Page 68 of Stone Coast (Tyson Wild Thriller)

" I t seems we’re back where we started," Ross said. “You about to blow the whistle, and me trying to keep you quiet."

"You have to admit, it's kind of funny,” I said. "You run an elite, off-the-books hit squad, yet you couldn't take me out.”

"I wanted it to look like an accident. Then, when you had an empty head, I thought maybe the problem was solved.”

"Sorry to piss on your parade, but I'm shutting you down."

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 .

That loosened his grasp enough for me to spin around, break free, and double-tap the bastard in the sternum.

My bullets drilled craters in his chest.

He gasped for breath, not long for the world.

I spun around and advanced down the corridor toward the fish holds. My heart pounded my chest as the barrel of my pistol led the way through the darkness.

There was nowhere else for Ross to go.

I reached the hatch to the converted compartment and hovered close to the bulkhead. I pulled the hatch open, muzzle flash lit up the darkness, and bullets streaked through the air.

I had anticipated those and managed to stay out of the way.

"Come any closer, and she dies,” Ross shouted from inside the hold, a gun to Olivia's head.

“Let her go, and I'll let you walk away," I replied, my voice echoing off the bulkheads.

"Why don't I trust you?"

"Because you’re a lying, untrustworthy snake.”

With my back flat against the bulkhead near the hatch, I waited for the opportune moment. I peered around the corner and squinted through the darkness.

Ross made himself small behind Olivia, with the gun at her temple. "You don't want your friend to die, do you?"

"She dies, you die. It's a simple equation. ”

"I'm going to count to three, then I'm going to pull the trigger." Ross advanced, moving to the forward bulkhead.

We were now inches apart, only a mass of steel separating us. It was a smart tactical move. It would give him enough time to shoot Olivia, then aim his weapon at the hatch. By the time I angled my weapon inside, he’d be free to shoot. Ross was no dummy.

"Vanna, shoot this piece of shit!" Olivia shouted.

She elbowed him in the rib cage, then spun free.

I angled my pistol around the hatch as Ross hesitated, deciding which target to deal with first. His barrel had followed Olivia as she spun away, but by the time I entered the compartment, he moved his weapon in my direction.

It was too late.

I squeezed the trigger twice, sending two angry bullets his way. Muzzle flash lit up the compartment for two brief milliseconds.

The bullet hit like a sledgehammer and knocked Ross to the ground.

Geysers of crimson spewed.

He gasped and gurgled on the deck. Ross aimed his pistol at me and managed to get off one shot. The bullet snapped through the air, pelting the far bulkhead and ricocheting without event.

I put another bullet into him, then rushed into the compartment, keeping my weapon aimed at him. He whimpered and moaned as I approached. My foot swept his weapon aside, clearing it from his grasp .

I hovered over Ross and aimed my pistol at his forehead.

He looked up at me, knowing the end was near.

This was the man who’d ordered his men to steal my gun and frame me for murder.

This was the man who had taken away my memory.

Now I was going to take away his. I squeezed the trigger, putting a bullet in his brain, just to be sure.

This was one person I didn't want coming back to life.

The ear-splitting report rang out. The brass shell casing danced against the deck for a moment before growing still.

The chaos was over, and the boat grew quiet.

Olivia stood tall, brushed herself off, and took a relieved breath. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say you don't work in IT."

I laughed. "Not anymore."

"You've got a lot of explaining to do," Olivia said. "And I am all ears," she said with enthusiasm.

"We are not out of this yet. There's one more. Sniper on top of the building across from us.”

Olivia deflated, and a frown tugged her lips.

I grabbed Ross's pistol from the deck, checked the magazine, then handed it to Olivia. "You know how to use one of these things?”

"I've been to the range a time or two, but I’m no expert. Not like you."

I led Olivia out of the compartment and into the hallway. Multiple footsteps on the deck above rumbled through the boat.

It seemed we had more problems than just the sniper.