“Either there’s something wrong with our connection or someone hacked our surveillance system,” Zoey said, her voice strained and low. “I don’t know how they could have done either. I built those firewalls myself, but something is wrong.”
If she was panicking, then he should have been losing his freaking mind. And yet, Chad paused. He couldn’t circle that drain. He had to take control.
“Zoey, work on getting those systems back up and running,” he said. “In the meantime, Jarrod and the rest of the family will get suited up. We’ll take post and make sure that no one enters the compound. I have to find Shaye.”
“You can’t go anywhere,” Jarrod protested. “If we are under attack, you can’t leave. The second you walk out those doors, you are going to have a target on your back.”
“Well, then you’d better pull the trigger one second faster.” He pulled out the Glock he always wore strapped to his ankle and made his way to the door.
He’d already gone out into the hot zone once and no one had fired on him. Maybe he’d been lucky, or maybe something else was going on. He had to be ready for whatever was going to come his way.
He slowly opened the front door. A man stood outside, an automatic weapon at rest in his hands and blood smeared down the side of his face. He wore a STEALTH jacket, marking him as one of their guards. He opened his mouth to talk and stepped forward, but he stumbled and fell into the house. His eyes rolled back in his head as he hit the floor with a loud thump. The gun dropped on the floor beside him with a clatter as the synthetic stock struck wood.
Grabbing him by the collar, Chad dragged him far enough inside that he could close the door. He took one more look outside but he couldn’t see anyone.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, rolling the man over and checking his vitals.
There was a fast, erratic thumping under Chad’s fingertips. The man was alive, but he was in pain.
Chad opened up his jacket. The guard was wearing a thick Kevlar vest—one of the older, standard-issue vests that some in their team still preferred in case of close-range impact.
At center mass were two copper slugs embedded in the fabric. He opened the jacket wider, but it stuck slightly as he pulled at the left side. There, he found a puddle of sticky blood. At the corner of his vest, near his armpit, the man had taken a hit.
The shock and sudden loss of blood must have sent him to the floor. He would be okay, as long as they got him some help.
He started to tend to the wound, staunching the bleeding as he yelled for someone to call for EMS. It would take twenty minutes for them to arrive, but the man would need more help than he could provide. Looking up, Zoey was already on the phone as he spoke. The world was whirling around him, fast and slow at the same time. He watched the man’s chest rise and fall, but the voices around him all seemed to be muffled and all the words were being spoken at the same time, so nothing anyone said seemed to be audible.
“Hector,” Zoey said, her voice finally breaking through the fog in Chad’s head. “What happened?”
The man blinked, like he, too, was pulled back by her voice. “Gray Wolves. They ambushed us...” His voice was thin as he struggled to remain conscious.
“How many men do we have left?” Zoey asked.
Hector shook his head. “Lost radio contact—nothing is working. No phones. Nothing.” Hector wheezed, the sound wet and rattling.
Chad wouldn’t have been surprised if the man’s lung had collapsed in his chest. They had to get him help.
“They must have bumped an electromagnetic pulse.” Zoey balled her hands into tight fists. “The goddamn bastards. It’s probably why everything stopped working.”
Though he should have cared about the electromagnetic pulse that rendered their tech outside the Faraday-style walls of the house virtually dead, all he could think about was Shaye. “Did you see her? Is she okay?”
“Huh?” Hector asked, his eyes ablaze with pain.
“Shaye, did you see her leave?”
The man looked away from him, like he couldn’t handle the shame. “She...”
“She what?” Chad’s blood turned to thick syrup in his veins. He could have died from panic in those nanoseconds while he waited for Hector’s answer.
“She was taken by the man who shot me.” Hector coughed, blood spatter flecking his lips as he rolled on his uninjured side. “She is probably already dead. In the car.” He pointed feebly toward the door.
No, his mind screamed. No. She wasn’t dead. The man was wrong. She was alive. He could feel her.
“Her car?” Chad shot up to his feet.
Hector nodded.
He hadn’t seen her when he had gone outside. There had been no movement. No sound. No sign of life.
He had nearly forgotten, but he was still holding his gun. It trembled in his hand as he looked down at the cold, black steel of its barrel. He wasn’t sure if he was trembling out of terror or rage, or perhaps it could have even been merely adrenaline, but he had to get control. If he was going to walk out there—into what could have very well have been a shooting gallery—he was going to need every one of his faculties. He stuffed his handgun back into his ankle holster, clicking it in place.
He kneeled down by Hector and picked up the man’s assault rifle. He checked the clip—it was nearly full. He grabbed the unused, full magazine clipped to Hector’s utility belt.
Those bastards were going to pay.
Zoey touched his arm as he stood. “Find her, Chad. Find the woman you love. Save her if you can. We’ve got your back.” She pulled her gun from her holster and stood up, every bit the badass he had always known his sister to be.
