What did matter was the fact that Clementine was going to sacrifice her own men and millions in art so that she, Opal, and Dixon could get away clean. No one would come looking for them after the fact, because everyone would think that they were as dead as the other giants. And by the time the bodies were sorted out and folks realized what had happened, well, Clementine would be ensconced on some tropical island far, far away from Ashland.
And to do all this, Clementine had to have a boat stashed at the dock. That's why she wanted to meet down there.
No doubt, the giant thought she could go kill me, take the tube, and drift on down the river with Opal, Dixon, and all the jewels they'd stolen before any of the other giants realized that she'd left them behind. Not a bad idea, considering how much I'd already screwed up her original plans. She could definitely improvise in a pinch - but so could I.
"Are you still there?" Clementine asked. "It's the boathouse or nothing. I want you as far away from my men and our art as possible. You've already done enough damage to both this evening."
Of course she did, but not for the reasons she was saying.
"Don't you worry, sugar. I'll be there. When you tell your men to release the hostages, I'll hand over the tube. Then we can both go our separate ways."
"Fine," Clementine snapped. "You have thirty minutes. Be there, or I tell my boys to start shooting - and not to stop until every single person in the rotunda is dead."
* * *
Static hissed through the walkie-talkie, indicating that the giant was done talking. Good. So was I. Now it was time to act. I turned down the volume on the device and looked at the others.
"You know she's going to double-cross you," Bria said. "Just as soon as she gets the chance. She's probably already ordering her giants to get into position all around the boathouse to take you down."
I shook my head. "No. She'll order some of her men to guard the hostages in the rotunda, and the others will be out by the moving trucks, protecting the art. The only ones who will be at the boathouse will be Clementine, Opal, and Dixon. They're the only ones in on the real plan."
"What plan?" Owen asked.
I told them what I thought Clementine was really up to.
Xavier let out a low whistle. "She's going to blow up all that art and all her men just to make sure that she escapes. She's certainly determined. So what are we going to do about it?"
"Well, while I meet Clementine at the boathouse, you, Bria, and Owen will get into position on the second-floor balcony above the rotunda," I said. "That'll give you the high ground and the chance to take out the giants by sniping at them from above. It's not ideal, since the hostages will still be in danger, but it's the best chance we have to rescue those folks with minimal loss of life to them or us. The only chance, really."
Bria shook her head, the moonlight making her blond hair glimmer like spun silver. "No," she said. "I'm not leaving you to face Clementine alone. It's too risky. Especially since she'll have Opal and Dixon for backup."
"It's a risk we have to take," I said in a quiet voice. "If we have any chance of saving Phillip and everyone else. It's been more than ninety minutes since he was shot. Phillip doesn't have much time left. We need to take out the giants in the rotunda now, or he dies."
I gave her a crooked grin.
"Besides, I don't plan on meeting Clementine so much as leaping out of the shadows, driving my knife into her back, and cutting her throat."
I didn't mention that such a sneak attack was probably the only way I could kill the giant now, given her incredible strength and all the licks I'd already taken tonight.
Bria looked at me, her mouth pinched with frustration. After a moment, she let out a tense breath. My sister didn't like it, but she knew I was right. "At least, promise me that you'll be careful."
I slung my arm around her shoulder and hugged her tight. "Don't worry, baby sister. I can take care of myself. You know that."
Bria nodded, but her face remained grim. We all knew what I was up against - what we were all up against.
Finally, Owen spoke. "You don't have to risk yourself for everyone else, Gin. Not for any reason."
I knew he was talking about Jillian and the guilt I felt over her death, but I just shook my head. "That's where you're wrong. I have to do this. You know I do."
Jillian was dead because of me. It was stupid and cruel and random, just like Owen had said, and there was no way I could go back and fix things, no way for me to bring her back. But I could make sure her murderers paid the same price they'd forced upon her. It wouldn't make up for what Jillian had suffered, and it wouldn't lessen my guilt. But it needed to be done, and I was the only one capable of doing it.
Instead of arguing, Owen just looked at me, his gaze slowly going over me from top to bottom, just like Bria's had a few minutes before. Ruined dress. Black boots. Blood on all the spaces in between.
It wasn't a pretty picture, I knew it wasn't, and I waited for Owen to turn away from me. He was still struggling with his feelings about Salina's death, including the conflicting ones he had for me, and I knew that how I looked right now wouldn't help my cause any. It would only reinforce what I did as the Spider - and what I'd done to Salina.
Owen kept staring at me, his violet eyes on my gray ones. I wondered what he saw there and what he thought about it all.
Bria and Xavier glanced back and forth between us, but they remained quiet. All around us, the hums of the crickets continued, punctuated every now and then by the haunting hoot of an owl hidden in one of the trees.
"Yes," Owen finally said. "I suppose you do."
Instead of the uncertainty and disgust I'd expected, his gaze softened with understanding - and respect. It was the first time he'd looked at me like that in weeks. It was the first time he'd looked at me without pain in his eyes since Salina's death.
"But you're not going alone," he continued. "I'm coming with you."
"But you're hurt. Your arm - "
He shook his head. "Doesn't matter right now. You do. You said that Clementine would have Opal and Dixon for backup. Well, you need somebody too. You don't know what tricks the giants might pull. Bria and Xavier can handle things in the rotunda. They're both better shots than I am. Besides, I have my own score to settle with Clementine and Dixon. I know you understand that."
He smiled at me, and I found myself grinning back. Once again, a tiny bit of hope sparked to life in the cold, black ashes of my heart, hope that maybe Owen and I could get through this after all. That we could eventually move past this, together.