The large man's eyes narrowed. "What kind of a deal?" This was clearly a language he spoke.

      "One that you won't be able to refuse."

"Try me."

"You hate Hundsen. You want the Club to fall. So do I."

"Yes..." Sloane drew out, unsure of where Jake was going with the offer.

"What would you say to us combining our forces against Hundsen?"

Sloane actually laughed out loud. "We've been trying to take Hundsen out for months, Evans. He's much too powerful. You should know that."

"I do know that. I also know where his meeting place is. I know that he's building his army, ready to attack me. But he won't expect me to storm his headquarters, especially not allied with your forces."

"You could be lying," Sloane pointed out, crossing his beefy arms.

      "Could I?"

      Sloane snarled, "I don't want to play your mind games, Evans. How do I know that this isn't one of your twisted schemes?"

"What would I have to gain? I don't want your gang. I want Hundsen's."

Sloane spoke slowly, "Even if I did accept, Benedict wouldn't allow it. The war against Hundsen has taken a toll on the Needles. Joining you would only make matters worse for us."

"Your leader is lazy," Jake stated flatly. "He isn't even here tonight. It makes the rest of you look weak. Joining me in a war against Hundsen will be the best move he could make right now."

Jake paused and pulled something out of his pocket. "Benedict is also greedy. Give this to him for me to cover his costs and assuage his mind." He tossed a large wad of money to Sloane, leaving me to wonder where he'd even gotten it in the first place.

"This is a bribe," the lieutenant realized as he flipped through the green bills.

"Call it whatever you like. Call it a lifeline. Your gang is slowly being extinguished by Hundsen. This is your last hope before he strikes again and you can't retaliate."

     Sloane stared down at the wad of cash, his thick fingers skimming over the green edges as he was pondering over what to do.

     "Fine," he decided finally. "I will bring your proposal to our leader."

     "Tell him to meet me here at dusk in two days. That's when we'll attack Hundsen." Sloane nodded his head slowly, liking the sound of that.

      Jake took a step back from the group of men. "Give my kindest regards to Benedict," he said mockingly.

      I watched him disappear back into the shadows. I noticed how Sloane was watching him, like he was deciding whether to go and attack him or not. If he did, I would be ready. I gripped one of my knives tightly in my right hand and peered down at the group of men, waiting.

      But they all turned and left. I watched them walk away until the shadows swallowed them whole. I was the last to leave.

      Walking stealthily across the roofs of surrounding buildings, I followed Jake as he walked through the narrow passageways between them. He was a bit ahead of me, but I made sure to keep him in my sight.

      "You can come down now," his voice rang out, breaking the silence. He continued walking.

       I dropped down to land beside him. He didn't even flinch at my sudden appearance; he'd known where I'd been all along.

      "How'd you know I was following you?" I asked him as we walked together. "I could have been spying on Sloane and his men." I prided myself on my abilities in espionage. Usually, no one saw me unless I wanted them to.

      "You don't survive living on the streets if you're not aware of every small detail, every threat, everyone that has their eye on you."

      I said nothing, knowing exactly what he was speaking of. Always being on guard, never letting your walls slip down. It was all I'd known for the past few years. And it seemed to me that it was all Jake had known for his entire life.

      "So," I began saying after a few moments, "That went better than I expected."

      He glanced at me from the side of his eye. "You expected it to go badly? How little faith you have in me."

      "I expected..." I told him honestly, choosing my words carefully, "I expected you to have less control than you did over the situation."

      He scoffed. "You don't know me at all if you think I was going to go in with even the slightest doubt in the way of getting what I wanted."

      I shook my head, knowing he would have found a way. "No, I was referring to the money. That seemed to get their attention."

     "Yes, well. Where hospitality and fair trading don't work, money usually does."

      I narrowed my eyes at him. "Where did you get such a large amount of it?"

      Shrugging with one shoulder, he told me, "Maybe I'm just more wealthy from my criminal dealings than you expected."

      "And that's how you got the money?" He may have had money from his dealings with other criminals, but something told me that he wasn't one to throw his own money around so carelessly.

       "No. Riley stole Hunt's wallet while we were in London and I simply pickpocketed her." I scoffed, foreseeing that the truth was something along those lines.

      We reached the car. I walked around to the passenger's side and got in, eager to go home after the long day I'd had.

      My mind went back to the dream I'd had earlier. The white walls, the feeling of the needle pressing under my skin. How desperately I'd screamed.

      Not wanting there to be silence in the car any longer, I said, "I can now see why you didn't want the others knowing about this transaction with the Needles."

      "They wouldn't understand or approve of my methods."

      Raising an eyebrow, I inquired, "And you believe I do?"

      "More so than the others."

      "So," I crossed my arms as I teased him. "Aren't you going to thank me?"

      "What for?"

      "For saving your life."

      "That bolt from the sniper nearly hit me."

      "Maybe it was a warning from me."

      "A warning to do what?"

      A slow smile spread across my face. "To keep you on your toes."

      He gave me a glare. "Ordinarily, when someone is doing a job for someone, they don't constantly threaten the other's life."

      I scoffed. "Neither one of us is ordinary, Evans."

      "Yes," he agreed. "But you won't kill me."

      "Why are you so sure?" I questioned, absentmindedly turning one of my knives around in my hand.

      "Let's just say," he said as a dark, arrogant look spread over his face, "That you need me." Those were the same words I'd muttered to him on the ride there.

     "To kill Hundsen, yes," I answered quickly. "Your knowledge on the gangs in the area and Hundsen himself will be helpful."

      His lips quirked up at the edges in a cold smirk. I knew he took pleasure in me admitting that I needed his abilities.

      "Don't let it go to your head," I told him. "I can always find another criminal mastermind like you."

      The smirk remained on his face. "Keep telling yourself that."

      He turned the car onto the long driveway of the compound. When we were inside the garage, I slammed the car door shut and marched into the building. Jake followed suit.

      "Where were you two?" Riley asked, standing up from where she'd been lounging in a chair. "You've been gone for hours."

      "We were scouting out the area around the Club's headquarters, familiarizing ourselves with the area." The lie came quickly and smoothly.

      "Why?"

      "Because," I answered Finn. "We're attacking the Club in two days."

      "What?" Finn gasped, surprised at how soon it was happening.

      "If you were scouting out the area, why didn't you tell us?" Jaxon asked curiously. "We could have helped."

      "There's safety in smaller numbers. The bigger the group, the bigger the chance they'd have of finding us."

      "Okay," Jaxon breathed, taking a step forward. "But you know I can be invisible, right?" There was something disappointed in his voice. I knew that it was from the fact Jake hadn't relied on him.

      "I needed a reliable spy. I found one," Jake told him sharply.

     Riley began saying, "How did you-"

     Jake cut her off with a frosty glare that only he could deliver. "Twenty Questions is over. You heard Tesla; we're taking Hundsen's lair in two days. You'd better train all you can before that happens."