Page 127 of Lethal Threat

Marshall’s breathing hard when he replies. “Hold at the perimeter. Over.”

When I reach the exterior wall of the building, I press myself against the brick wall, waiting on Marshall’s next directive. The shadows are deep here, providing perfect cover.

“Copy. Over.”

The sound of a scuffle echoes inside the building. A gunshot splits the night. Keeping my breathing steady, I use my long honed skills to stay cool when the world is in total chaos.

Roark comes over the coms. “Cole, there’s one coming your way. Exiting in ten seconds.”

I’m exactly three meters from the open doorway, weapon raised. “Got it, over.”

The man bursts from the door. His face is bloody from agash on his brow. If he thinks he’s getting away with just that, he’s wrong. Very wrong.

“Freeze!” I yell.

No need to be quiet now. The shit is hitting the fan.

My eyes barely have time to register a glint of metal. A knife hurtling at me, fast as lightning.

Reflexively, I shift to the right. The blade still finds me. It cuts my deltoid with a painless slice. The pain won’t come for another few minutes.

His throw gives me the advantage. He’s off balance. Over confident in his throw. I can see it in his eyes.

No dice.

He lunges at me. My fist collides with his throat.

With a gasp, the man collapses at my feet. He rattles the ground like a giant tree smashing into the forest floor.

The sound of his gagging echoes off the building.

Holding his throat, he tries to kick me. I scoop up the knife he tried to end me with and stab him right in the quad. He yelps and tries to get away.

“Bleed, you son of a bitch. That’s for touching my woman.”

He roars, coughs, roars again.

Aiming my gun right at his dick, I give him one warning. “Move again and you’re gonna have to piss in a bag for the rest of your life.”

He stills as his eyes flick between my eyes and the gun.

“That’s right. I have no qualms about blowing your manhood into a thousand pieces. Roll over.”

His eyes get wider. His mouth trembles. “No.No, don’t shoot me.”

I should. I don’t know who this man is in the operation, but he’s going down. I snarl and kick him in the same leg I just stabbed. “Roll the fuck over.”

He slowly complies, groaning in pain.

It takes every ounce of my willpower not to empty my magazine in him and then cut him into a giant pile of confetti. A cut for every second Sierra suffered at their hands.

Instead, I land a solid punch with the butt of my gun. He goes under. Eyes rolling back in his head, his wheezing trailing off.

Into my mic, I give a fast report. “One hostile subdued. Over.”

The bastard will be out for a couple minutes at the most. Making quick work, I hogtie him. Binding his hands and legs together with gigantic plastic ties, just like he had on Sierra.

I’m heading toward the door to the warehouse when Marshall yells in the mic. “Stand down. I repeat, stand down. All subjects detained. We’re coming out. Over.”