Page 51 of Trapped (Sheppard & Sons Investigations #6)

Nathan

W e made it to the perimeter without setting off any booby traps. Unexpected, but not surprising. Al would want me alive so he could exact his revenge, and booby traps couldn’t distinguish between targets.

“He wants to engage. I can’t speak for his men, but Primary Tango is an expert marksman,” I whispered to the teams.

“Copy that,” everyone answered.

“Sierra, they know we’re coming, so let us fire first. We’ll test their reactions.”

“Copy that. Sierra, stand by.” John’s voice cracked over the comms.

“Bravo Two, are you ready?”

“Target in my crosshairs.”

“Bravo Three?” I asked Maxwell.

Everyone had a bad guy in their sights. On my order, we fired and removed four obstacles in the blink of an eye. A few people fired blindly into the woods, but we’d already moved from our shooting positions and taken cover.

“Movement in the back. They’re turning to the front, but not moving.” John updated us.

“Movement on the roof,” Jay said.

“Has to be the primary target.” I was ninety-nine percent sure it was Al.

Taking the high ground gave him a tactical advantage.

Knowing we might need him alive if Ashley wasn’t in the cabin, I didn’t give the order to kill him.

Al was a sick fuck who didn’t care who he hurt, and there was no telling what he’d done to Ashley.

“Awaiting orders.” John’s voice broke the silence and brought me back to the present.

“Sierra Two, you have a clean shot to the roof?”

“Affirmative,” Jamie replied.

“Pin him down, but don’t kill him.”

“Copy that.” There were shuffling noises before he said, “Ready.”

“Sierra, take out the men in the back.”

“You heard him,” John ordered two seconds before the percussion of rapid-fire gunshots filled the air.

“Bravo. On my mark, we storm the castle. Bravo Four, send Havoc to the roof.”

“Copy that,” Kroupa responded. He prepped Havoc.

“Three, two, one. Go! Go! Go!” I yelled as we charged out of the woods, raining gunfire down on them like the wrath of God, as we moved.

Screams of anger, pain, and aggression filled our ears and bled into the comms.

“Sierra Two, cease fire. I repeat, Sierra Two, cease fire,” Kroup ordered.

As soon as Jamie confirmed, Kroup released Havoc. He was a brown blur as he raced to the cabin, using a car to leap onto the low roof with ease. He moved too fast for anyone to shoot him.

“Joining the team.”

“Sierra Two, hold your position, stop runners.”

“Holding,” Jamie answered.

I couldn’t hear Havoc growl as he attacked Perpura and dragged him off the roof, but I knew what it sounded like after years of serving together. Al didn’t stand a chance against Havoc.

A pained scream came through the comms, too clear to be anyone but one of ours.

“Sierra Four is hit,” Jack confirmed.

“I’m fine. Get Flirty!” AJ yelled into the comms.

“Bravo Two, Bravo Three, cover us. We’re retrieving the Primary Target.”

“Copy that.” Jay and Cate took up their positions and covered the front while we moved to the back.

“Bravo One and Bravo Four are circling the cabin.”

“Copy that.”

I heard Jack talking to AJ while he applied a tourniquet. AJ laughed. “Aurora’s going to kill me.”

“She’ll be happy you’re alive. Now stand up.”

I heard AJ grunt before shutting them from my mind.