Page 130 of Stone Coast

Ross laughed. "And just how do you plan to do that?”

"That's still in the works," I said.

Ross and his little hit squad started out with the best of intentions. It was formed to neutralize threats that posed a national security risk. Let’s just call it a legal and ethical gray area. But somewhere along the way, Ross had gotten greedy. It became a for-profit venture. Our mission shifted from taking out enemies of the state to taking out civilian targets—a pesky ex-wife, a corporate rival, a plaintiff in a lawsuit. Sure, Ross kept up the illusion that these people were enemies. And I believed him. Until I didn't. Until I started doing my own research on the targets.

As it all came back to me, I realized I had taken out innocent targets under his direction. It was horrifying and something I would have to live with for the rest of my life. Something I now wished I could forget. Their faces would haunt me every time I closed my eyes.

"We were such a good team, you and I,” Ross said. “You were one of my best players.”

Gavin patted me down for weapons and got a little too handsy.

"Watch it there, buddy!”

"She's clean," he said, then aimed his pistol at me.

"Now let's talk about who else knows. What have you shared with Tyson?”

"He doesn't know anything. Leave him out of this.”

"I'd love to take your word for that, but I will have to find out for myself.”

"Fuck with Tyson at your own peril.”

Ross smiled. "I appreciate the warning, but I can handle myself. It seems right now, he's vulnerable. It would be easy for someone to slip into the hospital and inject something into his IV. You know as well as I do how effective that is.”

My jaw clenched tight. "I swear to God if you hurt him?—“

"You’ll what? Kill me? That would be a neat trick.”

"It would indeed," I replied, rage building inside of me.

“What about Olivia?” Ross asked. “She claims to know nothing.”

“She doesn’t know anything.”

“Alas, she’s seen our faces and knows about this location. I’m sorry, but she will have to die along with the rest of you.”

I wasn’t going down without a fight. With a sudden snap, I drove my heel up and back, racking Gavin in the balls.

He groaned and doubled over in agony.

I spun with a quick elbow to the face, then grabbed his wrist and slammed it against the bulkhead.

Muzzle flash flickered, lighting up the dark compartment.

The bullet rocketed down the corridor toward Ross.

The scumbag ducked, but there was nowhere to go.

Another back kick to the belly sent Gavin tumbling back. I stripped the weapon and fired two shots down the corridor as Ross fled.

Gavin lunged forward and tried to wrap me up. With his arms around me from behind, I couldn’t move.

He lifted me off my feet and slammed me into the bulkhead.

That rattled my skull and sent a jolt of pain down my spine. At this point, I didn’t need any more head trauma.

When my feet touched the ground again, I stabbed a heel into his foot.