Page 15

Another bullet zipped by his head. Cursing, Liam jerked his head back. That had been a little too close for comfort.
Yeah, there was probably a better way to earn a living, but he couldn’t think of one.
“Hey, Stryker, you copy?”
Glad to hear OZ leader Asher Drake’s voice in his ear, Liam answered, “Yeah, I’m over by the side door. Glad you could make it. Where are you?”
Ash answered, a definite sound of irritation in his tone, “Sorry I’m late. Got caught in a nest of hornets.”
He knew exactly what that meant. Liam had zero tolerance for politics or diplomacy. Asher Drake, on the other hand, was a diplomat extraordinaire, seemingly able to untangle a spider web with intricate ease.
“Don’t tell me we’ve got trouble on that end, too.”
“Not anymore. We’re good. I’m pinned down behind the bulldozer. I spotted Gideon on the other side of the motel. Where are Sean and Xavier stationed?”
“They’re to the left of you, behind the silver semi.”
“Serena and Jazz make it inside okay?”
“They got in there, but I don’t know what’s going on. Comms are down in the building, so we’ll be going in blind.”
“How many men have you counted?”
“I’ve seen five.”
“They’ve got some impressive firepower.”
“Yeah, but they’re beginning to piss me off.”
“I hear that. You got a plan?”
“Yeah. I’m coming to you. Cover me.”
Liam took off. When he’d been on the track team in college, he’d run a 4:40 and thought that was a damn fine accomplishment. Outrunning bullets might not be possible but he was doing his dead-level best. Thankfully his boss, as usual, had his back and was rapid-firing to clear his path.
He dove behind the bulldozer and joined Ash. With no time to spare, Liam took aim at the man he’d been exchanging fire with for the last ten minutes. Having a better vantage point, he fired twice, heard a squeal and then silence. Dead or just winged, he didn’t know. Either way, it’d bought him some time to put his plan into action.
Clicking his earbud, he said, “Xavier, you copy?”
“Yeah,” his friend growled. “What’s the plan?”
“Ash and I are going to hit them head on. You and Sean come at them on both sides.
Xavier responded, “Roger that.”
Sean echoed Xavier’s words.
“Eve and Gideon, you copy?”
OZ operatives Eve Wells and Gideon Wright were a quarter mile away at the top of a hill. Gideon answered in his usual quiet tone, “Right here.”
“Either of you got a good line of sight?”
“I do,” Eve answered.
“Mine’s crap,” Gideon said.
“Okay, Eve, take out the stragglers or any surprises. Gideon, head our way.”