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.He comes into town, finds the newest up-and-comers, and makes them a little stronger, a little more powerful.But it comes with a price, right? He's not altruistic.He's not helping you because he wants to be your friend.He wants to rule Los Angeles and he's so subtle, so slow, most people haven't noticed at all.""But you have?" Tian asked coldly."It's my job to notice.And he noticed you, didn't he? You didn't contact him first."Tian folded his arms.His silence was enough of an admission."He wasn't going to get involved before Kirsten Henryk found him, was he?"Tian remained silent."Do you know what she wants? Do you know why I'm still alive? They didn't tell you, did they? Because you don't matter.He wants your territory, he wants your men, and he wants your death added to his reputation.""Man, fuck you.""I didn't make a deal with the devil.But I'm surprised you did.Thought you were smarter than that, Tian."Tian stared at him with unreadable eyes for several long seconds, and Nathan could almost hear the wheels turning in his head.Tian had made it as far and as long as he had because of his strong sense of self-preservation.He didn't put anybody or anything ahead of himself, and Nathan appreciated that.No ties meant there was nothing to grab except the man himself."How do I know you're telling the truth?""I've met Gabriel before." Tian opened his mouth, his eyes flashing.Nathan only smiled."Did he tell you he never heard of me? The man's heard of me.More than once.But Tian, why would he lie to you?""I should kill you now." Tian raised the gun."I think it'll be doing all of us a favor."Nathan lifted his hand, flashing his burned fingers."You kill me before I hand over the coin, and you are a dead man.Do you want to survive this little deal you've made, Tian? Regardless of what happens later, it's got to be better than a shallow grave.You played right into his hands.You owe him, and he'll collect."Tian shook his head."You have more reason to fuck with me than Gabriel does.""No, that's not true.I never wanted to fuck with you, Tian, I just wanted to put you in jail.Gabriel wants to take everything you ever cared about and kill you," Nathan pointed out.Tian's lips thinned."I think that's what he intends for you, Nathan.A single bullet right between Remy Capra's eyes.Well," he smiled now, "eventually.But I'll let you see her one more time before it's all over."* * * *This was not the way Kirsten had envisioned things working out.Pierce should have given Remy up without much of a fight.The one thing she'd learned about the bounty hunter was that he had a tenacious sense of self-preservation.Given the choice between him and Capra, the choice should have been simple.It was inconceivable that Remy could have gotten to him so badly in such a short period of time.Yet, Cesar and Tian had been with him for far too long.And as soon as Cesar came storming out of the room, his thunderous glower told her things with Pierce were not going as he had anticipated.It was time to start reconsidering her plan.She needed the Silver Maiden, and if Pierce was going to drag his feet-if he ever gave them the information they wanted at all-she had little choice but to find new means to get it herself.Gabriel would be little help.He had far too much trust in Tian and too little knowledge of how Remy Capra worked.Kirsten had to find a new ally.A crash came from the kitchen, followed by Cesar's shouted curses.Or an old enemy.Picking up the portable phone, Kirsten carried it out to the front of the house, slipping the door shut behind her.Information connected her to the number she wanted, and she listened to the wordless Muzak as she waited for the receptionist to finish putting her through.In the distance, the sounds of the ocean relaxed her, in spite of the anxiety of failure twisting through her gut.He answered on the first ring, his deep voice brusque, the soft hum of car engines in the background."It's good to know my shot didn't wound you too badly.How are you feeling, Officer McGuire?"His sharp intake of breath made her smile."Ms.Henryk." His voice was tight."Somehow, I don't think you're interested in how I'm doing.""You're right.I'm not." When she heard a door open and close inside, Kirsten hesitated, glancing over her shoulder to see if she was going to be interrupted.Nobody came out."Am I going to find out what this is about then?"She smiled."Whether Nathan Pierce lives or dies, of course.Or is your ex-partner's life not worth as much as one silver coin?"CHAPTER NINETEENKirsten gave McGuire two hours.Her original ultimatum had been one, but he had scoffed and said, "Obviously, you know as much about LA traffic as you do ethics.I need more time than that." His comment almost angered her enough to call off the deal, but she held her tongue.Tian was proving less than useless.Regardless of how she felt about McGuire, this was going to be her best bet at getting the Silver Maiden back.Finding another opportunity to slip outside and make the call, however, was proving troublesome.Cesar hovered in the background no matter where she turned, complaining about the lack of proper food in the house and how violence always made him hungry.She dispatched him to a nearby Mexican restaurant with enough cash to satisfy whatever craving he had.Gabriel was in his bedroom, taking a midday nap, while Tian didn't seem to know what room he wanted to settle in.She decided to risk it when he went to the bathroom."McGuire."The California sun was hot on her cheeks, but the warm flush spreading through Kirsten's body was caused more from relief than anything else.She hated being so dependent on this rogue cop, but if he was answering his phone so quickly, it meant he had been anticipating her call.A man ready to talk.That had to be a good sign."Do you have the coin?""I got it.Let me speak to Nathan.""That wasn't part of the deal."His explosive curse pierced her ear, and Kirsten held the phone away until he lowered the volume of his voice.".Unless you want me to turn you in for kidnapping, you'll put him on the fucking phone!"She waited a few seconds before speaking, keeping her voice low and even."We both know you can't turn me in if you can't find me, Mr.McGuire.And if you continue to treat me like an amateur, I'll find another way to acquire the coin and your friend will die.So go on.Be a jackass and kill your friend.It'll be funny."Silence came through the line.Threatening Nathan Pierce's life was the best way to get to this man."How do I know he's even still alive?" McGuire demanded, his voice lower."Because I'm giving you my word.Cop to cop."He snorted."You shot me.That doesn't inspire me to trust you, Ms.Henryk.""Yes, but now we're both in a position where each has something the other person wants.I have your friend, you have the coin." She paused."And Remy Capra.""What!" He was back to being loud again.Kirsten thought her initial impressions of him being a reasonable man were a tad optimistic.With the right stimulus, he could be very easily provoked to fury."You didn't say a word about Remy being part of this deal.""I didn't think I had to.You've known from the start I was looking for her."She didn't hear his response.The door behind her opened, startling her into whirling and facing Tian's frowning face [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]