The Broker

12. Burn Rate

November 23rd, 2019

Roanoke, Virginia

Golden Gull Electronics

Amaraya yelped, and jumped so far back, that her chair toppled over, and she toppled over with it. Her back hit the floor with a heavy thud. Amaraya's wrist seared in pain, and her back throbbed. She groaned, and took Zach's extended hand. "You alright?" He asked, and she nodded. "When did you get here, you hooligan?" Zach turned to Kaden when Amaraya was safely in an upright position.

"Just a few minutes ago. Heard you guys talking about fires." Kaden approached the table, one hand in the pocket of his jeans and picked up the file. Amaraya stayed quiet, trying to avoid looking at him. Zach, it seemed, could feel the tension in the room, since he snatched the file out of Kaden's hands.

"You said you could help?" Zach looked expectantly at Kaden, who shrugged his shoulders.

"I may know a guy." Kaden replied, vaguely. Amaraya felt annoyed, and uncomfortable. "Who specializes in...arson, as you put it."

Zach snorted, but it didn't sound like he was amused, at all. "How sketchy is this guy, of yours? Start any fires of his own lately?" Zach raised his brow, and Kaden gave him a sly smile.

"I'll be going alone." Kaden announced, and reached to grab the file again from Zach's hands. Zach, took a step back, and Kaden's outstretched hand met air. "Give me the file, Zachariah."

"That's S.S.A Davy to you, Inin." Zach hissed, putting the file behind his back.

Kaden slowly smiled, his teeth showing. "That's precisely my point, Zachy-dear. You look, talk and walk like an FBI agent. My guy will smell you from a mile away, and run for the hills." Kaden waved his hand as if showing a distance. Amaraya shook her head. It was odd, and it bothered her beyond all reason. How could Kaden act as if nothing, nothing had happened yesterday? He looked as if he hadn't gotten shot yesterday because of her, and they hadn't fought.

How was it even possible for him to do that? Amaraya stared at him, a frown on her face. Kaden wore a very convincing mask, using dirty jokes and stupid nicknames to cover what he was really feeling. And Amaraya wasn't going to buy it. She knew exactly what he was doing, because he wasn't the first person in the world to lie.

Zach fumed, but didn't give Kaden the file. "I don't trust you, Inin. You're gonna do some weird shit that will get us all killed."

"I don't doubt it. But don't worry, to get you killed, I'd first have to expose me. And I don't plan on doing that any time soon." Kaden's smile never left his face, and it was starting to irritate Amaraya.

"I'm not letting you walk away with a file full of classified information, alone. Amaraya's going with you." At Zach's words, Amaraya threw him the most dirty glance. Zach raised his eyebrows and shrugged at her, not at all swayed by her unwillingness to go. "Do you really trust him enough to let him go alone?"

Amaraya thought about it. Then she groaned. "Fine, I'll go with him. But if something happens to me, it's on you." She pointed at Zach, and he handed her the file.

"I'm hurt. You guys don't trust me with a few pieces of paper." Kaden pouted, and put his hand against his heart. Zach stepped toward him, his eyes ablaze.

"If something happens to her, you prick, I will not hesitate to rip your head off. Got it?" Zach's face was hovering right over Kaden's. Kaden just grinned.

"Got it, Zachy-dear." Kaden replied, and Amaraya watched Zach's face slowly get redder. "Now, let me call my guy, and then we can leave." Kaden slithered out of Zach's reach, and took out his phone.