Bandits Read Online Free PDF Page A

levels of difficulty.
    The EBRA was a difficult guild to get into. You had to e i ther be born into it, or pull off a snatch job equal to their skilled snatch jobs. In his father’s earlier days as a Zukar, he was a merc e nary snatcher, fierce and skilled in the arts of the EBRA. He’d even created some of their techniques used to pull off the nearly impo s sible snatch jobs that gave them the respected position as a specia l ized crime guild. It was hard for Daniel to believe his father and Haden were the few Zukar left who had started the EBRA guild. Why didn’t you kill the bastards that tried to steal your trove?  Who am I kidding?  You were just a shadow of the Zukar you used to be. Damn you for making me clean up after you again.
    “She’s gone,” Faulk said, jarring Daniel out of his thoughts.
    Daniel stared across the room with his arms crossed. “I know where she is, but I’m looking for Nickel. Where the hell is he? I told him to get his food and get right back here. That mea t head is going to make me stash him somewhere until I find out who killed our old man. Only thing is, I know the pinhead would escape and get into more trouble.” 
    Daniel scanned the room. Haden…! His eyes fell on his father’s best friend, co-leader of the EBRA. The man’s long black hair and pale eyes stood out as he stood above the crowd, searc h ing for someone. Daniel pulled Faulk by the shirt and walked behind one of the pillars lining the pathway, which looked like a sandy beach oasis.
    The raised platform for dancing and dining in the middle of the room was lined with people. Appreciative that the place was pretty crowded tonight, he was lucky Haden couldn’t find him easily. He wasn’t ready to answer any questions Haden might throw at him. Haden was hard to read, being a seasoned Zukar, and nothing got past him. Daniel respected –maybe even idolized -Haden, but he also knew Haden was dangerous. One thing every Zukar knew, hold your tongue before you play your cards. He had no plans to tell Haden or any other Zukar what happened to his dad until he could find out why his father was killed, and by whom.
    Scouting out the room for Nickel, his eyes landed on one of the uniformed officials, a King’s watchmen. Daniel pointed and gave Faulk a slight push. “See him over there?  That’s one of the King’s watchmen. He’s scoping out someone, and I don’t wanna take the chance that he’s looking for us.” Daniel pointed ahead. “Go through the archway over there, and you’ll run into Jade’s father’s office. Remember…just walk casual and don’t look anyone in the face. Hang back outside the door. I’m going to get Nickel.”
    Faulk turned. “Got it, cuz. I know the drill,” he said with a glance back.
    “I’m going to slap you when I see you,” Daniel mumbled and looked for Nickel. He was starting to get anxious. Haden or the King’s watchmen might stand in the way of him leaving with Nickel. He was all Nickel had left, hell Nickel was all he had left.
    Before seeing the way clear to escape Haden’s path, his gaze jerked back to the watchman. The guy appeared to be alone, but Daniel knew better. He knew they usually traveled in quads and were distributed throughout the area of their susp i cion. They wanted to weed out the Zukar. Killing a few in the process of catching their victim was inconsequential. The watchman’s white uniform made him stand out, and the dan c ing customers’ eyes blinked in surprise at his presence.
    At that critical moment, Daniel’s eyes finally landed on Nickel. His shirt was wrinkled up on the side where his arm held a bag of food, and he had a spoon in his mouth. Daniel walked in Nickel’s direction, hoping to get his attention. Instant dread hit Daniel when Nickel’s eyes fell on Haden. Nickel jerked before Haden could see him. Then ran head-on into the King’s watc h man, and clumsily crashed right into the big man’s leg.
    Damn!   Daniel walked quickly