Will could taste the bitter truth in her words, even as he tried to deny it.
It had a better than even chance of working, he knew it. They'd got Scarlet's capture on camera, that gave them a decent idea of what to expect. The Sheriff hadn't even bothered to give him a full pat-down, just went for the phone and wallet and that was it. A tracker in the shoe should pass unnoticed.
Unless it didn't.
Unless the Sheriff decided to get more cautious. Unless he was saving the full search till after he had them defenceless in a cell. Unless he smelled a ruse and realised he was being played. Unless the tracker crapped out, or dropped out of range too fast, or the Sheriff caught wind of a tail... fuck, there was so much they just didn't know, and any one of those unknowns could be deadly.
Much was willing, impatient to dive into action, but the last time Much had been killed, it had cost him six months. God knows how much it would cost Will. For Marian and Tuck and Scarlet, it was a price he'd pay many times over, but looking into Clio's eyes he saw reflected an awful fear he'd felt himself, a few months ago, when Patrick had told him of Clio's own long return from death.
God, no, he couldn't do that to her. Fuck. Fuck.
But he couldn't do nothing, either. What the hell did that leave?
He scrubbed a hand across his face. "Elaine said... Elaine said the happily ever after only sticks if we stay heroes."