PHOENIX

I ran through the alley, the night chill whipping my face, my bag bouncing against my back in a steady rhythm. Brandon and Lucas were right behind while Tressa was somewhere far above, lagging back and being the distraction to lead the guards away. After rounding a corner I slowed my pace and turned a victorious smile to the sky.

My sister botched our last plan, but that sure as hell didn't stop me from getting my money. I formulated another heist yesterday night and managed to gather everyone to strike again by sunset. The bank increased their security and tried switching up a few protocols, but they weren't expecting another attempt this soon. The guards were poorly trained in the new protocols and were easy to fool.

Stopping in front of a door, I pulled out my keys and unlocked it. The three of us stepped inside and climbed the numerous steps to reach the top floor. I unlocked the second door and walked in, tapping all of the switches.

The lights flickered on to reveal a sprawling penthouse. The sleek couches and furniture radiated power. It wasn't quite my taste, but the penthouse was located high enough to overlook the city. I neared the window and looked down at the numerous lights. People crawled around on the ground, insignificant ants crawling through the streets, scouring for something of value but coming up empty.

But I wouldn't be insignificant. I wouldn't walk around and beg for something to fall into my hands. When I want something, I take it. And I want it all.

"We did it, baby!" Brandon howled as he set a bag down on the table dove his hands into piles of cash.

"Stop shattering my ears," Lucas winced.

"Oh, come on my man, you gotta appreciate our victory. Just look at the stacks we have," Brandon said, motioning to the cash.

Lucas offered a small smile though his shoulders were tense. I narrowed my eyes. He was normally paranoid, but now he was acting strange. Too tense.

Lucas met my eyes and mumbled, "Did you get the glitters?"

I broke my stare to set my own bag down and pull them out. "Of course."

I set the boxes on the table and opened the carefully secured diamonds.

"How much they worth?" Brandon asked as he marveled at them.

"100k," I answered. "Each."

Brandon let out a low whistle. "We owe ourselves a party. Where you got the beer?"

"I only have vodka," I responded as Brandon searched the kitchen cabinets. "Beer's for losers."

Brandon held his hands up. "Don't gotta insult me like that. Why don't ya use that big head of yours and help me find somma that vodka?"

I looked over at Lucas who was still just standing by the table. "I'm not in the mood. Why don't you ask Lucas?"

Lucas hesitated.

I inspected him. "Don't wanna help your friend?"

Lucas shrugged, though the gesture looked strange due to his tense shoulders. "I don't like vodka very much."

I studied their clothing. Both he and Brandon were always wearing full sleeves.

In the kitchen, Brandon stopped his search and was watching his friend. He either sensed Lucas's strange behavior or was watching my reaction because was plotting with Lucas. I was betting on the latter.

Carefully, I closed the boxes and pocketed them again.

"You consumed vodka like a snake before," I pointed out.

We stared at each other, daring the other to make a move until Lucas finally took a small step back. As if on cue, Brandon lifted a gun and cocked it, pointing it straight at my head. I flicked a butterfly knife into my hands. Lucas produced one of his own.

I glared at the two. "You two want to pull up your sleeves or should I just assume you have a nice bird tattoo on your forearm."

"You're gonna give us those glitters," Brandon said carefully.

"Oh?" I snarled. "I made the plans to steal them, I recruited you, I calculated everything, bit by bit. I fought the Crown fucking Assassins for these and you think I'm just going to hand them over? Think again."

"I'm not afraid to shoot," Brandon warned. "Just hand them over."

"So that you can give them to delusional lunatics?"

"You don't understand," Lucas muttered. "The Ravens will give us freedom."

I scoffed. "Freedom? We're thieves. We already have freedom."

"No. The Crowns might not care about all of our wrongdoings, the Lower Court Assassins still kill so many of us for just one misstep. But if the Ravens were to rule, there would be one ruler at the top, only one person who would give us whatever we want, let us do whatever we want."

"And who would this one ruler be?"

They shared a glance and Lucas said, "We won't say."

"Won't say or don't know?"

The silence gave away the answer.

"Fantastic," I snarled.

"Give us the diamonds and you can walk away alive," Brandon warned.

"No. I'll keep my diamonds and walk away alive."

"I have a gun."

"And I have a knife. Not that I would need it, but it's always nice for added flair."

Brandon creased his eyebrows. "You-"

I jumped across the table and had my knife against Lucas's throat before he could continue. I grabbed Lucas's soft hair and pulled back as I stared straight into Brandon's eyes.

"If I stayed by the diamonds you would shoot me, and if I stepped away you would shoot me. Let's play a different game. You keep the gun up and I slit his throat. You drop the gun and I'll consider leaving him alive. Without a few fingers of course for being a goddamned waste of time, but alive nonetheless."

Brandon looked between the two of us, his hand wavering.

"Brandon," Lucas begged. "Please, put the gun down."

Brandon didn't put the gun down.

"Brandon, we're friends."

"We were friends. I suppose he enjoys money more than friends. But I can't blame him. I love diamonds when they come for free." I dug the knife deeper into Lucas's neck until it drew blood for added effect. "Love them enough to kill."

I looked back at Brandon. "So what's it gonna be? Friend or diamonds?"

Brandon hesitated. Finally, he opened his mouth only to be cut off when the door swung open.

