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“Permission to join G thru J,” Mike asked Mason, off mic. He was Squad A’s team leader.
Mason eyes him carefully. “Are you going to be able to control yourself? I don’t want any rogue moves against the asshole that will screw up the case we have to build against him”
Fuck. Mike bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to regain his normal equilibrium, then let out a huff. “Yeah, Chief. I can behave.”
Mason gave him a nod. “Okay then. You’re with me.”
Mike instantly was back communicating with his squad. “JD, you’re A leader for this one.”
“Roger, LT,” JD replied without hesitation.
Mike shook off the nerves that threatened. Now was not the time to fall apart. He’d have plenty of hours to lament and to coddle Joe…after the op was complete.
The next seven minutes felt like the longest of Mike’s life. He inwardly urged Hops to hurry, but knew the man would be as quick as possible.
Just as he thought he was going to lose his every-loving shit, Hops’ voice sounded over the mics. “In place, Chief. Give me a few more seconds…”
Mike held his breath.
“Done,” he called out. “Ready to breach.”
“Okay everybody. On my go.” Mason’s head crooked toward Mike, then the door.
Thank fuck.
Mason was allowing Mike to take point, and the squads lined up behind him.
He drew his weapon…
“Three. Two. Go, go, go,” Mason barked.
At the same instant he heard the large front door cranking up, Mike yanked the small portal open and rushed in, his eyes immediately going to the area Chuck had said held the loft.
What he hadn’t expected was?—
Goddammit.
Joe was perched on the ladder, her head just about to go over the top, but she heard the noise the teams made, and turned toward where he stood.
“Mike?” she mouthed, and her pretty lips turned up into a half grin before…
Joe yelped.
Fuck!
“Everybody drop your weapons,” Galici snarled, having grabbed Joe’s ponytail, and wrenched her head sideways.
Mike froze, his insides going cold as the arctic tundra. The squads converged behind him, nobody making a sound. But it was too late. They’d distracted Joe as she’d been about to corner the prick, and now her life hung in the balance.
The asshole had a Sig to Joe’s temple, and he wasn’t playing around. “You, too, bitch,” he told Joelle. “Lose the gun.”
The small firearm she had in her palm tumbled to the floor as she opened her fingers. Then one by one, everyone inside the building followed suit, laying their firearms at their feet. Mike, and everyone else, carried backup weaponry. It would simply be a matter of getting to it without alerting Galici.
“Everybody move so your backs are against the walls,” Galici ordered. “Here’s how we’re going to do this. Me and the cunt are headed down the ladder together. Then we’re going to get in my car, and she’s going to drive us out of here with my gun still at her head. One move by anyone, and she’s dead. You got me?”
Mason immediately began trying to negotiate. “We hear you, Anthony.” It was no mistake that Mase was calling the man by his first name. He’d try anything to get under the guy’s skin. “But think about this. If you shoot her, we will end you. And I don’t think your plan is to go out of here in a body-bag.”
“And I don’t think your plan is for this bitch to be dead, either,” Galici replied cockily.