“What are you going for?”
“I’m meeting her parents for the first time. We’re going to get married.” Luk’s explanation flew off his mouth like it was truth.
Both guys still glowered at us like the reason wasn’t good enough.
“Where?” the dark-haired one asked.
“North Leopold.” I shot in before Luk could speak. The area north of Leopold wasn’t inside the bubble, but it wasn’t Savage Lands either. The area was poor, but people in Leopold worked or had businesses that kept them slightly above the poverty line. These guys would never believe we came from either the desolate or the rich side.
Their eyes dragged over us, assessing my claim. The dark-haired asshole flicked his thumb over the trigger with a smug smile, loving the dominance he had over us, especially because Luk physically stood taller than both of them. By holding a gun, they felt powerful.
Little did they know they weren’t the only ones carrying weapons.
“How long?”
“A few days,” I replied.
“Let me see your bags.” The dark-haired one demanded, gesturing for our bags.
Shit.
“Now!” He reached for my pack, yanking it off my shoulder. The violent movement caused the dog to bark and jump, making passengers shriek around us, darting for entry onto the train. Fear shot through my nerves, the moment escalating quickly. I knew if they didn’t find anything in my pack to confirm our plans, things would go south fast.
All the while, I could see the guards behind them rolling out the first load of crates. We might miss our opportunity.
The instinct to fight, to kick this asshole in the head, shook through my bones. I could put him on his back in two seconds, but all they had to do was release the dog, and I’d be in shreds.
“Step back!” The blond one screamed at us, pointing his gun at Luk, the dog’s incessant piercing barks filling my veins with anxiety.
The guy with my pack snatched my bag, unzipping it.
Fuckfuckfuck.
He yanked out a sweatshirt and pair of leggings.
“This is it? Does not look like you are going for a couple of days.” He sneered. “Both of you put your arms up and turn around!”
Acid burned up my throat. We were done if they patted us down, finding us both loaded with guns and knives. Or worse, if they discovered our earpieces.
The skinny dark-haired guy ripped Luk’s bag off, shoving at his shoulder, to face the train.
“Don’t move!”
My eyes slid to Luk, my muscles twitching with the need to fight. What do you want to do?
Our options were slim, and it seemed whatever we did, our mission was over.
Luk’s jaw rolled, and I could tell he gathered the same thing.
“Fight,” he muttered to me.
My chin dipped in response, my lungs taking in a full breath, ready to respond.
The guard’s hands went straight to my breasts, his slimy palms moving down my figure. I knew the moment he felt the gun inside my jacket. The pause. I could almost hear the click in his brain that told him what he was feeling.
My muscles contracted, primed to swivel around and attack.
He opened his mouth to yell at his partner.
Booooom!
An explosion rocked through the train station with a deafening roar.
Our awaited diversion.
Chapter 4
The ground vibrated under my feet, screams and cries instantly ringing out through the air, people rushing for the exit. The guards behind us darted down the platform, trying to see what happened, while officers blowing whistles and shouting ran from every direction toward the billowing smoke coming from the farthest platform from us.
My head snapped to Luk.
“We got our distraction.” He shrugged, watching soldiers who were unloading the train take off toward the commotion.
“You boys and your bombs.” I snorted, my mind jumping to another man who liked to blow shit up to cause chaos.
“It works.” He motioned for me, heading to the caboose. “And it couldn’t have come at a better time. Come on.”
I couldn’t argue with either of those things. We had almost been caught. A few moments ago, I thought our cover was blown and we’d be captured and thrown in prison. Now we’re back on course, sneaking to the last carriage.
Bedlam reigned around us, but no one paid us any attention since most of it was far on the other side. My focus zeroed in when we came up on the final car, spotting one last crate in the cargo. They had almost gotten them all off and out of reach.
Pushing Luk aside, I leaped into the carriage, snapping into thief mode. Yanking a knife from my pant leg, I shoved it under the seam of the lid, using it as leverage to pop off the nailed down top. Only a few tries and the wood splintered, prying away from the metal stakes trying so hard to hold on.
“Shit, that was fast.” Luk breathed in, his head shaking. “Done this before?”
I smirked. If he only knew.
“Watch the door,” I ordered, nearly forgetting he was my superior. I could almost pretend it was Caden and me, when times were innocent and we were carelessly reckless. A lifetime ago. I was a girl who had no idea what was out in the world, what was ahead of her, and what she would live through.
Everything I thought I believed— even who I was—was wrong.
Shoving the top over, I cleared away the stuffing protecting the contents of the box, and my finger hit metal.
Guns.
Picking up the newly made rifle, I tossed it at Luk. “This is the way Istvan sends his love.”
“Damn.” Luk peered at it, flipping it around in his hands. “This is grade-A level here.”
I had a clear idea where Istvan could get these kinds of weapons. The very country Caden’s soon-to-be wife was from.
Ukraine.
“They’re nice, but this is what Leon is sending in his own men to guard? Some guns?” Luk’s confusion twitched his cheek. “Guns aren’t worth deploying in special guards, nor were they worth us risking this mission.”
My gut twisted with what I knew was underneath, my hand digging farther, reaching the bottom.
A false bottom.
“Fuck... I see Leon’s guards heading back. We have to go.”
My stubbornness buckled down, my hands clawing at the wood, like the drug was mocking me.
“X! Come on.”
Pain shot through my nerves as I peeled back the plank, my fingers grazing the plastic bags underneath filled with tiny capsules.
I fucking knew it.
“X!” Luk grabbed my arm, yanking me with him, my finger pinching the baggy as I tried to pull one up. The plastic caught on the side, ripping apart.
Neon blue pills spilled across the floor, tapping on the wood planks like raindrops.
“What the hell?” Luk’s brows furrowed together as he stared at them rolling across the floor.
“Hey!” A man’s voice yelled at us, jerking our heads to the guards running for us.
“Fuck!” Luk darted for the back door, bursting through and leaping to the tracks. “Come on!”
“Hey! Stop!” A shot went off, pinging off the roof of the carriage. Ducking, I scrambled toward the back door.
“Hurry!” Luk bellowed for me.
It was a second.
One breath.
An instinct.