Tressa walked in and squinted, adjusting to the light, until she finally looked up and stopped in her tracks. Her eyes shifted between the knife and the gun until she finally sighed.

"What did you do?" she asked me.

"Nothing! They're the ones trying to steal our diamonds!"

"This happened last time too," she argued. "I was gone for five minutes and the other three ended up dead."

"It's not my fault everyone we work with are stupid sons of bitches who are brainwashed by dysfunctional birds."

Tressa stood straight, suddenly alert.

"Dysfunctional birds..." she trailed off and her eyes flew wide. She looked between the two boys and took a shaky step back.

"You're Ravens," she whispered and then repeated it louder. "You're Ravens!"

I winced as I cursed my own tongue. I probably shouldn't have mentioned it until after we killed the boys.

"Tressa," Lucas croaked. "It doesn't change anything."

"Like hell it doesn't," Tressa snapped. "The Ravens killed my parents, Lucas. My freaking parents! You know that. And yet you go and join them?"

"Not all Ravens are like that. I'm not like that. You know me."

She shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek, "No, I don't know you at all."

It was only when she raised her arm that I realized she still had a gun in her hand. Lucas went still under the weight of a gun aimed at his head. I pushed him from my grasp and he fell to his knees, looking up at Tressa with pleading eyes.

I refocused on Brandon who had his arm raised but was unsure of where to aim his gun. After I took a few steps forward, he settled to pointing his gun at me. I kept walking, making slow, patronizing advances.

"Now, Brandon, if you shoot me, Tressa will finish off Lucas and you. If you put your gun down, well, you'll probably still end up dead. You really should've taken my offer when you had the chance."

His gun wavered as he steeled himself up to shoot me.

"Oh, come on Brandon. What's the matter?" I mocked taking another step forward. "I would've expected a bullet in my forehead by now. Wouldn't that be the wisest option? Take me down with you?"

I tapped a finger against my chin in mock thought. "Oh wait, I know! Maybe it's because you're reminiscing of when I used to still be your friend. After all, you didn't want me dead because you went through all of that trouble to try to draw me away while Lucas stole the diamonds. Or maybe it's more than that.

"Tressa once said she thinks you have a teeny, weeny crush on me." I batted my eyelashes. "Do you, Brandon?"

Brandon said, shaking his head. "I'll shoot. I'm giving you a chance to back down."

"You poor boy. I think you hit your head," I said taking one final step. "I'm giving you a chance to back down."

This time, Brandon didn't hesitate. He pulled the trigger.

The sound of the shot reverberated through the penthouse, piercing my ears. I was a bit shocked, to say the least. Maybe I played my cards too far. But after a moment of feeling a bit out of place, the fog cleared and I realized I wasn't hit. He shot at the table directly behind me.

I turned back around to find him running for the window. I ran after him.

I neared just as he grabbed the drawstring of the blinds and slammed into the glass, sailing into the night, jumping out of a tenth story window. He was freefalling.

Then the drawstring snapped tautly and swung him back towards the building. He crashed through the windows of an apartment two stories below us. The startled screams of the apartment's residents carried up through the night breeze as they discovered their unwanted, flying visitor.

I rolled my eyes. I taught him that trick.

I turned back around to find Tressa and Lucas in the same position as I'd left them. Lucas looked back up at Tressa.

"Tressa, please," he begged. "Hear me out."

"I don't want to," she said. The tears were spilling down her cheeks in volume now.

He lunged forward and grabbed her leg, trying to plead with her. Tressa didn't move away, only dug the barrel into the center of her forehead.

"Tressa, please," he whispered. "I love you."

Tressa stared into her eyes for a long moment before her eyes hardened.

"I don't," she whispered. She pulled the trigger.

Lucas's collapsed to the floor in a puddle of blood. I gave Tressa a few minutes to gather herself. She stared at his body for some time before looking away and wiping her eyes.

"Why didn't you go after him?" she asked, motioning to the broken window.

I shrugged. "Wasn't in the mood. Besides, it's not like he can do much running free."

She studied me, probably wondering the real reason I let him run despite my ruthless temper, but she said nothing, only looked around the room. She avoided looking at the body of her lover crumpled up at her feet and I knew she was trying to ignore him and move on. Perhaps I should give her a few days heist-free so that she didn't bottle it up and then break down at a very inconvenient time.

I moved towards the kitchen. "Want some vodka?"

She ignored my question. "I have some news."

I pulled out a bottle and two glasses. "Do tell."

"There are rumors that the Queens and the Crown Heirs were attacked."

I stilled. "Attacked?"

"Bombed. In Indianapolis this afternoon when I was visiting my aunt."

I let out a hoarse laugh. "What kind of Streeter would have the guts to bomb them?"

"Ravens," she whispered.

There was a long silence.

"Did anyone die?"

"People agree that the Crown Heirs survived, but there are varying reports regarding the Queens. We can't know for sure until the Assassins release the information."

I sighed and forced down the voice screaming at me to make sure my mother and Daria were alright. I poured two shots.

"There's something else," she said.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Arielle Fortier tracked me down in Indianapolis and asked a few questions about where she could find you."

Of course she did.

Perhaps we should have another chat. The last one didn't seem bloody enough.

I threw back my head and downed the glass, resolved to draw my younger sister out and end this debacle, once and for all.