Page 84 of Ghost

“If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that you can never go wrong with a grenade,” Zain said flatly.

“All right.Let’s go.”Ghost backed up until he was out of the room.Rami, August, and Zain followed, with Zain staying closest to the doorway.

Using his teeth, Zain pulled the pin and then rolled the grenade across the office floor.They all crouched behind the wall, covering their heads.

Boom!

Thick dark smoke billowed into the hallway, making them all cough.When the dust settled, Ghost stood and shielded his face with his sleeve.

He stepped over pieces of the busted desk and the exploded bookcase, as well as mounds of drywall.A large hole ate up the wall where the bookcase had been, leaving just the buckled metal door standing.The lock was broken and dangling.

August approached behind him.“As soon as we open this, they’re going to fire.”

No voices sounded from inside.They were waiting.Question was, how many guards were protecting Hunter?

Rami lifted his rifle and pressed his back against what was left of the wall beside the buckled metal door.Zain and August got low, waiting with guns ready and aimed.

Ghost gripped the handle and yanked open the door the rest of the way.The metal groaned.

Crack,crack!

Bullets smacked into the door, the shockwave shaking the metal in Ghost’s hand.He stayed behind the door, using it as a shield.

When the guard’s fire ceased, Rami pivoted his weapon around the corner and shot into the bunker.Several blasts echoed through the space and screams followed.Rami stopped shooting and ducked back behind the wall.

Adrenaline fired through Ghost.“Hunter!”he bellowed.“I hear you’ve been looking for me.Come out now and I won’t shoot your ass.”

Silence.

August chuckled.“Why you lyin’ to him?”

“’Cause we’ve wasted enough time here,” Zain snapped.

“Last warning!”Ghost shouted.

No response.

He peered around the door.A short hallway littered with debris opened up to a larger room.All he could make out from this angle was the lower half of a man’s body stretched on the floor.A small sofa beneath bright fluorescent lighting was visible, as well as what appeared to be emergency food containers and jugs of water.Water poured from a bullet hole in one of the containers and pooled on the cement floor.

Ghost moved inside, his rifle aimed, waiting for someone stupid enough to shoot at him.

He paused at the end of the hall and pressed his back to the doorframe.A glance to his left showed Rami, August, and Zain armed and ready.

The adrenaline that’d fired through his veins had settled.All that was left was fierce determination to put a bullet through the head of the man who’d tried to hurt Mila.He’d enjoy every fucking second.

He peeked around the corner.A bag of chips had spilled on the floor—the bastard had felt safe enough to have a snack—and next to it knelt Hunter.He held a handgun aimed at Ghost.

His old boss looked as if he’d dragged a rake through his frizzy red hair.His eyes were filled with fear, and beads of sweat ran down his face.

“Drop it.”Ghost’s tone was cold and dead.He sensed the guys moving, and a moment later they flanked him.

Hunter’s mouth firmed.“Get the hell off my property before I shoot!”

Ghost laughed.Really fucking howled.“Oh yeah?You and what army?All your guards are dead.”

Hunter blinked rapidly, as if he hadn’t fully realized how alone he was.

Ghost let off a shot.“I said drop it.”The bullet ripped through the sofa.