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I cross my arms over my chest and huff out some air "It was my idea"

"Yeah, well, an idea doesn’t keep you alive when you’re double-dealing with scuuys And when I tell theonna jump on it, Smurf So this is your last chance to call it off Because once we have a deal, there’s no turning back People will die toot that?" He waits for me to answer, but I don’t I just s it down "Do you understand that?" he asks again, this tiet it, OK? But what other choice do we have? We need firepower We need boots on the ground We need the Harper and Nick back"

"Look, Sasha, just because you said you want Nick and Harper to get out alive doesn’t uys knoho they are They knoho their father is They know their connections So theyyou and me Or maybe, and this is far more likely, they will take us all prisoner And then we’ll all get to experience what Jaonna ask you one ive James up to save your boyfriend? Because they want hionna get caught Jaht They want One too, so they’ll be happy to get hiet away, I know it He’s so much sh this plan, it’s James"

"Not James, kid Tet I don’t knohy the fuck you can’t see him for what he is A messed-up dude with questionable loyalties"

"It doesn’t uy So if Tet can do it, then Ja breath of air and then opens his door, leaving the truck running "OK Be right back" He holds out his palm and I scribble the address down on the back of a love box I marked the Santa Barbara community on there as best I could on the front too Just todealers, ya know? Not the brightest of the bunch

Merc takes the map and pushes the door closed so it doesn’t slam Then he walks off into the sun, his shades down and his dark hair blowing a bit in the hot wind

I holdunderneath the giant dinosaur They don’t shake hands and I see that as a bad sign But then I see heads nodding, so that eases ain Geez I can’t take the tension I’ I’ I’et everyone killed with this idea

But then the two hs and claps the other on the back Merc hands theether to study it

There’s otiation, then they all look over at me My stomach flips I swear, I almost open the door and puke

This is it This is where Merc tells them about Nick and Harper and asks for immunity They already have the coordinates, so they’re the ones calling the shots That was Merc’s idea Give them the upper hand and let them make this decision on their own That’s the only way it ork, he said They have to want the deal We can’t coerce the a s out They look over at me several more times, and then there’s soine what they are saying

They want Nick They want Harper

And it ht? They want the children of the man who sent them so much trouble and strife over the years down in Central America They want to teach hi to send the LA chapter of their gang if they think they have the chance