“I guess.”

“You mean, ‘Yes, Maisie, what an excellent point.’ ”

He rolled his eyes. “Declan saw that stupid video you made. You left that part out when you told me you were coming up here.”

“What do you care?”

“I care because you told the Americans that you’re going to deliver their golden boy back to them, and when you fail it’s going to be a huge disaster and they’re going to hate us even more.”

“They were assuming the worst about me in here,” Lennon said. “At least now they know I was safe and someone was trying to help.”

“It doesn’t matter, because we’re going to make it to the gate,” Maisie said. “We still have time, and we already crossed through the two biggest territories.”

“One, you’re not out of Val’s Territory yet. And two, Northgate makes East Spencer look like a damn party.”

She just shrugged, unwilling to tell him that she had a man on the inside in Northgate.

“Can we…” Beto regarded the women surrounding him. “Can we talk privately for a minute?”

“Yeah.” She grabbed his arm, hauling him to his feet.

“Excuse me, what are you doing?” one of the Vals—an older woman with a serious face—demanded.

“Just let me talk to him for a minute, okay? We’ll be right over there.” She pointed to a corner. The Val frowned, but didn’t move to stop them.

Maisie turned to face Beto once they were out of earshot.

“Listen,” he said quietly. “I didn’t get the whole plan because Declan didn’t trust me—”

“Smart,” she interjected.

“—but he’s definitely going up to Northgate to do what he did in the south. He wants to take out as many members of the Spencer family as he can. Jonathan Spencer, especially. He wants control of the gate, and I don’t think he’s wrong.”

“That’ll start a war. You’ll get everyone killed.”

“Are you totally sure that you’re not going to start a war, traipsing over to the gate and stealing the shipment?”

She blew out a breath. “Maybe.”

“You mean, ‘Yes, Beto, what an excellent point.’ ”

She resisted the urge to punch him. “I’m going for covert here. My plan was to grab the shipment, get Lennon out, and hightail it back south. I’m not trying to take over the entire territory, and I’m certainly not killing any Spencers in the process.”

“Declan doesn’t think you can do it.”

“One, fuck Declan, and two, how exactly do you plan to take control back from him after this? If, by some miracle, he succeeds, what were you going to do?”

“I was going to…murder him?” He scrunched up his face.

“Jesus Christ, Beto, are you asking my permission?”

“No, I just…”

“I don’t think you should murder someone if you have to phrase it like a question. I think you need conviction in this particular situation.”

“Shit, Maisie, I don’t know. I’m sorry if I didn’t have everything perfectly figured out after my father was suddenly killed by his lieutenant.”