of a dragon's skin, it was almost impossible to see beneath his mask... and no one wanted to.

"I may know some people who might want to help. It could take some convincing, but they should be good shots."

"Who?" Ben demanded, a little too eagerly.

After hesitating, Nathan replied, "The police."

The little hope that was on Ben's face, slid off like a snail with phenomenal speed. "The police." His voice was dripping with venom and he had to clench his fists to stop himself from his fist colliding with the boy in front of him. "And how do you propose we persuade the police to help us kill a man?"

"We all want him gone, and Isaac won't go down without a fight. Somehow, he will find out that the police have evidence against him... and who doesn't want him dead. Anyway, a few of the officers owe me a few favours." Ben raised his eyebrows. "Maybe more than a few, and if you think I'm telling you why, then think again."

With another sigh, Ben ran his hand through his hair. "You're just like your father."

With that sentence, Nathan's eyes hardened, and no emotion was present. He turned around and walked towards the counter, opening the bar to behind it and going through to the storage room. When he was inside, a lump was almost fully formed in his throat. He swallowed with difficulty, looking up at the ceiling. Not here, not now. He took a few deep breaths, and he could feel his tears seeping back into his eyes.