Read Online Reckoners 01 - Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson - Free Book Online Page A

others who had the information I alone had carried. Even if the Reckoners decided not to go after Steelheart, the knowledge would exist, perhaps to be used someday. Assuming they believed me.
    “Let’s sit,” Prof finally said, settling down. The others joined him, Tia and Megan reluctantly, but Abraham was still relaxed. Cody remained standing by the door, keeping guard.
    I sat down, setting my rifle across my lap. I had the safety on, even though I was pretty sure it wasn’t loaded.
    “Well?” Prof asked of his team.
    “I’ve heard of it,” Tia admitted grudgingly. “Steelheart destroyed the bank on the Day of Annexation. The bank rented out some of the offices on the upper floor—nothing too important, some assessors and bookkeepers who did government work. Most lorists I’ve talked to assume that Steelheart hit the building because of those offices.”
    “Yes,” Abraham agreed. “He attacked many city buildings that day.”
    Prof nodded thoughtfully.
    “Sir—” I began.
    He cut me off. “You’ve had your say, son. It’s a show of respect that we’re talking about this where you can hear. Don’t make me regret it.”
    “Er, yes sir.”
    “I
have
always wondered why he attacked the bank first,” Abraham continued.
    “Yeah,” Cody said from the doorway. “It was an odd choice. Why take out a bunch of accountants,
then
move on to the mayor?”
    “But this is not a good enough reason to change our plans,”Abraham added, shaking his head. He nodded to me, enormous gun over his shoulder. “I’m sure you’re a wonderful person, my friend, but I do not think we should base decisions on information given by someone we only just met.”
    “Megan?” Prof asked. “What do you think?”
    I glanced at her. Megan sat a little apart from the others. Prof and Tia seemed the most senior of this particular cell of the Reckoners. Abraham and Cody often chimed in their thoughts, as close friends would. But what of Megan?
    “I think this is stupid,” she said, her voice cold.
    I frowned.
But … just a few minutes ago, she was the friendliest toward me!
    “You stood up for him before,” Abraham said, as if voicing my own thoughts.
    That made her scowl. “That was before I heard this wild story. He’s lying, trying to get onto our team.”
    I opened my mouth to protest, but a glance from Prof made me bite off the comment.
    “You sound like you’re considering it,” Cody said to Prof.
    “Prof?” Tia said. “I know that look. Remember what happened with Duskwatch.”
    “I remember,” he said. He studied me further.
    “What?” Tia asked.
    “He knows about the rescue workers,” Prof said.
    “The rescue workers?” Cody asked.
    “Steelheart covered up that he killed the rescue workers,” Prof said softly. “Few know of what he did to them and the survivors—of what happened at the First Union building. He didn’t kill anyone who went to help at other city buildings he’d destroyed. He only killed the rescue workers at First Union.
    “Something
is
different about his destruction of the bank,” Prof continued. “We know he entered that one, and spoke to the people inside. He didn’t do that elsewhere. They say he came out of FirstUnion enraged. Something happened inside. I’ve known that for a while. The other cell leaders know it as well. We assumed that whatever made him angry had to do with Deathpoint.” Prof sat with one hand on his knee, and he tapped his finger in thought, studying me. “Steelheart got his scar that day. Nobody knows how.”
    “I do,” I said.
    “Perhaps,” Prof said.
    “Perhaps,”
Megan said. “Perhaps not. Prof, he could have heard of the murders and known of Steelheart’s scar, then fabricated the rest! There’d be no way to prove it, because if he’s right, then he and Steelheart are the only witnesses.”
    Prof nodded slowly.
    “Hitting Steelheart would be near impossible,” Abraham said. “Even if we
could
figure out his weakness, he’s got