Page 76 of Close Protection

Now came extraction.

The office layout offered limited options: single door, barred windows, Richards maintaining proper security position. Direct confrontation risked Ivy's safety if he reacted with hostile fire.

Julia's phone vibrated with Morgan's emergency signal. Knox's reinforcements were approaching. No more time for careful planning.

She extracted a flashbang grenade from her vest, calculated the deployment angle, and moved to the doorway. The device rolled across the floor, coming to rest exactly where she'd intended—equidistant between Richards and Ivy but angled to affect the guard more directly.

Julia turned away, counting down the seconds.

The detonation ripped through the enclosed space. Julia was moving before the echo faded, service weapon drawn as she entered.

"Phoenix Ridge Police Department," she announced. "Stand down."

Richards struggled against the flashbang's effects, hand moving toward his weapon. Julia adjusted her aim.

"Final warning."

The guard hesitated, professional assessment overriding combat instinct. His hands moved carefully away from his body, a professional's surrender.

"On your knees, fingers interlaced behind your head," Julia directed, maintaining her weapon's aim.

"Julia," Ivy said, her voice hoarse but steady. "Behind you."

Julia dropped to one knee, pivoting as she fell. Marcus—Knox's enforcer—stood in the doorway, baton already in motion toward her exposed back. Her evasive maneuver had saved her from the full impact, the baton glancing off her shoulder instead.

Pain flared, but Julia compartmentalized it as she completed her pivot. Her weapon aligned with the new threat, finger taking up pressure on the trigger. Marcus altered his momentum, using Richards' kneeling form as partial cover.

Julia fired twice. The first round struck Marcus' shoulder, spinning him partially.The second caught him in the thigh, dropping him with a strangled cry. Non-lethal targets. Incapacitating but not fatal. The distinction mattered.

She secured both men efficiently, then turned to Ivy.

"Can you walk?" she asked, already releasing the restraints.

"Yes," Ivy replied, eyes never leaving Julia's face. "You found me."

The simple statement threatened to crack Julia's professional composure. She allowed herself one brief touch—fingers brushing Ivy's cheek below the bruising—before refocusing.

"Knox has reinforcements. We need to move."

Ivy nodded, then moved to the laptop. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, executing a series of commands.

"What did you just do?" Julia asked, guiding them toward the exit.

"Sent everything I found about Knox's infrastructure acquisitions to Chief Marten," Ivy replied. "Evidence secured."

Even now, after abduction and captivity, Ivy remained focused on bringingdown Knox's organization. Something fierce and protective surged through Julia's chest.

"Exit route is in the southeast corridor," Julia explained as they moved. "Morgan's waiting with an extraction vehicle."

"How did you find me?" Ivy asked as they navigated the dimly lit hallways.

"You left a message," Julia replied, eyes scanning for threats. "Under the bed. Ship's anchor and the number seven."

Ivy's brief smile was visible even in the limited light. "I wasn't sure you'd find it."

"I will always find you," Julia said, the words emerging from that same place that had declared she would resign her badge if necessary.

They had nearly reached the loading docks when Julia heard it—a round being chambered. She pushed Ivy behind a concrete pillar while drawing her weapon toward the sound.

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