Blood Money (1) | The Inheritance Games

LIII. i know places

"Cause they got the cages, they got the boxes and guns. They are the hunters, we are the foxes and we run."

The flight to Arizona wasn't particularly comfortable. I had to drag Maja along with me for decoy so my brothers wouldn't get suspicious. Neither of us spilled why we were going, I told Maja but I'm yet to tell Grayson and Jameson that the old man left a mystery for just me.  

Jameson and Maja have been sharing glances this whole flight, always just missing each other's stares. 

"We spoke to Skye." Grayson brings up to fill the silence, I tilt my head a little, beckoning him to tell me more. 

"She's with Ave's Father now." Grayson grimaces, experiencing the words as he says them. "Like.. romantically?" I furrow my brows with disgust. Jameson nods, "She's threatening to have another baby." He adds. 

"For fucks sake. Luckily for us she's too old for that. Pushing a baby out of that vagina would literally kill her." I scoff. Jameson and Grayson both grimace. 

When the jet lands, we leave in silence, being escorted to our hotel, each abandoning our bags in our unreasonably large rooms and going our separate ways. 

The first place Maja and I set off to is the address. It leads us to a random warehouse in a desolate street. 

"Is this the right place?" Maja hesitates. "Must be. Let's go." I smile positively. She doesn't make any moves to enter. "I'll wait out here." She smiles politely, I shoot her a sharp glare. Maja whines and follows after me, creeping slowly behind me like a cowering child. 

Three tall guys maybe 30 years older than me are working, moving sealed cardboard boxes from shelf to piles and looking completely unamused. 

The sound of my heels clicking grabs all of their attention, they share a couple unspoken words through eye contact and then in sync they gather around us. 

"My name is Spencer Hawthorne, I'm here-" I start, before I can even continue I notice a shift in the atmosphere, their eyes light up with amazement and they share more of the eye contact communication. "We know why you're here." One of them states. 

"You do?" I clear my throat. The taller lankier one nods, "Tobias Hawthorne." He says dramatically. 

"My Grandfather." I clarify, they smirk. "Who's this?" They nod towards Maja. 

"I'm her cousin." She improvises instantly. 

"C'mon then. Break room." They instruct. I fearfully follow behind them towards the small staff break room. If this was dangerous, my Grandfather wouldn't have sent me here. 

One of them jumps up on the counter, reaching up to the high shelf and bringing down a small wooden carved box. He blows some residual dust off from atop the brown chest. 

The initials SAH are engrained across the top. "Spencer Alice Hawthorne." Maja whispers, running the tips of her fingers over it, looking back to me. 

"Thank you guys." I smile, picking up the box and starting for the door. "Hey!" They scream, one of them grabbing Maja by the wrist. "That's not yours." He justifies. 

"It has my name on it." I tell them. "Your Grandfather left that with us 10 years ago now without so much as a word! We've waited for someone to come for it — tried to open it, but we can't. No way can you just leave without and giving us at least have of however much is in it." The bald one yells. 

Ten years ago. That's when he planned this.

"I guarantee you there isn't money in there." I swear. "Prove it. Open it." He insists, gripping Maja tighter until she winces. "Well I don't know how yet." I justify.

"Then figure it out. If there's anything valuable we're keeping half. If not you're free to go." They shrug menacingly calmly. 

I lock eyes with Maja, who looks vengeful but the second I meet her gaze they soften and she assures me I can figure it out. 

I tremble as I lift the box, examining the intricate details, little flowers and patterns. I run my hand over the plaque with my initials on it, trying to find something at all. The lock requires a code, 20 digits needed. It'd be near impossible to guess, though I'm sure these guys have tried many times. 

I try all my siblings birthdays in order of Nash to Xander. I try the dates and month, then the month and year. It's all a bust. I try both things the other way about. Still a bust. 

"I don't know." I yell in frustration. "I need Jamie or Gray, I'm not good at puzzles." I tell Maja with despair. 

"Let's go ask them then." Maja suggests gently. "You go. We're keeping her so you don't get any ideas about running." They grit, keeping hold of Maja. 

"You're insane if you think I'd leave her." I scoff. "Either you leave her, or you leave without the box." They state simply. 

I grit my teeth, opening my mouth to yell at them, Maja holds her hands up in a way of making peace. "It's fine Spence. I trust you. Just hurry back." She nods. 

I scowl at the men, but nevertheless trust the old man wouldn't lead me somewhere with dangerous people. They'll probably just lock her in the staff room and keep working until I get back. I know their type. They aren't violent and they don't bring hazard. They just want their cut. And I respect them for that.  

"I'll be back soon. Just stay tight. Call me if anything happens and I'll be back in a second." I swear. 

She nods assuringly, but I can tell she's a little on edge.