CHAPTER FORTY NINE


I sheathed my first gun, my second gun. I slipped my blade back in place and
I reached for another one to wrap around my thigh. All the while, Jace sat and
conversed in the corner.


I looked up with dead eyes and he hurried his talk.


Amur watched from the corner, as did Charlie, and all the new little Panther
friends I'd made.


I didn't care.


Jace was taking too long.


I reached for my phone, but before my hand closed over it, Jace was there and
he had it within his grasp.


"No." He only said and moved back to his talk.


I flipped open my eyelids, stared him head-on, and dared him to continue
ignoring me.


He did.


Fine. I took his instead.


When Jace reached for mine, I had reached for his. And now he thought he
carried them both.


"Move." I ordered, flatly.


Jace sighed and regarded me.


The Panther that he'd been talking to moved out of the way.


Everyone held their breaths.


"Maya." He started, calmly.


I raised the ice pail that had materialized in my hands and said, "I'm going
to get ice."


Jace looked at me as if he wondered how stupid I thought he was.


I didn't care. I wanted out of there.


"You have to wait."


"I have to do nothing." I argued, icily. "Move so I can get the damn
ice."


Jace sighed and held out his hand, "Give me my phone."


"Give me mine."


"Maya."


"He's. Got. My. Nephew." I spelled out.


"I know." Jace gentled his voice. "This isn't the way."


"No." I gestured around the room, to all the Panthers. "This isn't and
yet—here we are. We wasted time and he got to Gray."


"Gray will live. Marcus wouldn't do anything to him because he knows that if
he does—he'd die a very painful death. And it wouldn't be by my hands, Maya.
Marcus knows who'd be going for him. Gray is fine."


"Gray is going to be sold if we don't go! Now!"


"Sit down." Jace tried to be gentle.


"No."


"Sit. Down." He clipped out next.


I tilted my chin up and folded my arms.


"You're acting like a child."


"I don't care."


Jace sighed. He gestured for everyone to leave the room and herded me towards
the wall so I wouldn't slip past with them.


He trapped me against the wall with his hips and leaned close. One of his
hands lifted to cup my cheek, but when I looked away, he settled and let it skim
down my hair and onto my arm.


"Look," Jace murmured. "I'm not going to waste your time and tell you that I
understand. You know that I do—and that was my own child. So don't act like I
have no clue what you're going through. We're moving at a speed that's faster
than normal. I have to settle things here first—and yes—before you ask, I am
ordering the Panthers to go against Marcus. It's a silent revolt. They won't act
on him, not yet, but they're going to be watching everything that he does."


I looked away.


Jace titled my head back and added, "Marcus can't declare war on the
Panthers. He doesn't have the manpower and if he did—the FEDS would be crawling
over Pedlam. They're already here. Marcus knows that too, so do the Panthers.
This was a good move. We're a lot stronger now."


"I don't care!" I shoved him away. "He took my nephew!"


"I know!" Jace pushed back.


I shoved again, but this time, Jace moved before I could think and he had me
on the bed.


He used his hips to trap me beneath him and he said, earnestly, "I know!
Okay?! I know. I have men, right now, looking for him. I have the word out. It's
going to take a little bit, but we're going to find something out. Just before
this entire thing, Charlie told me that there was a warehouse that Marcus was
using. It's in Collega's territory, but I can order it raided now. I couldn't
before. I had to take the leadership back, but we can move on that warehouse and
see what they have in there—who they have in there."


"Jace." I looked away.


Jace shifted and turned my eyes back to his. He spoke, his eyes promising,
"He could have Munsinger in there. Right now—we could find him."


"Maybe Gray?" I asked hoarsely. I had been wrestling, trying to break free,
but at Jace's words, the fight left me. I stopped as everything left me and my
eyes clung to him, at the mere thought that Gray could be there.


Jace opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it.


He rested his forehead against mine and let out a surrendering breath. And
then he kissed me lightly and whispered, "He would've taken me out of the
territory."


"Stirley could've got it wrong. Gray might be…"


"No, Maya." Jace shook his head and pressed another lingering kiss to the
corner of my mouth. "He'd get him out of here. Marcus knew what would happen
when he told Merit that I was here. He knew the Marking Trial would occur and he
used it to try and get you back. It didn't work, thank god, but….he's too smart
to keep Gray around here. I run this territory again."


I let loose. I let everything go and fell, weak. The fight was gone and Jace
slumped forward when every ounce of energy was gone from me. He laid on me and
swept a hand down my side to reach for my fingers.


They were numb.


"He took two people that I love." I whispered. I was numb.


Jace lifted himself up and cupped my cheek. His thumb brushed over my skin
and he whispered, "We get the book and we get Gray back. It's just how Petrie
said."


I couldn't think. I couldn't—a knock sounded at the door.


Jace waited, watched me, and then after he was reassured—he got up and opened
the door.