Trevor came up from the basement carrying assault rifles, always prepared, and he gave one to Jarrod. “You’re not going out there alone—Martins stick together.” He slammed a magazine into his gun and jacked a round into the chamber.
Together, they were unstoppable.
No matter how many Gray Wolves were out there, he and his family held the higher ground. If they were careful and did this right, they could pick off their enemies like they were prairie dogs.
Even Mindy, who normally stayed well out of the fray, took a gun. “I’ll cover you guys.” She moved beside the door.
He and Trevor got into formation, readying themselves to charge the door and make their way outside.
The odds were not in their favor to make it out of this.
Trevor gave him a grave look that told him that he knew what was at risk and was more than willing to do what needed to be done. Protection was a hard business, but there was nothing better than going out in a blaze of glory and honor.
If giving his life for hers was what he had to do, Chad would gladly make the sacrifice.
He gave Trevor a small nod. They would have to move fast but smooth. The old adage “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” came to mind.
Walking out into a possible active-shooter event was ballsy, and if Shaye wasn’t out there, he wouldn’t have risked it. Going outside and into the field of fire was setting them up for an ambush. But he had to do what needed to be done and be dynamic.
“Do you have a smoke grenade?” he asked, pointing at Trevor’s utility belt.
Trevor answered with a wicked smile and pulled out the canister. There were two more on his belt and he tossed one to Chad, who stuffed it in his pocket. Trevor pulled the pin and chucked the smoke grenade out the door, letting the can land with a clang and roll. It exploded in a burst of light and green smoke.
Perfect.
He charged out the door and toward the car, using the smoke for coverage in the uncleared area.
He could hear the cracking and whizzing of shots fired and bullets striking the ground near him. But he didn’t fire back.
No.
They needed all of the anonymity that the smoke could pro
vide. If he shot recklessly now, they would only help their enemies pinpoint his location in the smoke. It was better to play the shadow.
Though the car was about twenty yards from the front door, it seemed like it was miles away. There was another barrage of shooting, but instead of instilling fear in him, it was like all of his senses came to life. He could smell the acrid smoke of the obscurant, and hear the crunch of the gravel and snow under his feet as he took steps toward the woman he loved. A bit of saliva collected in his mouth and he swallowed it back. Everything had to be under control. He gripped the gun tighter as he carefully held his ready position and stalked deeper into the smoke.
She was alive. She had to be alive. He repeated the words over and over to himself, trying to control his only real fear.
Trevor moved one step behind him, readying for anyone who approached from their nine or at their six. He could think of no better person to have at his side.
A bullet ripped through the air right in front of his face, so close that he could nearly make out the vortex the bullet had created in the smoke as it pierced the veil. He stopped for a moment, collecting himself. That single shot, two inches to the left, could’ve been the end of him.
He shook away the thought. Now wasn’t the time to think about what-ifs. He would have plenty of time afterward.
Though it was not even above freezing outside, a tiny bit of sweat rolled down from his hairline over his temple, and he wiped it away.
He couldn’t let the situation get out of hand, or get to him. He had spent thousands of hours training for this, but the only other operation that had felt like this was the day that Trish had died. The thought unnerved him.
No. Don’t go there.
He took another step, calm and deliberate and in control. He was the master of his fate. And Shaye’s life depended on him.
He moved forward until the magenta car came into view. Shaye was nowhere in sight. His stomach dropped. What if she wasn’t out here? What if they had put themselves in danger for nothing?
Control. He had to remain controlled, deliberate.
He reached down and opened the driver-side door. Thankfully it was unlocked. Glancing inside, he could see Shaye lying in the back seat. She was hog-tied and there was black Gorilla tape over her mouth, its edges rolled slightly and her face reddened like she had been trying to rub off the tape.
That was his girl. Always the fighter.
As he looked in on her, she opened her eyes. He could see relief as she looked up.
“I’m here, babe. I’ve got you—you’re safe now.” He left the driver-side door open, hoping it would provide him an extra layer of protection from any rounds coming his way.
He motioned for Trevor to take cover in the car, as he stepped to the back door and opened it up. She tried to sit up, but the way she had been tied stopped any major movement.
Whoever had tied her up like this, whoever had done this to her, would pay. He pulled out a knife and cut the ropes at her wrists and ankles in two swift motions. She sat up and ripped the tape from her face with a tiny, pained squeak.
Aside from where the rope and tape had rubbed her skin raw, she looked no worse for the wear. At least whoever had taken her hadn’t seemed to have done any physical harm. The simple courtesy may have just saved these men from dying a slow and painful death, but if Chad had his way they would still die.
“Mother hummer,” she said, rubbing the place where the tape had taken off part of her skin. But she didn’t let the pain slow her down. Instead, she looked at him. “I need a gun.”
He handed her his handgun out of his ankle holster. “How many men are out there—do you know?”
“I just saw two, and it sounded like they were working for my father.”
He frowned. They had come to believe that these men were all sent here by Bayural, and part of the Gray Wolves. Was her father somehow involved? Was he missing some vital clue? He felt like something was staring him right in the face, but yet he couldn’t figure out what it was. And what did the woman and the child have to do with it all?
