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Bastian takes it, inhaling the rich aroma of the dark roast I’d selected. “I only said that because I didn’t want things to be like they were when we were little. I thought that if the Crimson Blades were big again, we’d just attract trouble. But I was wrong, I shouldn’t have fought so hard to keep it to just the three of us.” He rolls his shoulders back, as though preparing himself for the coming conflict.
“I wish you’d let us help you carry some of that weight,” I tell him, reaching out and laying a hand on his shoulder. He’s always tried so hard to be the leader, even as kids. I felt like it was my job to roll with his decisions just so I could protect him from the consequences.
“You’re one to talk,” Bastian says, scoffing. “You put yourself in the role of our protector a long time ago and you’ve let it define you ever since. Like the bike shop,” he points out. “You never wanted it. That was just a backup plan after the plans for the center fell through.”
“You put the dream on hold too,” I point out, putting it back on him. “Whether you admit it or not, the center was just as much your dream.”
“Maybe we should think about revisiting that dream then,” Bastian says, looking out the window as Caleb comes jogging back up the steps. “We can talk about it later though. Right now we need to convince Caleb to stay behind with Sienna.”
“Absolutely not,” Caleb says as soon as we tell him what we came up with. “I’m not staying here to look after Sienna. She will be fine in the house, but I can’t watch your backs from here.”
“I don’t want Sienna left alone,” Bastian argues. “If we leave her alone, she’s vulnerable.” His face is growing red, a sure sign that he’s growing impatient with Caleb’s defiance.
“But you guys are vulnerable without me there to fight alongside you,” Caleb says, clenching his hands into fists. “You can’t deny that we work better as a team when it’s all three of us.”
“Be that as it may, you’re staying here and that’s final,” Bastian snaps.
“Bas, you know you can’t order him around like that,” I tell him, playing peacemaker once again. “I know you want him to stay behind to protect him, but this is as much his fight as it is any of ours. I’ll stay behind if it means that much to you.”
Bastian looks thunderous. “No! You’re our best fighter. I’m sorry that we need you, but we do. We haven’t got half a shot without you there.”
“Then what are we going to do?” I ask, feeling as though we’re out of options. “We’re at an impasse. Do we stay behind to protect Sienna or not?”
“Maybe we can draw straws,” Caleb suggests. “If we leave it to chance, then it’s equally fair.”
“I don’t like this,” Bastian grumbles. “If we don’t figure this out soon, we’re liable to argue about this all day.” He looks down at his phone, cursing. “Shit. It’s Sal. He’s calling me, which means that something is going down.”
“Bastian,” he says, putting Sal on speakerphone so we can all hear.
“Boss, they’re coming,” Sal’s voice echoes through the speaker. “The Serpent Syndicate are about to march on the town unless we agree to meet with them and settle this once and for all. Joe heard from Lin Park that the Serpents know we’ve declared war on them, and they’re coming to face us.”
The three of us stare at each other for a moment, the dawning realization that the fight is inevitable now, that it’s happening and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.
“What are their numbers?” I ask, leaning in. “We need to know what we’re up against.”
“Lin Park thinks he saw between thirty and forty,” Sal says. “That’s more than we’ve got.”
“We can take them.” I clench my fists. “There’s enough of us now. And we have what we need.”
“Are you sure we have enough?” Caleb asks, chewing his lip as he glances around the room.
I take a deep breath and nod. “We have more than enough. We’re ready.”
“Who’s going to stay with Sienna then?” Bastian demands, standing up. “One of us has to stay behind.”
“It’s too late now,” Caleb insists. “They’re here. There’s no more time to argue. All of us go or none of us go. Sienna will be safe here, I promise.”
“Fine.” Bastian runs a hand through his hair, a nervous tick when he’s stressed. “We can’t spend all day arguing, let’s just fucking go then.”
“How do you want to do this?” I ask.
“Sal, you still there?” Bastian calls.
“Here, boss,” Sal says.
“Send a messenger to the Serpents. We’re meeting them at the old auto plant on the edge of town. Tell ‘em one hour. Then get everyone there.”
“On it,” Sal says, before hanging up.
