Page 87 of The Team

He couldn’t risk Yin doing a repeat.

Emotions, adrenaline, combined with high-strungreactions, itchy trigger fingers were never a good combination. Though Rhett was under no illusion that Yin needed his weapon to kill anyone.

“Remember,” Rhett said. “We take Frankston and Wong alive. Are we clear?”

His team nodded, except Yin, who was looking back toward the house.

“Yin?”

“Yes,” he answered, distracted. But then he shook his head and focused. “Clear.”

“Good. Sid, Echo, Yin, and Chen, take the bedroom wing and get Jun-mei.” Rhett knew there’d be no use putting him on any other detail. “Az, Coyote, and Jay, you’re with me. Entry point is the south terrace. They don’t know we’re here, but as soon as we get inside, it’s game on. Intel has five armed guards, ex-SWAT. Expect pushback and weapon fire.” He put his hand to his ear. “Have you got ears?”

They all nodded in silence.

The mansion loomed over the landscape, a modern fortress of glass and steel, its perimeter lined with infrared cameras and motion detectors. Rhett led the team up the rocks, crossing the manicured lawn toward the south terrace, crouched in the shadows, weapons at the ready as they ran.

Through Rhett’s earpiece, Director King spoke clear and concise. “Security guard coming in at your three. Armed with a QBZ-191.”

Azrael didn’t even slow down to put a bullet in the guard before he could even raise his gun. “One out of five.”

Rhett got to the glass doors of the terrace, held hisbreath for half a second, and with a quick prayer to the cyber gods in the Shanghai conference room that they’d disabled the alarms, he slid the door open.

Silence.

The interior was a fusion of wealth and bad taste. Expensive marble, original artworks with tacky gold frames told Rhett this guy was not born into money. Or he was colour blind.

It was, thankfully, well-lit.

“Three targets are on the second floor,” King said in Rhett’s ear. “Two security detail in the hall, same 191 rifle.”

Rhett signalled for Sid and his team to go right to the bedroom wing, while Rhett led his team to the grand staircase, their rifles sweeping every angle as they went.

“Agent Ritchie,” King said to Sid. “Armed guard in the hallway coming your way.”

Rhett put his hand up for his team to stop before they hit the landing on the second floor. He needed Jun-mei safe before they detained these two dicks.

A soft pop sounded in Rhett’s earpiece.

“Threat neutralised,” Sid murmured. “Two from five down.”

Rhett gave the signal for his team to move.

“Captain,” King said in his ear. “Second door on your left. Guard outside.”

“Roger that,” Rhett whispered as he gave the signal to move.

Rhett raised his rifle, finger on the trigger, and rounded the corner. The guard sputtered, and Rhett shot him before he could raise his gun or the alarm. “Three from five.”

They swarmed in low, rifles raised, and Rhett paused for a moment as they got into formation at the closed door. “On three,” he whispered. “One... two... three.” Then he kicked the door open, and everything happened so fast.

Tan, who was already on his feet, spun to face them, and Az was first in, her rifle zeroing in at his forehead. “Hands where I can see them.”

Echo rounded past Rhett and trained in on Tan as well. “Get on your knees.”

He was, in this room, the greatest threat.

Frankston leapt out of his chair, dropping his iPad. “Hands in the fucking air,” Rhett barked at him. “And get on your knees.” He spared a glance at Wong. “You too. Hands where I can see them.”

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