Page 9 of Capture of Capricorn (The Thirteenth Zodiac #3)

Zora couldn’t believe she led Capricorn to her dreaded lab rather than hightailing it for freedom.

While the alarms blared, distracting everyone, would have been the ideal time to run.

Instead, she risked recapture because he insisted on completing his so-called mission.

Then again, if anything Capricorn told her was true—which she struggled with because it sounded preposterous—then perhaps removing the sphere from Crius’ possession should take precedence.

The elevator door opened before she could change her mind about the kiss for good luck. She’d save it for later as a thank-you if they actually made it out of this shitstorm alive.

The lab level had extra layers of security, starting in the vestibule where they exited the elevator, the compact room full of guards who’d remained at their posts.

Four against the two of them—well, technically, one, since Zora didn’t have a weapon.

Capricorn didn’t appear to care about being outnumbered.

He threw the guard they’d brought in front of him, startling the waiting group.

The man yelped as four Tasers discharged against his body.

Needless to say, he hit the floor unconscious.

Before the guards fully registered the real threat, Capricorn began shooting.

The man was a crack shot and didn’t miss his targets.

However, he only dropped two before running out of bullets, leaving a pair.

Capricorn threw his gun in their direction, and while the men dodged, he lunged for the closest guard, the problem being both of them were already aiming their weapons. He’d never manage to take them both out. Good thing she was a fast thinker.

She screamed, loud enough to wake the dead, the distraction enough for Capricorn to get within reach and knock the gun from the man’s grip while, in the same motion, spinning and extending his leg to kick the weapon from the second fellow’s hand.

A few hard punches to the heads and they were out cold.

It would have been a victory if not for the coward they’d dragged along, who apparently recovered more quickly from the Tasers than expected.

He popped up suddenly and wound an arm around Zora’s neck and dragged her back, exclaiming, “On your knees or she dies.” His voice cracked with his demand.

Capricorn rose slowly, fresh gun in hand, a deadly look in his eyes. Even sexier than his usual dark humor. “Let her go,” he growled.

“I don’t think so.” Using Zora as a meat shield, the trembling guard dragged her into the elevator.

The doors shut, but the guy miscalculated since he couldn’t press the button without releasing her.

He also mistakenly assumed her easy to handle.

A common misconception. When he unwound an arm to lean forward to choose a floor, her elbow came back and rammed him in the gut.

As he bent over and grunted, she slipped from the other looping arm, whirled, and rammed a knee into his balls. He collapsed, whimpering.

Annoyance running high led to her giving him a kick in the ribs. “Use me as a shield, will you? Jerk.” The doors slid open, and Capricorn stood framed.

“Oh good, you kept yours alive. We might need his face since I might have hit the others a tad too hard.” No mention of how she’d freed herself. No “good job.” He simply plucked the moaning man from the floor and carried him out.

“So glad you were worried,” she huffed with a hint of irritation.

“As a matter of fact, I was. Why else would I have been coming after you? And don’t you dare spout some feminist bullshit about you can save yourself.”

“Well, I did.”

“And quite well,” he added. “Remind me to stay on your good side.”

“Who says I have one?” she retorted as he kept a grip on the guard with one hand while using the other to tote a chair to the elevator. He plopped it on the threshold, making it so the doors couldn’t fully shut. Smart. It would prevent anyone from using it and sneaking up on them.

“You’re too beautiful to be mean all the time,” Capricorn stated as he dragged the man, who wisely didn’t fight, to the locked door for the labs. He held his face up to the scanner.

“Flattery won’t make me like you.”

“What will?” he queried as the door opened.

“Helping me escape here alive, for one.”

“Was already planning to do that.”

“Care to share the rest of your plan?”

“I don’t have one,” he replied. “I’m totally winging this.”

“Of course you are,” she muttered as she followed him into the corridor lined with doors that led to labs.

“Which one has the relic?” he asked with a frown.

“Assuming they placed it back in mine, then number thirteen.”

“And if it’s not there?” He hauled the guard by the collar of his shirt and began walking.

“Then I guess we check them all.”

Luck proved to be on their side. As soon as the door to her workspace opened, she saw the sphere sitting in its cradle.

“We’ll need something to carry it in,” he suggested. “Preferably with a strap so I can wear it and keep my hands free.”

“Who says you get to carry it? It is technically mine,” she retorted just for the sake of arguing.

“You want to carry it, go right ahead.”

Zora scrounged in the cupboards under the counter. She already knew there was no satchel. However, a lab coat, combined with the soldier’s utility belt, allowed her to fashion a sling of sorts, which she wore.

“Ready, Beauty? Because it’s time to blow this joint. But let’s skip the elevator and use the stairs.”

“Assuming there are some.”

“Oh, there’s stairs. A place like this wouldn’t risk becoming inaccessible in a power failure.”

“I wish the power would go out,” she grumbled. “That siren is annoying.” It hadn’t stopped blaring, and her head pulsed with the shrillness of it.

“Just a bit longer, Beauty. Freedom awaits.”

Capricorn exited the lab, still dragging the guard, and headed back for the chamber with the elevator. An unmarked door to the side simply required a swipe of the key card they’d stolen.

He stuck his head for a peek before stating, “Found the stairs and they appear to be clear.”

Surprising, or, then again, maybe not. The sudden silence as the alarm abruptly cut out left her ears ringing, but she still heard Crius shout through the intercom, “All available units to the main entrance. Intruders inside the perimeter. Do not let them inside.”

