Page 7 of Wired Ghost

Jake was already through the aperture. He’d punched Red Cap in the head, knocking the man into a sprawl of unconscious arms and legs, and now had Primo Beer in a chokehold in the crook of his elbow.

The man soon went limp.

Sophie slid her backpack off and took out a couple of zip ties, securing Red Cap’s feet and hands. Following Jake’s example, she tugged the man out through the gate and down, hauling him under the armpits into the depression behind the log where they’d so recently sheltered.

Jake was panting with exertion as he secured his captive, and Sophie was a little relieved to hear it as she was severely out of breath from dragging a couple of hundred pounds of human more than fifty feet into cover.

“Got the tape?” Jake asked.

Sophie nodded, pulling out a roll of heavy silver duct tape from her pack. She tore off a strip and covered Red Cap’s mouth with it, as Jake taped Primo Beer’s.

Jake looked at his heavy metal watch. “Five minutes. Thank you, earthquake.”

“It was a very handy diversion, but I’m worried what it means for an eruption in this area,” Sophie said.

“Agree. We need to get in, grab our girl, and get out. Let’s move.”

Chapter Five

Jake

Jake led the way forward,and paused behind a tree outside the cluster of buildings to assess the situation. He could feel the heat of Sophie’s body close behind him as he scanned the area.

The earthquake had acted like kicking an anthill would do.

The crew burst out of the buildings. Jake quickly counted them, looking for and taking note of a petite Asian girl with long black hair:the target.

“We have two options. We can wait until they go back in to whatever they’re doing, or we can rush them now. Grab her while chaos reigns.”

Sophie took a moment to watch the scene before them. He could almost hear her busy brain working. “Rush them now. They aren’t going to expect it.”

“I’ll handle the dealers, you get the girl, since you’re carrying the tranq.”

“Copy that.” Sophie fumbled the tranquilizer dart gun out of her backpack and slipped it into her pocket, leaving her hands free. “She might want to come with us.”

“Don’t hold your breath.” Jake pulled both of his pistols, and strode forward into the clearing. His voice cracked like a whip over the chaotic group. “Drop your weapons and no one gets hurt.”

He didn’t see any weapons, but the assumption had to be that everyone was armed.

Two of the men complied, their eyes wide with surprise as they dropped pistols and a knife on the ground, and raised their hands. One man, taller than the rest, bearded with handsome features, grabbed the target in his arms.

“Back the hell away!” O’Brien shouted, holding a pistol against the girl’s temple.

Lia Ayabe shrieked like a singed cat and writhed in her captor’s arms. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Some boyfriend,” Jake muttered, trying to get a shot at the asshole’s head.

Sophie, meanwhile, circled around behind the duo. She stepped up and placed the bore of her Glock on the back of the boyfriend’s head. “Drop it now.” If Jake’s voice had been a whip, Sophie’s was an icy stiletto.

O’Brien raised his arms slowly, letting go of the girl, and dropped his pistol.

Lia tore out of her boyfriend’s arms and whirled on him, ignoring Jake and Sophie. “What the hell was that about?”

The man pursed his lips and shook his head. “Just an act. Trying to get them to let us go.”

“I don’t care what you were trying to do! Don’t touch me!”

Sophie grabbed the target by the arm, keeping her weapon pointed at the boyfriend. “It’s okay, Lia. We’re getting you out of here.”

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