Kip walked in and murmured something in Jace's ear.


Jace looked at me quickly and I saw how he automatically checked his gun.


I bolted up and asked, "What is it?"


I waited. I needed word and when I met Jace's eyes—I saw it there.


It was time.


Jace nodded and I scrambled off the bed.


I'd been the one on the run for so long, but this was different. This time we
weren't running. We were the ones in pursuit and instead of raiding a warehouse,
how you see on the movies, or how I remembered when I was one of those
StreetWalkers holed up in a warehouse—when that door was kicked open, everyone
scrambled. I was one of those that scrambled, but this time was different.


This time I rode in the car that was coming for them.


I was coming for my own and Jace drove beside me.


Charlie and Kip rode with us while two more vehicles surrounded us.


I learned, real quick, that Jace wasn't one for the leadership royalty treat.
He didn't like getting treated like that and everyone knew it. They followed
him. He didn't wait to follow them, surrounded by their protective bodies.


No one wore bullet-proof vests. It was just them. Their bulging muscles and
guns drawn. Their tattoos proclaimed who they belonged to, who was in power, and
they circled the building without preparation or circumstance.


Jace parked, everyone emptied, and Jace led them in.


There was no meeting. No heads bent over blueprints or papers drawn. They
just moved ahead, kicked down the door, and guns ready.


I was right behind with my own gun sweeping inside.


I heard gunfire fired twice, but it was in the back of the warehouse. And
then there was silence.


Two of them jogged to meet Jace. Jace looked at me and motioned for me to
follow. I did, but with my heart in my throat.


We circled around to the back rooms and in the farthest room, the door was
open with a Panther standing guard.


Jace signaled for my gun to be put away and I did, but I stopped short in the
doorway.


Munsinger wasn't inside. Gray wasn't inside, but instead was a small box with
a ribbon tied to it.


My name was spraypainted on the wall with an arrow pointing downwards.


Jace shook his head and muttered, "Marcus' idea of a joke." He touched the
small of my back and told me, "The box is for you, Maya. The arrow is for
me."


Trust Marcus to taunt to the end, in the most unnecessary detail.


I approached. When I picked up the box, underneath was a piece of paper that
uncurled on it's own. It would've rolled off the table, but Jace caught it and
handed it to me. He never looked at it, but respected my first dibs.


I took the paper and read silently, "Where your heart lies is the document
for a beginning. A chapter closed for a chapter to open. Shadows laid to rest
while this place opens hope for a new beginning, a better world to tread among.
He is gone. He is gone. And he is still gone, but another shall rise and peace
can be reborn."


Life doesn't touch.


I handed the paper to Jace and reached for the small box.


Life doesn't touch. It doesn't smell.


I lifted it, it was made of black velvet. The ribbon fell away. It uncurled,
just like the piece of paper. Like it had been timed to do that, just when my
fingers touched it.


Life doesn't touch, it doesn't smell, it doesn't taste.


I opened the box and removed a piece of tissue paper. And there, nestled firm
in it's holding was a diamond ring.


My eyes died. My hand clenched and then unclenched.


Life doesn't hurt. It doesn't smell. It doesn't taste. It doesn't sound. It
doesn't think. It just is. Life just is.


Jace watched me. He watched my reaction, but I only raised my empty holes to
him. I'd grown hollow, throughout everything and in the midst of the past
hour.


"Maya." He murmured. He still held the piece of paper.


I took it and read it again.


"He is gone. He is gone. And he is still gone."


The calligraphy spoke for itself.


Jace waited. The Panthers pooled around us with their backs turned to us.
They automatically circled to protect.


"He's dead." I said hoarsely and left.


My footsteps carried me beyond their protective shelter and out into the
sunlight.


"He is gone. He is gone. And he is still gone."


Marcus wrote it three times. I knew what it meant. Munsinger was dead and
he'd taken Gray to 'rise and peace can be reborn.'


Life.


Marcus took the son while he killed the 'father.'


Jace followed me and he got into the driver's seat while I sat in my seat.
The rest stayed out, but Jace didn't start the car. We sat there in silence.


"What does it mean, Maya?" Jace broke that silence. We watched as the
Panthers trickled out of the warehouse.


What did it mean?


I didn't know some of it, but I knew what I needed to know.


"Munsinger's dead and he has Gray." I choked on my words.


"Maya…" Jace whispered.


"Don't!"


I wanted my blade. My hand was itching again.


"She doesn't even know." I murmured. I didn't know who I talked to. I just
talked—it as if I was talking to someone who wasn't there, someone that I
couldn't see—, "He asked Viiwa to marry him. That was his ring in that box." I
pulled it out. My hand had clenched around it.


I handed it to Jace. "That's Munsinger's ring."


"How do you know?"


"Because he showed it to me a long time ago." I broke now. I whispered,
hoarse, "He was going to ask Cherry to marry him. The ring's his
grandmother's."


