it.
Standing in the middle of the warehouse with Diesel’s goons at my back and every kid in the place sneaking glances at me, looking for guidance, I hoped Link hadn’t seriously overestimated my powers of persuasion. Because I’d rally the troops, all right. But I wasn’t planning on encouraging them to blindly follow Diesel’s orders.
Not anymore.
THIRTEEN
That night I stealthily made the rounds of the warehouse’s sleeping quarters and talked to those I knew had their doubts about Diesel or had been on the wrong side of his temper before, enlisting their help. My plan was simple. They’d stage a revolt—attack Thing 1 and Thing 2 and cause a mess for Diesel to deal with—and I’d use the opportunity to break into his office. I didn’t get into the specifics of what I would be doing once inside, but I told them the truth.
If they kept the office clear for at least ten minutes, I could put an end to Diesel, and no one in the warehouse would have to suffer under his rule. Not ever again.
Of course, that meant the warehouse would be fodder for the cops.
We’d lose our home. The protection Diesel’s name provided. The jobs that kept us fed. We were giving up everything to take back our freedom. Some of the kids would just end up back in another car-theft ring, or worse. But some would seize the moment and try to turn their lives around.
Diesel had been a generous leader once. Everyone agreed it wasn’t safe working under him any longer. He was a danger to anyone he recruited. If we could take him down, maybe our sacrifices would save the life of some unknown kid like Supersize.
By morning, the plan was set.
I sat on my cot, bleary-eyed. My stomach churned. This was the day that would either make me or break me.
I grabbed my cell. Called Jo.
“It’s six in the morning,” she groaned.
“And you’ve been sleeping on my houseboat for free. Did you water Charlie?”
“Yes, I watered your plant. Although I’m pretty sure it’s just a dandelion.”
“It’s a begonia, and don’t you dare kill it.” I paused, swiped a hand down my face. She didn’t say anything. “You still there?”
“Yeah, what do you want?”
“Look, I called to ask you…” My vision blurred. I cleared my throat. “I need to call in that favor.”
A rustle of movement. “Now?”
“Well, not now, but tonight. Is that a problem?”
“No. I mean, I never thought you’d actually admit you needed—I mean, for sure. I’m there. How can I help?”
I was used to doing things for other people. Now I was putting my faith in Jo, Jace and Bentley to the test. Had they only been using me? Or were we really a team?
I guessed I was about to find out.
“Diesel, my boss, put the warehouse on lockdown.” I filled Jo in on the details. “I’ve gotten everyone on board. They’ll do their part. I need you to go to my school, Laurier Secondary, and talk to a guy for me. I don’t have his number, and this isn’t something I can ask him over the phone.”
“A gu-uy,” Jo echoed, dragging the word out so it had at least three syllables. “Just a guy, or is he your guy?”
I let out a groan. “He’s just a guy, okay? I need you to ask him if he’ll do one thing for me. I need his father to be here at the warehouse tonight. At 9:00 PM sharp. Emmett is absolutely not to come on his own. Just his father. Tell him it’s about the note he gave me. It’s my reply. He’ll understand.”
“You want his father there? Not him? I don’t get it.”
“His dad’s a cop.”
“No.” Jo’s voice hardened. “Ask Jace.”
I sighed. “I’m asking Jace and Bentley for a little help in another department more worthy of their skills. Besides, I can’t send Jace to ask Emmett to help me—that will just set him off.” It would play out way better if a girl did the asking, and when Jo wanted to, she had enough charm to mesmerize a shark. She’d caught Jace’s eye, hadn’t she?
“Ah, you mean Jace would make him
Standing in the middle of the warehouse with Diesel’s goons at my back and every kid in the place sneaking glances at me, looking for guidance, I hoped Link hadn’t seriously overestimated my powers of persuasion. Because I’d rally the troops, all right. But I wasn’t planning on encouraging them to blindly follow Diesel’s orders.
Not anymore.
THIRTEEN
That night I stealthily made the rounds of the warehouse’s sleeping quarters and talked to those I knew had their doubts about Diesel or had been on the wrong side of his temper before, enlisting their help. My plan was simple. They’d stage a revolt—attack Thing 1 and Thing 2 and cause a mess for Diesel to deal with—and I’d use the opportunity to break into his office. I didn’t get into the specifics of what I would be doing once inside, but I told them the truth.
If they kept the office clear for at least ten minutes, I could put an end to Diesel, and no one in the warehouse would have to suffer under his rule. Not ever again.
Of course, that meant the warehouse would be fodder for the cops.
We’d lose our home. The protection Diesel’s name provided. The jobs that kept us fed. We were giving up everything to take back our freedom. Some of the kids would just end up back in another car-theft ring, or worse. But some would seize the moment and try to turn their lives around.
Diesel had been a generous leader once. Everyone agreed it wasn’t safe working under him any longer. He was a danger to anyone he recruited. If we could take him down, maybe our sacrifices would save the life of some unknown kid like Supersize.
By morning, the plan was set.
I sat on my cot, bleary-eyed. My stomach churned. This was the day that would either make me or break me.
I grabbed my cell. Called Jo.
“It’s six in the morning,” she groaned.
“And you’ve been sleeping on my houseboat for free. Did you water Charlie?”
“Yes, I watered your plant. Although I’m pretty sure it’s just a dandelion.”
“It’s a begonia, and don’t you dare kill it.” I paused, swiped a hand down my face. She didn’t say anything. “You still there?”
“Yeah, what do you want?”
“Look, I called to ask you…” My vision blurred. I cleared my throat. “I need to call in that favor.”
A rustle of movement. “Now?”
“Well, not now, but tonight. Is that a problem?”
“No. I mean, I never thought you’d actually admit you needed—I mean, for sure. I’m there. How can I help?”
I was used to doing things for other people. Now I was putting my faith in Jo, Jace and Bentley to the test. Had they only been using me? Or were we really a team?
I guessed I was about to find out.
“Diesel, my boss, put the warehouse on lockdown.” I filled Jo in on the details. “I’ve gotten everyone on board. They’ll do their part. I need you to go to my school, Laurier Secondary, and talk to a guy for me. I don’t have his number, and this isn’t something I can ask him over the phone.”
“A gu-uy,” Jo echoed, dragging the word out so it had at least three syllables. “Just a guy, or is he your guy?”
I let out a groan. “He’s just a guy, okay? I need you to ask him if he’ll do one thing for me. I need his father to be here at the warehouse tonight. At 9:00 PM sharp. Emmett is absolutely not to come on his own. Just his father. Tell him it’s about the note he gave me. It’s my reply. He’ll understand.”
“You want his father there? Not him? I don’t get it.”
“His dad’s a cop.”
“No.” Jo’s voice hardened. “Ask Jace.”
I sighed. “I’m asking Jace and Bentley for a little help in another department more worthy of their skills. Besides, I can’t send Jace to ask Emmett to help me—that will just set him off.” It would play out way better if a girl did the asking, and when Jo wanted to, she had enough charm to mesmerize a shark. She’d caught Jace’s eye, hadn’t she?
“Ah, you mean Jace would make him
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