Capricorn raised his brows. “Sounds like someone’s getting raided.”

“Their timing is impeccable,” she remarked as they began ascending—the resigned guard thumping and grunting at each jolting step. At least he got a free ride. Zora’s thighs protested the climb.

“Do you think we still need him?” she asked.

“Guess we can always grab a new one.”

Before she could suggest tying him up, Capricorn heaved the guard over the rail. He plummeted long enough they didn’t hear the landing thump.

Her brow arched. “Was that really necessary?”

“Yes. A real man doesn’t threaten a woman or use her to protect himself. Besides, can’t be sure he wouldn’t have tried to attack us from behind.” While his ease over using deadly violence did bother, he made good points.

The makeshift sling holding the sphere bounced against her hip as they ascended, the many stairs causing her to pant with exertion. She paused on a landing, trying to catch her breath.

“We have to keep moving,” Capricorn reminded.

“I’m. Aware.” She huffed. “But not all of us have bionic legs.” Like seriously, the man didn’t show any sign of exertion.

“Come here.” He beckoned.

She hugged the lump of the orb against her. “No. You are not taking it and leaving me here.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, but we really need to move faster.”

“And how do you propose we do that? You’re the one who vetoed the elevator.” She didn’t hide her irritation.

“Get your sweet ass over here, Beauty, so I can carry you.”

She blinked at him and then laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“You thinking you can carry me around like some dainty— Eep!” As she mocked, he’d closed the distance between them and scooped her into his arms. He then proceeded to take the stairs two at a time.

While holding her.

Ridiculously impressive, especially considering Zora wasn’t a lightweight. While not obese, she had more pounds than her doctor liked. Heck, even some of her ex-lovers had commented on her curves.

You should have a salad instead of the pasta. Do you really need to order dessert? Hell yeah, she did, since those fools wouldn’t be getting any after-dinner sugar.

Capricorn carried her with ease. It led to her remarking, “How often are you pumping iron in the gym?”

“Often. My job requires me to be fit.”

“How long can you do this for?”

“As long as it takes, Beauty.”

“Sweet, because you’re right, this is much faster.”

His energetic stride moved them from floor to floor, and when they accidentally came across some folks in white lab coats on a landing, those folks wisely scurried back to their level rather than confront.

Of the guards, they saw nothing until they spilled out of the final door. The men in uniform—wait, they had one chick with them as well—had their backs to them and appeared intent on being the line against whoever pounded for entry outside.

“Now what?” she whispered, still cradled in his arms.

“We need another way out.”

Motion from the corner of her eye turned her head in time to see two white coats scurrying through a door on the far end with no signage. She nudged Capricorn. “Just saw some doctors going that way.”

“Rats fleeing the ship,” he murmured as he headed in that direction, only to grumble as they realized it led to a cafeteria, where a bunch of people huddled in the corner by a door marked Exit.

At the sight of them, one of the whitecoats yelled, “The prisoners are escaping. Someone call the guards.”

“You go ahead, big boy,” Capricorn replied, his gaze zeroing in on the exit door, which had a chain running through its push bar, which explained why none of the whitecoats used it.

“I’m gonna shoot the lock,” he remarked, striding for it.

“You might want to deal with the company,” Zora replied, pointing to the guards suddenly spilling into the cafeteria.

As bullets fired—badly enough to give a Storm Trooper a run for the title of worse shot— Capricorn snagged Zora and threw her behind the buffet counter before joining her in a leap. They crouched behind, protected from the hail of missiles, but also trapped.

“Now what?” she huffed.

“Don’t die?” he quipped.

She snorted and squeaked as bullets showered their hiding spot. Chunks of food rained down, and Capricorn grumbled. “So mean, taunting a hungry man.” He peeked just enough to aim. Bang . Bang .

“Two down,” he remarked, ducking back beside her. “But there’s more arriving.”

And they were determined. Zora heard someone shout, “Boss says don’t let them get away.”

“What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know.” He checked the magazine on his gun. “I’ve got five bullets left.”

“And how many guards?”

“Eight, plus we still need one for the chain on that door.”

“Then you’d better make each shot count,” she pertly replied.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered with a wink and a grin. Capricorn rose and fired only once before ducking again. “I missed,” he grumbled. “They’re hiding behind a table they flipped over.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Zora stated, having had time to peek around at the kitchen. She scuttled over to a cabinet and had to practically climb inside to grab at a handle.

“I don’t think you’ll fit,” he observed, “although I am enjoying the view.”

The view being her ass. Probably the wrong time to flush with pleasure.

“I’m not hiding,” Zora grunted as she scooched backwards out of the cupboard, dragging two jugs of cooking oil.

“Making French fries?”

“I wish. Cover me,” she demanded, abruptly popping to her feet and using that momentum to swing the containers of oil, launching them in the direction of the guards. The impact against the floor cracked the plastic containers, spilling oil.

Amidst the hail of ensuing bullets, Zora dropped down and blew out a breath.

“That was close. Good thing their aim sucks. Now to light shit up.” The gas stoves had been left lit, and Zora snared a bun and held it to the flame long enough for it to catch fire.

She flung the burning toast, but it fell short and missed.

But Capricorn understood her plan. He stood, took aim, and fired.

The oil slick ignited with a whoosh .