Chaos Magic • General Kirigan-Kaz Brekker

|33| costumes

~•~

Kaz sat in an office, playing with a magic pen. His mind going back to when he was a young boy watching a magician make it disappear then reappear from behind his ear.

"Kaz?" Evangeline called out to him softly. She didn't want to go in his mind. She rarely does that to bad people. Why do it to him. And it seemed to be a lack of privacy for the lad.

Kaz's mind didn't drift away from the memory, however. His mind swirling with the past. When he was happy. When he had his brother.

"Kaz!" Eva softly called out again, finally causing him to let go. "Wylan's brought the compound. Jesper's helping him load it in." She informed.

"In a few hours when the chips fall... it'll give me some comfort to know Inej will be with me. If you'd like to come along you can, I suppose."

"I'm sure she wouldn't miss it and nor will I. But if Jesper and Wylan need help I won't hesitate to say yes." Eva slyly smiled.

He set down the pen and stood up with the help of his cane. "If the plan goes awry, promise me one thing. Get Inej out of the city as fast as you can. Tell her to find her brother and never look back. As for you, you can return home. To your boys. To your... brother."

She softly nodded. "What is it that Pekka has done?"

Kaz stiffened. "You don't need to know."

"Kaz, if I'm going to help you take down this man, I'm going to need to know. I won't go about killing random men-"

"He killed my brother!" He snapped. He looked away after his outburst.

It stayed silent for a while before Eva responded calmly, "then I can promise you that Pekka will beg for his death." She then left the room.

-~•🥀•~-

She walked down the steps of the bar when she saw Wylan and Jesper talking around the costume box. "Whatcha doing?"

"Looking at the fun box." He picked up a red bird mask with good designs. "Hm. Not many people can pull off a beak." He smiled at the smaller man. Eva smirked at their interaction. "Go on, your turn."

"Umm...." Wylan's looked around as Jesper found a red hat to match. "Oh, don't forget your gloves."

Jesper took them graciously.

Wylan then found a mask that represented the devil. It was also red with black horns. "Perfect. Hides my whole face."

"I kinda like your face." Jesper flirted. Wylan became flushed as he slowly peeled off his mask.

Inej walked in with a peacock feathered costume it had a fan behind her neck, a cape that matched the whole outfit draped over her shoulders. "Smells like this thing hasn't been washed since last year."

Kaz then walked in as quick as he could. He didn't pay anyone any attention and went to the box with the chemical spray concoction Wylan had came up with. "It will mimic it in every way?"

"Mhm." Wylan nodded.

Kaz shut the box. "Good."

Jesper stared at Kaz. The latter slowly turning his head to look at the gunslinger. "You're gonna say you can't do this without me, yeah? And that you hate it when we're angry at each other but sometimes brothers fight. And that when all of this is over, you're gonna open a tab for me at the club for my choosing! 'Cause when Pekka's gone, you'll take it all. That's what you were gonna say. Yes?"

Inej and Eva looked at the other with smirks on their faces. The two loved their relationship. Kaz could try to deny it, but they have a bond.

"There's a cap in the tab. But otherwise, yes. To all of that." Kaz told Jesper.

"Then let's go take down the king."

"The plan is this. Jesper and Wylan you're gonna hand out Komedie Brute costumes and bikes of the compound to all of the Dregs. Per Haskell's gang. Our gang now. By sunset the streets will be crawling with Sankt Emerens revelers. They'll provide us with the cover we need. Hit all of Pekka's businesses, the clubs, the brothels, all to destroy Pekka's reputation. Inej will cover fifth harbour, and when the chaos begins, Evangeline will hand the note to Pekka's driver. She'll come back to Nina and I who will be handling the Emerald Palace. See you there."

"No mourners." Jesper started.

"No funerals." The rest of the group, minus Wylan, finished in unison.

"Why do you guys say that?" The smaller boy asked. "Why not 'good luck' or 'be safe'?"

"We like to keep our expectations low." Inej said, leaning in to speak to him. Wylan just nodded silently. The three left in their costumes.

Nina took a swig from her glass of whiskey. Eva took the glass from her and took one as well.

"You've been quiet." Kaz observed. "You ready?"

Nina swung at his face, knocking him out. "What the hell?!" Eva screeched. Nina put her hands in front of her, Eva felt her chest squeeze. Her heart, slowing. Her lungs, losing air. She eventually fell unconscious.