Chapter 179 I’m Watching
Coban’s POV
Day three of the tournament had finally ended.
And damn if it hadn’t dragged into the night.
We pushed the warriors hard yesterday. The course ran long past sunset with torches lighting the arena walls and spotlights flooding the obstacles. Resetting the course over and over again took time, but we forced as many competitors through as we could.
By the time we shut the gates down for the night, exactly half of the one hundred warriors had completed their first run.
Fifty down. Fifty to go.
And today? Smooth. No explosions. No sabotage.
No idiots trying to plant bombs in my arena.
Which meant Clarence was either regrouping or planning something worse.
Now it was late evening, and the king’s sitting room smelled like roasted meat, fresh bread, and a whole lot of exhaustion.
A long table had been dragged closer to the couches so everyone could eat while still watching the camera feeds.
Because no one trusted peace right now. Not even a little.
I sat back in the large chair near the center of the room, one arm draped across the back while Trixie leaned comfortably against me. My hand rested on her thigh absent mindlessly, rubbing small circles as I watched the screens.
On the other side of her sat Caden, close enough that his shoulder brushed hers as he watched the monitors.
Across the room sat Benjamin and Trinity, their son Kael sprawled across Benjamin’s chest half-asleep.
Near the far side of the room Darien and Lucian stood over the laptops hooked to the camera system. Multiple screens filled the table. They showed every angle and every wall. Every door of Clarence’s compound. We were watching everything. Mark’s voice crackled through the comms from the observation post outside the compound.
“Still quiet,” he said.
Kevan snorted through the speaker. “Too quiet.”
Lucian leaned closer to the monitor. "Front gate movement.”
Everyone’s eyes snapped to the screen.
One of Clarence’s men stepped up to the main door of the compound. He looked irritated. Probably tired of being locked inside like a rat.
He pulled the door open. The moment he stepped outside he got a major surprise.
WHOOSH.
A suppressed rifle cracked. The man dropped instantly. The bullet went straight between the eyes. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Benjamin slowly chewed a bite of steak.
“Well, that’s one.” He said between a mouthful of food.
Trixie blinked. “That was fast.”
On the screen the body lay half in the doorway.
Then another man came walking up from inside the compound. He pushed the door wider. He didn't notice the body yet. He stepped forward,
and immediately tripped over the first man.
“Oh,” Trixie murmured.
The second guy barely had time to lift his head.
WHOOSH.
Second shot. The bullet once again went straight through the skull. His body collapsed across the first one.
Kevan’s voice crackled through the comm. "That's two!”
Darien let out a low whistle. "Damn those are some clean ass shots.”
Lucian nodded. "Our ghosts don’t miss do they.”
Back on the camera a third man approached the door. He shoved it open. He looked down and saw the pile of bodies. His eyes widened.
He turned, but before he could react.
WHOOSH.
Third shot. This shot went right through the neck. Blood sprayed across the doorframe as he dropped.
Caden leaned back slightly. "Jesus.”
Benjamin shrugged. “They were warned. But no, they had to come sticking their noses where they don't belong. That's exactly what they deserve."
Before anyone else could move, a fourth man stepped into view inside the doorway. He stopped instantly when he saw the bodies. His eyes darted around. Then his gaze lifted slightly like he was listening.
Lucian muttered. “He’s mindlinking.” He said as his eyes were glued to the screen.
On the screen the man suddenly bolted back into the compound.
Darien switched camera feeds rapidly. “Office window, now. That's where he's headed." he said as we all switched our feeds.
The screen shifted to the camera hidden outside Clarence’s office window. And there he was.
Clarence sat behind his desk with Lydia in his lap, her legs straddling his chair. They were kissing. Not gently either. The kind of rough kiss that looked like they’d been at it a while.
Benjamin made a face.
“That’s unpleasant. Ugh! My fucking eyes. Bleach please. I need bleach for my eyes." He said dramatically as he squeezed his eyes shut.
Trixie elbowed him. "Focus, dumbass." She rolled her eyes but had a big bright smile on her face.
On the screen Clarence suddenly froze. His eyes glazed over. The mindlink hitting him.
He stiffened immediately. The kiss broke. Clarence lifted his head slowly, his expression turning sharp.
Lydia frowned at him. "What?”
Clarence looked around the room slowly. Like he could feel something was wrong. Like a predator sensing eyes on his back. But he had no idea we were watching everything. Then he growled to the warriors in his office. “Try the back exit.”
Lucian smirked. "Already ahead of you stupid fuck!” He chuckled at the screen.
He switched cameras again. The screen then split. It changed to the back exit. Multiple angles showed across our screens.
A door opened. One of Clarence’s men stepped outside. He barely made it two steps.
WHOOSH.
Once again, a bullet right through his skull.
Darien leaned back with a grin. "Four.”
Kevan’s voice crackled through the comm again.
“Tell Coban we’re having fun out here.”
I smirked slightly, watching another body collapse in the dirt.
“Oh I’m watching,” I muttered.
“And we’re just getting started."