“But they were Gray Wolves, yes?” he asked.
She shrugged, making sure that there was a round in the chamber of the gun as she moved to step out of the car.
The wind kicked up and the smoke that hung in the air from the grenade started to dissipate. From where he stood, Chad could make out the outline of a man about ten yards to his right. He aimed at the man’s center mass and fired twice. No hesitation, no regret.
The rounds struck and the man touched his chest where the bullet had entered as though surprised a bullet had found him. Shockingly, the man smiled. When he didn’t drop to his knees, Chad realized he must have been wearing a vest.
Son of a...
Whoever was out there, they definitely weren’t rookies. Their enemies knew what they were about. And this was one fight that would be hard-won. He pulled off another shot, this time taking an extra moment to carefully aim at the man’s head.
His shot rang true. This time the man dropped.
One down. Who knew how many to go.
First things first—they needed better coverage than this car could provide.
He pulled the smoke grenade out from his pocket and threw it in the direction of the house. It popped and a new cloud erupted into the air, providing them with a much-needed screen.
“Trevor, watch our six,” Chad ordered.
Trevor answered with a simple nod. They moved together in a staggered line toward the safety the house and their family could provide.
It seemed even longer going back. The gunfire pinged around them, but thankfully the rounds seemed to be behind them as they moved. One lucky shot would be all it would take for them to ruin all of Chad’s hopes and dreams.
He couldn’t let Shaye get hurt. But at the same time, he couldn’t simply put his arm over her and escort her through the smoke like she was some kind of victim. Shaye was never a victim. She had been through more than her fair share of crap in her life, but she would always be a strong, capable survivor. She was unflappable.
In fact, maybe if everything worked out, he could start training her for a role in STEALTH. They could always use another skilled team member.
As he spotted the front of the steps leading up toward the house, the gunfire around them exploded with a new wave of intensity.
Shaye squeaked from behind him, the noise almost like the one she had made when she had ripped the tape off her mouth. He stopped and turned. His gaze dropped to the ground near his feet. Shaye was down, clutching her abdomen with one hand and holding the gun with the other. She aimed to their right and started firing wildly, forcing Chad and Trevor to drop to the ground beside her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching over to her and rolling her slightly so he could see what she was covering with her hands.
She looked up at him with wide eyes and a pained and terrified expression. Blood was seeping through her fingers as they were clamped to her belly.
Damn. Damn. Damn. He had done this to her. If only he would have kept his damn mouth shut...not pushed her away.
“You’re going to be okay. Let me look at it,” he ordered.
They only had a minute or so and then the smoke around them would start to thin and they would be at their enemy’s mercy. He had to work fast to get her into the safety of the house or they would all be dead.
Trevor crawled to them. “We have to go!”
He didn’t need to state the obvious.
Shaye wouldn’t move her hands, so instead of forcing her to do anything she didn’t feel comfortable doing, he leaned in. “I’m going to lift you, okay?”
She gave him a small nod.
Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her up and got to his feet. She bit back a breath and he could feel her tense in his arms. Trevor covered them, sending out a sp
ray of gunfire toward their enemies as they rushed up the steps and into the house, Mindy slamming the door behind them.
He would never forgive himself if she died. Hell, he was never going to forgive himself, period.
He ran to the couch and gently laid down Shaye. “She was hit,” he said, his words sounding strangled.
“Watch out,” Zoey said, moving to help her. She touched Shaye’s hands, giving her a soft look. “It’s going to be okay, Shaye. We have everything we need to keep you alive.”
Shaye nodded, but there was fear in her eyes. When she looked at him, he wanted to tell her that he was sorry. That he had been wrong. That he’d been stupid. And yet, all he could do was smile at her.
“Shaye, no matter what happens, I want you to know I love you,” he said, taking her hand.
Her eyes brimmed with tears. “I love you, too.”
If he had the chance, he would spend the rest of his life apologizing, but for now all he could do was pray that she would come out of this alive.
Chapter Eighteen
There was a ping and crackle of glass as a bullet struck the front bay window. Shaye turned to look. Mindy stood beside the door, keeping guard. The window beside her had a circular hit, and a conical smattering of cracks where the round had hit—but not penetrated—what must have been bulletproof glass.
Zoey had done well picking this place.
It was strange for Shaye to be thinking about such things at a time like this, when she knew she had taken a bullet to the gut and was likely going to die a slow and painful death. Time had seemed to slow down. Every second was one she got to spend with the man holding her hand and standing at her side—the man who had told her that he loved her.
There were many things she had thought Chad would say to her when he had looked down on her, but confessing his love was the furthest thing from her mind. He had taken her by surprise, but she was glad he had said his piece.
If she was only going to live a few more hours or days, she wanted to spend her last moments with him. If that wasn’t love, she didn’t know what was.
Protective Operation Page 16
