Page 116 of Silent Comrade
The janitor? What?
Then the hunched man straightened up, rippedoff a covering on his face to reveal a hard jaw and a flattophaircut, and brandished the mop handle like a baseball bat.
“Tee one up, Pele!” he commanded, his voicerough and low.
Pele? Reagan’s Pele?
Pele rotated and kicked, sending the manwith sunglasses toward the flattop guy. “Roger, sir.”
The former janitor showed zero emotion as heswung the mop handle and connected with the sunglasses-clad man.The guy dropped to his knees. That mop handle had to be reinforcedwith something.
What about Red? Britt pushed to an uprightposition against the wall. She should run. She couldn’t figure outhow to get her legs under her. Mental cobwebs slowed everythought.
Through the fog, she spied Red. He had donethat thing where he got super big and terrifying, like in the mall.His face turned crimson, and his eyes bulged. Giant fists curled ashe stood at full height in front of Lequire.
Unless the light played tricks on her, BeauLequire had gotten bigger, too. His shoulders strained against thesuit, corded neck muscles rippling.
Lequire thundered a hammer blow onto Red,knocking him flat to the ground. Red’s head bounced with asickeningthunkon the concrete floor and he didn’t move.Lequire strode forward and kicked Red hard enough to lift and movehis limp body more than four feet. Closer to Britt.
Lequire snickered as Britt crawled toward amotionless Red.
“Pretty lady, why are you in the way? YouMcNeill women just don’t know any better.”
He lurched and planted his foot.
Britt threw herself on Red’s chest. The kickintended for Red glanced off her ribs, driving the air out of herwith a sickcrunch. Pain blinded her. She couldn’tbreathe.
“Move away. Your turn will come soon,”Lequire’s slickly soothing voice had the opposite effect onher.
Finally, the air returned to her lungs “Getout of here!” she screamed. “Haven’t you done enough?” Didn’t careif she sounded dumb. Didn’t care about the insanity of thesituation. Just cared about Red not dying.
“Pretty lady, do you want him to live?”
“Yes,” she gasped. “Please.”
He studied her with a broad grin. “Oh, my.”The man’s bloodshot eyes bulged as he loomed over her. “Do you wantyour sisters and father to live?”
“God, yes. Don’t hurt them.”
“Well. Today’s your lucky day. I’m going tomake you a one-time deal. Come with me and I won’t kill him or yourfamily members.” He reached under the suit coat and pulled out adark object.
At the sound of the gun safety clicking, herfingers and toes tingled then went numb.
Over on the other side of the room, thosetwo teammates now fought three attackers.
Where was Gonzo? Rodeo? Hadn’t Red saidthere might be one other guy from the team here, blending in? Thatwas probably him, the janitor.
Dad?
Oh God, no help was coming. She glancedup.
Unwavering, Lequire pointed a gun at Red’sforehead.
Even if the two teammates broke off theirattacks now, they wouldn’t make it over here in time.
The puzzle pieces of her life slottedtogether in rapid succession. Her career and degree were important.Her freedom was important. Truthfulness was important. But the manbeneath her, who had sacrificed himself time and again to protecther was more important. Britt would protect him, no questionsasked.
Britt didn’t have a future with Red, but atleast she could do her part to make sure Red would have a future.The distinction sent cold calm through every cell in her body. Sheknew what to do.
