Price of a Bounty - By S. L. Wallace Page 0,49
stay there until your training is complete. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m sure Scott won’t just leave you. He’ll help you get settled in. Then you’ll come back and get a job right here in Tkaron.”
Keira put her arm around me, and I leaned my head on her shoulder.
“You should finish getting dressed and ask Rick and Scott the rest of your questions. They promised me they’d be completely honest with you, and they’re the ones who know the details. They’re waiting for you.”
Keira stood and opened the closet. It was full of a variety of styles and sizes of clothing for both men and women.
“Wear something light, but finish your look with layers. Go for a young rich girl look and pack a suitcase of clothes to take along too.”
After Keira closed the bathroom door, I dressed in a pair of soft beige slacks and a periwinkle blouse. I grabbed a white cardigan to hide the rest of my injuries and returned to the living room. I would pack if I decided to go.
Scott and Rick fell silent when I appeared in the doorway. Then Scott hurried over and hugged me tightly. I flinched. Even with the ointment, my back felt like it was on fire. He brushed some loose strands of hair back from my face, then took my wrists and gently turned my arms so he could see the bruises.
“If Keira hadn’t already, I would kill him,” he said.
“Is that what you do too?” I asked.
“Only under orders, but for this, I would make an exception.”
“No, don’t change who you are, Scott. I don’t like that a man is dead because of me, no matter how much he hurt me.” I looked over at the man I knew as Ashton, “Rick, right?” He looked at Scott and nodded.
“April, I’d like to introduce you to my best friend, Guy.”
“Guy? Not Richard or Rick? Does Keira know about this?”
“Yes, she does,” he said. “My name is Richard Burke, as you’ve been told, but people I trust call me Guy Bensen. I’m one of the leaders of the Resistance.”
“But that’s just an urban legend! It’s not real.”
“I assure you, it is real,” said Scott. “Guy and I formed a partnership when we were 16, and the Resistance was born. Keira just got involved recently. Now we’d like you to join too. It’s a way to help people, but there are risks.”
“You and Keira?” I asked Scott. I felt like I’d fallen down the rabbit hole. Ashton not being who he appeared – that I could handle – but my own brother and sister? And now they wanted me to help, but what could I do? I’d only finished high school, and all I’d been trained to do was clean and run errands. I turned my attention to Guy. “You offered me a job. It’s not like what Keira does, is it?”
“Not at all. I’d like to send you to the Art Institute of Parisio to train as an art dealer. The training would take about a year, but then you could move back here and work in one of the galleries downtown or even open one of your own.”
“How does this benefit you?” I asked. “How does it help the Resistance?”
“You have a good eye for art,” Guy said. He reached out and lightly touched the bright orange beaded necklace I’d found in a box on the dresser. “You focus on the colors, the lighting, the details. I could use someone close to home who can tell me the fair asking price for the artwork I steal.”
“Why do you steal anyway? I thought you were wealthy. What do you need the money for?”
“I steal because I believe the people who cause problems should be the ones to finance solutions. The money provides salaries to key members of the Resistance and helps keep safe houses like this clean and stocked. Some of the money is used to help people get out of tough situations and back on their feet. It also covers the cost of travel, job training and false IDs.”
“How does Keira fit in? How does she help the Resistance?”
“You know what she does for a living.”
I nodded, my eyes wide.
“Do you think I can convince her to stop?” he asked.
I raised my eyebrows. “Good luck!”
Guy smiled ruefully. “Thank you, I think.”
“No.” Scott shook his head. “Smart aleck.” He smiled.
“What about you?” I turned to face my brother. “Other than creating the Resistance when you were 16,