Jace lifted it out of the box and inspected it. He inspected the box
next.


I watched, detached.


He handed it over and murmured, softly, "You should keep it."


"She doesn't even know." I told him again. My eyes met his above the ring.
The ring was held in between us. Jace held it out to me.


Jace waited.


"She probably got to New York and heard that message and just thought…that he
ran. Like he wouldn't even come home to get his stuff. She doesn't
know…Cherry—god!—He has my nephew, Jace." I choked out.


Jace read the paper again.


"Where your heart lies is the document for a beginning. A chapter closed for
a chapter to open. Shadows laid to rest while this place opens hope for a new
beginning, a better world to tread among. He is gone. He is gone. And he is
still gone, but another shall rise and peace can be reborn."


I listened and closed my eyes.


"What does it mean, Maya?" Jace asked, patiently.


I shook my head, mute.


"What does the ring mean?"


"I don't know!" I cried out. "I don't want to know!"


"He's asking you to marry him." Jace murmured. He mused, "Is he? Or does it
mean something else?"


"God! Can't you give me two seconds! I lost Joe! Joe's dead!"


Jace stopped and looked at me. He said simply, "This means something and he
has your nephew. We have to figure it out—we can't be another step behind, Maya.
Put it past you. Stuff it until you can work with it."


I closed my eyes.


"Use it, Maya. Use that fury inside of you." Jace whispered and leaned
closer. His hands touched my face and turned it to his. His fingers that had
someone else's blood on them touched my face. They caressed me, comforted me,
but there was blood on them. There was always blood on them, just like mine held
blood.


I had Munsinger's blood on my hands.


"Munsinger." Jace whispered.


"What?"


"Munsinger. That's what you call him, right? That other friend called him
Joe, but he's Munsinger to you."


"He loves plants." He loved plants.


"He loves plants and poetry." Jace added. "And you. He loves you. And Gray—he
gave up a marriage to be Gray's father."


"He's gone." I whispered again and leaned forward. My forehead rested against
Jace's and that's where I stayed. I needed strength—I needed his strength. He
had so much strength. I didn't know where he got it all, but I needed…I needed
some of it.


Jace's phone interrupted us and he straightened back to his seat.


"Yeah?" He asked, slightly hoarse.


He frowned and listened for awhile.


I sat back and thought. Marcus took Cassie's freedom for the first book. The
first book held a theme. Marcus was God. We got the book, but we lost Cassie.
The second book was Family—family and Father. Marcus was the Father.


God, the father…


Cassie for God.


Munsinger for Father.


And now Gray, Gray for…


"…You're his Holy Spirit. Can you believe his madness?"


Petrie already told me.


Gray for the Holy Spirit.


"He's telling us where the book is." I murmured.


Jace stopped on the phone and asked, "What?"


I gestured to the paper, "That's his riddle for us. That's where the Master
is. Why is he telling us where the book is?"


Jace hung up and replied, "Short version—he wants you to find it because he
wants you to find the encampment. He wants you and he wants me there to kill me.
That's why." Jace sighed. "He wants this done just as much as you and me. Find
the book and we find the encampment. We stop everything."


"Oscar still hasn't found the encampment."


Jace shook his head. "There's millions of caves in that area. If they're
underground, they could be anywhere. We don't have the funding to search it
anymore. We have to find the books to find them."


I sighed. "Petrie said that…he said that this is all about family. It's about
family for Marcus too. And he said…he said that I'm his Holy Spirit."


Jace frowned. "Does that tell you anything? Maybe it helps us figure out
where the book is…?"


"I'm tired, Jace." I exclaimed, weak.


"I know."


"I'm tired and….we have to tell—I have to tell Viiwa what happened to
Munsinger. And Cherry—she has to know about Gray. They've probably already
alerted the police. I mean…"


Jace started the car and said, "They don't know he's gone."


"What?" I snapped to attention. "What are you talking about?"


Jace turned the car onto the road before he answered, "It's just getting to
the early hours of the morning. They probably don't even know that he's gone
yet. They haven't…"


"They probably aren't even awake yet." I murmured, dazed.


I turned and watched the scenery as I thought ahead of me.


Cherry would wake up. She would put on a robe. She would go to the bathroom
and on the way, she'd glance, absent-mindedly, into Gray's nursery. And that's
when she'd gasp and slam into the nursery because he wouldn't be there.


Cherry would wake to an empty crib.


No matter how soon we got there, that was inevitable.


"This is wrong." I whispered.


Jace drove and watched me.


"This is all wrong."


I looked up and watched a town, that I had once thought of as home, fly by my
window. It was a different town.


I'd seen too much and no matter how much I thought that I had known, when I
lived there, a child from the streets—it wasn't the same.


I never had the news that I held now. I never had information that would
destroy a person, destroy their soul.


I had that power now and I prayed, fervently, to not hold that power.