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"She's in good shape, all things considered," I said in a low voice. "It's not nearly as bad as it could have been. Now, let's get the hell out of here before they find the two giants that I just killed-"
Shouts rang up through the night. Fuck. All I'd needed had been five more minutes, but luck had decided not to smile on me tonight.
I looked over my shoulder. Sure enough, someone had discovered the two dead giants in the railcar. The door was fully open now, and more and more men circled around that area, like bloodhounds treeing a raccoon. It wouldn't be long before they started looking for whoever had killed their buddies. Already I could see heads swiveling around in this direction.
If it had just been Finn and me, I wouldn't have been concerned. We could have melted into the shadows and gotten back to our cars before the construction workers even thought about searching the train yard. But now I had Natasha to think about too. The girl didn't have the shoes for a sprint, not to mention the fact that the giants would easily see her blue pajamas standing out against the blackness of the night. Finn or I could have carried her but not with the speed or furtiveness necessary to make a quick, clean escape. Mab's men would be all over us before we even reached the top of the hill above our heads.
Unless I did something to distract them. Unless I got them all to focus on me instead.
I took Natasha's hand and put it in Finn's. "Go with this man. Do what he says, and he'll take you back to your daddy. Do you understand me?"
Natasha stared at me a moment with her big blue eyes, then nodded.
"Good girl. "
I palmed another one of my silverstone knives.
"Gin!" Finn hissed. "What the hell are you doing? We need to leave. Right this second!"
"Don't worry about me," I said, already backing up. "Just get the girl out of here. "
Finn saw what I was planning and opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off.
"Just do it, Finn. Now!"
Without waiting for an answer, I turned and ran back into the train yard.
Chapter 18
Still keeping to the shadows as much as I could, I ran back the way I'd just come. By this point, more and more of the construction workers clustered around the open railcar, staring at and chattering about the two dead bodies inside.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door on the next car open-and Mab Monroe and Elektra LaFleur stick their heads outside, wondering what had caused all the sudden noise. Fuck. Things had just gone from bad to worse.
The two women stepped down out of their car and hurried over to the other one to see what all the fuss was about. Even as they approached, more and more hoarse shouts filled the air.
"It's her! It's the Spider! She's struck again!"
A grim smile tightened my face. I hadn't had time to draw my rune in the giants' blood, but it looked as though I didn't need to. They already knew my name. If nothing else, this little incident tonight might make some of Mab's men think twice about working for her.
Provided, of course, that I got out of the train yard alive.
My eyes scanned over everything as I sprinted forward, searching for something that I could use as a distraction to give Finn enough time to get Natasha to safety. Something that I could make noise or a fire or perhaps even an explosion with. Finally, next to the old depot, I saw something useful-an old-fashioned kerosene lantern that someone had brought along tonight for light, warmth, or both. Even better, not too far away from the lantern was a large red plastic container that I was willing to bet was filled with something flammable.
Before I could snatch up the lantern and the container, a dwarf rounded the side of the depot and moved in between me and the objects. He rubbed his stubby fingers together, then held them over the lantern, trying to get what little warmth he could from the meager fire flickering inside the glass.
I didn't have time to be suave and kill him, so I barreled into his back like a NFL linebacker and drove my boot into the back of his knee. The dwarf screamed and did a header onto the gravel, slamming face-first into the rocks. A few heads turned in our direction at the sound, but I'd already grabbed the lantern and container and moved on. Liquid sloshed back and forth in the red plastic with every step that I took.
I leaped up onto the sagging porch of the old depot, ran across to the far side, and dropped to one knee. Lights blazed all around me now, but I was partially hidden by the dilapidated porch railing in front of me. Besides, by this point, almost everyone was still gathered around the railcar, staring inside at the two dead giants instead of looking in my direction.
With one eye on the crowd, I unscrewed the black cap on the plastic container. The acrid smell of gasoline wafted up to me. I smiled. I'd seen some generators in among the building supplies. Of course, they'd need gas to run. Maybe luck wasn't going to completely abandon me tonight.
I didn't have time to be sneaky or particularly creative, so I kicked over the plastic container. The gasoline slopped all over the porch and dribbled off the side like butter dripping off a hot biscuit. Then I raised the lantern over my head and dashed it down onto the gas-soaked, wooden porch.
WHOOSH!
The gas ignited at once, the bright heat of it flashing in front of my eyes and sucking the moisture out of them. I wasn't the only one who noticed my sabotage. Elektra LaFleur's head snapped around in my direction, her gaze drawn by the rapid spread of the fire.
"There!" the other assassin screamed, green lightning flashing in her hand. "There she is! Get her!"
