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“Right. He’s nuts, but you’re sane.”
“I’m glad we agree.”
She motioned to his vest. “Do you think you have enough ammo for a rescue mission? And since when do you wear a ballistic vest to a rescue?”
Kash merely shrugged. “The real question is, where’s yours?”
“I don’t have a vest, Kash.”
“Pretty sure you were wearing one the other night.”
“That was Foster’s, and it was about five sizes too big.”
“Big beats dead.” He reached for the straps. “You can have mine.”
“Kash, stop. I get Striker’s on all our minds, but this isn’t a covert mission. We’re just picking up a couple of weekend warriors who thought they were bulletproof.”
“Assuming shit still won’t go sideways is always the first mistake. And I’m the first to admit, Zain, Chase and I have allowed ourselves to get complacent these past few months. But we’ll be sure to rectify that for next time. From now on, you don’t get in the chopper without being prepared for serious resistance. Which reminds me…” He grabbed a pistol and holster from around his left ankle, though she suspected he had another on his other leg, then handed it to her. “If you don’t have a vest, then I doubt you came armed.”
She nodded her thanks, clipped the holster on her pants then followed behind him. Nyx tugged gently at the leash, leading the way before suddenly stopping. The hairs rose down her back as her ears flattened against her head, a low menacing growl sounding around them.
Kash reacted before Mac even registered the threat, firing off several rounds as he managed to dance around her, blocking two shots from behind. He hit the ground, nearly yanking Nyx onto her side, before he rolled. Somehow gaining his feet and shoving Mac beneath him in the space it took her to draw her weapon.
Footsteps sounded around them before a dozen men stopped in a lopsided circle, semi-automatic weapons trained on them. Mac glanced up at Kash, inhaling at the two slugs lodged in his vest. What had possibly damaged some ribs or at least bruised the hell out of them. Not that Kash showed it — kneeling above her, Nyx alert but still at his side, his Sig sweeping the gathering of men.
She shifted her focus to the assholes surrounding them. Of the crew, she knew three. Thompson and a new deputy — Baxter, she thought. But it was the other bastard standing slightly in front of everyone else that held her attention. Cold. Focused. He looked as if he wasn’t quite sane, a slight twitch arcing through him ever so often.
Jack Voss.
Thompson edged forward, motioning at the men to hold their ground. “I have to say, Sinclair, you’re impressive. I didn’t think you’d get off a shot let alone down two of my men and catch a couple more in their vests before we even got two shots your way. I bet your ribs are killing you. Guess you black op guys live up to the hype.”
Kash didn’t move, his weapon still trained on everyone. “Which one of you has the broken leg?”
“Enough talking.” Voss inched forward. “You’ve got two choices, Sinclair. You can holster your weapon and lock your dog in the chopper, or things can get bloody. Either way, there’s no scenario where you come out on top. Maybe if we weren’t locked in, you’d have a chance. But we don’t even have to aim this close. And your buddy’s girl won’t last long if you choose poorly.”
The corner of Kash’s mouth quirked, his hand tightening around his gun. Mac squeezed his arm, shaking her head when he glanced at her. She mouthed, “He’s not worth it,” motioning toward the chopper.
Kash held his ground for another minute before easing up. He holstered his pistol then tossed the whole thing towards them, doing the same to hers after she handed it to him.
Voss grinned. “Good choice. Now put Cujo in the damn chopper. I have this thing against killing dogs, but I will if I have to.”
Kash offered Mac his hand, helping her up then keeping her glued to his side as he walked back to the chopper and put Nyx inside. “Good girl. Stealth mode.”
Nyx immediately crouched low, alert but still. And Mac knew Kash had given her some kind of covert command. One that would likely activate when their enemies least expected it.
He closed the door, still keeping his body in front of Mac’s. “This isn’t going to end well for you.”
Voss shrugged. “Why? Because of your teammates? Two of them are lucky to be breathing, let alone capable of going on the offensive. And Beckett?” He laughed. “He’s just a fucking Prima Dona who’s too broken to do the one thing he was good at. So sue me if I’m not worried about your teammates. Though, you’re definitely worth being concerned about.”
He struck, hitting Kash across the side of the head with the butt of his rifle, knocking him into the helicopter. Kash hit the back panel then bounced onto the ground, still trying to shake it off before Voss hit him, again.
Mac dove at the bastard, tackling him to the ground before he could get in a third strike. She managed a few hits before Thompson and his half-wit deputy yanked her off. She tripped the deputy onto his ass, catching Thompson in the groin, but Striker was already on his feet.
He grabbed her around the neck then pulled her in close, cutting off any chance at breathing as he tightened his hold. “Be nice, or Thompson will have one of his other men drive by the hanger and shoot your father.”
He shoved her off, and she gasped in a breath. “Now, let’s get this party started.”
Chapter Sixteen