Page 121 of Defending You

The lock mechanism exploded in a shower of sparks and twisted metal.

Souza kicked the door open and shoved Cici inside ahead of him, his weapon raised and ready.

Gagnon stood in the center of the office, his phone pressed to his ear, his face flushed. The room was bathed in red light from a glowingExitsign.

He stopped mid-sentence when he saw them, his eyes going wide before narrowing to slits. “Why are you here?” The question was directed at Souza like an accusation. “I told you to stay put.”

Souza raised his gun, aiming at Gagnon. He kicked the door closed behind him and, with his free hand, pushed Cici away.

She stumbled against the cold metal filing cabinet where she’d been held before, her legs unsteady from the adrenaline coursing through her system.

“What’s your play here?” Souza’s voice carried deadly calm. He didn’t lower his weapon.

Gagnon moved behind his desk, where a laptop bag stood upright, ready for him to grab on his way out.

The cabinet that had previously blocked the exterior door had been pushed aside, confirming Cici’s suspicion that he’d been working on an escape plan. That exterior door was the reason he’d set up in this office instead of the more comfortablebreak room. But how did he think he was going to get away? Asher had men outside. They would surely stop him from getting to a vehicle.

She remembered what he’d been saying when Souza and Cici had been outside the door. Something about a bird.

A helicopter?

“I’m glad you’re here,” Gagnon’s tone shifted to something approaching relief. “I was just about to call you. As soon as it’s clear, we’re going to move.”

He was lying. Cici could hear it in the too-smooth cadence of his words, see it in the way his gaze darted toward his escape route. She thought Souza knew it, too, based on the way his grip tightened on his weapon.

“What was the plan? Leave us here, hope I got killed in the crossfire?” Souza’s voice rose dangerously. “No.” His head shook, but his gun was steady. “No, you don’t leave anything to chance. You planned to kill us, or have one of your mercenaries do it. Right?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Gagnon snapped. “It’s us against them. You’d better figure out who your real enemy is, and fast.”

“My real enemy?” Souza’s laugh was bitter. “You threatened my brother. You’ve been planning to dispose of me since this started.”

“Your brother will be fine as long as you?—”

“As long as I what? Die for you?” Souza took a step forward, his weapon never wavering.

Outside the building, the gunfight raged on, but only silence came from the factory below. Asher was out there, somewhere. She prayed he was still alive.

Gagnon’s eyes flicked toward the door, then back to Souza. “We don’t have time for this.”

“Then you better start talking.”

“There’s a helicopter coming. We need to be ready to move.”

Souza tipped his head toward Cici. “Her, too?”

Gagnon barely gave her a glance. “She’s our ticket out of here. The only leverage we have left.”

Cici couldn’t let herself be taken. She braced herself, preparing to fight.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Asher calculated each step on the metal catwalk, silent, his weapon raised as he cleared room after empty room. No enemies, so far.

Grant and Bartlett had taken out the few commandos assigned to the factory floor. They were down there now, holding off anybody who tried to get inside.

The firefight continued outside, but based on what he was hearing through the comms, Callan, Yartym, and Whiteman were observing the carnage from afar.

Gagnon’s second team had arrived, and they were taking out the first team, along with all the men Gagnon had brought with him.