Jesper, Kaz, and I walked to a destination unknown to both of us. This used to irritate me, but I have long since come to terms with the fact that Kaz doesn't tell us anything other than what is absolutely necessary. I was able to guess we were headed towards the Emerald Palace, judging by the direction we were going and the conversation that took place earlier. Jesper was twirling around as we walked, I swear that boy wouldn't be able to sit still even if you gave him 10,000 kruge.

"I mean it. We need a demo man!" Jesper was telling Kaz.

"You're still on that?" I asked. Kaz was being very firm with his decision not to hire any new dregs for a long while.

"I just brought it up tonight!" Jesper countered my statement.

"Jesper, you ask for an explosives expert on every job." Kaz fired back, not wanting to have the same conversation we have every time we get a new job.

"Because I don't want to be the one you point to and say, 'explode something for us'! That is not a Jesper talent. I shoot things with style. And I look good! Just play to my strengths, boss."

"Obviously you do well enough, Jesper, or Kaz would have actually hired someone on demo a long time ago," I said.

Jesper stopped walking, put his hand over his chest, and said, "Viktoriya Safin, did you just give me a compliment?" Kaz gave me the side-eye as Jesper said my 'name', and I ignored the comment as I kept walking alongside Kaz. Kaz started to tell us what he was thinking.

"Alina Starkov will be kept at the Little Palace. Entering the Little Palace requires us to be quiet, blowing something up, we've likely failed."

"Then we should take Inej." While I admire Jesper, he didn't think nearly as far in advance as Kaz and I, which often makes him say incredibly stupid things.

"She's a good investment. More quiet than I'll ever be," Jesper continued. I nudged him to get him to shut up, as I said, "He's already planning on it, dumbass." Jesper send me a look, then finally realized where we were. He stopped in his tracks and grabbed my arm to make me stop as well.

"Woah. Hang on, aren't we on Pekkas turf now? You wanna tell me why we're scoping out a rival club?"

"To have a talk with an old business partner."

"Kaz, the bouncers will know you on sight." I countered.

"That's why I brought you two. Make sure they don't see me." Jesper and I shared a look, thinking of the same plan to distract the bouncers.

Jesper quickly shot a boot that was hanging by a chain above the bouncers' heads as I subtly made them more susceptible. The guards quickly got out their guns and rushed over to us. Jesper turned around to face them, with his hands above his shoulders. I kept mine behind my back so I could continue manipulating their hearts.

"You heard that too?" Jesper asked. I sighed, wondering how much more obvious he could possibly be.

"Was that you?" The bouncer asked. Jesper shook his head no and kept his hands far away from his guns.

"No, I'm uh... bouncing for the clipper." As Jesper was distracting the guards, I made sure they believed his lie, and Kaz quietly slipped inside the building. Jesper sent him a subtle nod.

"Haven't seen you before. Where's Tombar?" Jesper began to get a little flustered and the guards turned back to the doorway, where there was the possibility of them seeing Kaz.

"Oh, uh. I don't know. Was that sign damaged before?" I asked the bouncers, trying to get the attention off Kaz and make Jesper understand my plan. While they turned to look at the 'damaged sign' Jesper quickly pulled out his gun, shot it, and returned his gun to his holster before they could look back. His speed was quite impressive when handling guns. The bouncers were then convinced we were the ones causing the gunshots and drew their own guns on us once more.

Jesper said, "Saints, where was that?" with his hands at his shoulders again. I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath. If the guards would have looked hard enough, they could have seen that Jesper's gun was still smoking from his holster.

A few minutes later, Kaz walked out of the building, didn't spare us a glance, and kept walking in a hurry. Jesper and I looked at him and each other in confusion, but followed. We ended up at a building with several apartments. Jesper stayed outside to keep watch. Kaz rushed upstairs, and I had the feeling he was trying to stop something.

"Kaz, what which one?" I asked in a hurry. If this was something important, I knew I could get there faster than him.

"314, Stop Inej!" That was all he told me, but I didn't really need any more information. I was able to figure out that she was probably about to kill the man she asked about earlier, and Kaz needed him alive. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could and noticed an open door at the end of the hallway. I ran inside, and saw Inej over a man, with one of her knives to his throat.

"Don't!" I said quickly, out of breath. She threw a knife in my direction, but luckily her aim was off. It impaled itself in the doorframe right next to my head. Kaz emerged from behind me seconds after all of this happened.

"He's our way to Alina Starkov." He explained. Inej took in a few shaky breaths and looked back at the mystery man. Not removing the knife from his throat, she asked, "Him?"

"Heleen knew it. She was using you to sabotage our mission." Inej shook her head in disbelief.

"No, she and I made a deal."

"It isn't worth more than what we get with him alive." I stayed out of the conversation, observing, as Kaz knew more than I at the moment. He began to slowly walk towards Inej in an effort to calm her.

"You choose him over my freedom?" Inej questioned, hurt evident in her tone.

"You assume it's one or the other," Kaz responded, skillfully. Inej stared at the man for a moment longer, then finally removed her knife, only leaving a small scratch.

The tense environment in the room immediately lifted as no one's life was being threatened. Kaz walked the rest of the way to the man.

"Conductor, I have a job for you." He looked up at Kaz in confusion, as did I.