to be clearing the building soon," Zara whispered. "Floor by floor. They're going to find us."
"You'll be dead," Soul_Reaper snapped.
"And then what?" Riley demanded. "What the fuck are you on about, you crazy-ass fuck? You're just setting up more newbies to die for you."
"They're my next council!" Soul_Reaper snarled. "These are the only ones brave enough to do something instead of just hiding behind their monitors and whining on the internet."
"Like you?" Riley lifted a brow, clearly taunting the man. "Looks to me like they're the ones doing all the fucking work, and you're just the cum gobbler."
Kate had to honestly admire the woman's profanity. It came out hard when she was stressed, but it made her sound tougher than the rest of them. It also made the men listen to her.
"Thought we were going to change the world, Soul," one said.
"What the hell do you think we're doing?" Soul_Reaper countered.
The man at the back pushed forward. "I just want to watch them bleed." And he looked at Kate the same way her ex always had.
He wasn't here to get women out of gaming. He just wanted the easy chance to hurt someone. Kate felt her blood run cold, and she wanted to step back, but wouldn't. No, they were all in this together. She refused to be the weak one. She might be here to play support, but she was going to stay with her team, damn it. That was the only way any of them would make it out of this.
"What is the plan?" Dez asked. "Whatcha doing, Larry? Trying to get on the news? Hoping you're going to make it big?" Then she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Planning to let those four take the fall for you like you did when you abducted me? Like you did with Arturo Ganza? Like you always fucking have? That's why they don't want to follow you, you know. Because you? You're not loyal to your team. You use them and you don't care if they go to jail - or die - in the process."
"What's she talking about?" one of the guys asked.
"Shut it, Trace," another snapped.
"He set Ch40Sacid up," Dez explained. "He pointed the feds right at him. Oh, Larry here has known for a while that Deviant Games has been working with the FBI to catch the people threatening our employees and our business. Soon as he felt the pressure was too intense, he made sure that someone else took the fall. Why do you think the press was so sure that Arturo was Soul Reaper? Or is he, and you're just a weak imitation, Larry?"
"Fuck you," Larry growled, thrusting his gun toward Dez again.
Rhaven shoved forward, planting herself in the way. "Do you have any idea how many times I thought about dying?" she asked. "I'm not scared of it. If I go down, at least I'll leave something behind me that'll be worthwhile. Her name is Dez, and she's twice the man you'll ever be."
Soul_Reaper turned, pressing both hands - even the one holding the gun - to his face. "Fucking bitches!" he screamed. "It was supposed to happen in the morning. I'm not prepared for this!"
"Then let's bail," one of the guys said.
"SWAT is already here," another countered.
"Well, if you won't shoot her, I will," the cruel one said.
Kate lunged to cover Dez's back before the man could walk around to get a clear shot. "My ex was like you," she said. "The problem is that no matter how many times you knock us down, we'll just get back up."
"Or encourage someone else to," Zara said as she stepped in to close the circle around Dez.
Then Riley pushed to her feet, blocking the gap between Kate and Rhaven. "We are not alone," she said softly. "Took me a long-ass time to realize what that meant, but Dez taught us. One by one, she showed us a place where that made a difference, and where being flawed no longer made us losers, but turned us into the cool kids. And you hate her for that?"
Then Kate felt a hand on her hip. Behind her, Dez forced herself to her feet. Her grip was trembling, but she was doing it. If they were going to die, then not a single one of them would do it begging. They were warriors in their own way, and somewhere out there, the Kings of Gaming were watching. They'd see women who went down with more pride than