Page 48 of Wick
"Cortez is on the move. He and the other two guys have the kid and just left the office. You see the hallway about five yards to your left?"
"I see it."
"Down at the end of that hall is an exit. That is where they are headed. There is an SUV parked right outside the door. They're tryin' to make a run for it."
Riggs, Vayda, and I spring into action at the same time. The three of us maneuver through the darkened building and barrel down the hallway. We make it about twenty feet down the hall when I spot Cortez being ushered out the back by one of his bodyguards. With him a struggling Sydney. "Aunt Vayda!" she screams just before one of Cortez's men clamps his hand over her mouth. Being the tough kid Sydney is, she doesn't give up the fight. A second later, the man holding her bellows out a curse. "Ahh! You, stupid little shit!"
Sydney's action is just the distraction we needed. Because when the man loosens his hold on her, she breaks free and drops to the ground, right at the end of the hall. Cortez and the guy freeze momentarily. Not missing my chance, I take the shot I had been waiting for, and the guy who was struggling with Sydney slumps to the floor with a bullet in his head.
"Sydney!" Vayda calls out to her niece. "Run to me!"
In this moment all hell breaks loose, and the hallway erupts into gunfire from behind. Bullets begin to fly all around us, hitting the walls. Sydney's fearful screams fill the air as Vayda army crawls toward the frightened kid. Cortez takes advantage of the situation, scooping Sydney up around her waist, slipping out the door.
"No!" Vayda cries while ignoring the gunfire around her as she darts out the exit behind Cortez.
"Son of a bitch," I hiss.
"Move! Move! Move!" Riggs orders shoving me into the empty room Cortez was held up moments ago.
"Fender and Nova are thirty seconds out," comes Kiwi's voice over mine and Riggs' earpiece.
"Copy," Riggs replies as I take out the empty clip from my pistol and load another.
"Cover me. I'm going after Vayda." I don't wait for Riggs' response before I dart back into the hall. My brother doesn't hesitate to unload another round while I make my way toward the exit. Shoving the steel door open, I step outside. That's when a metal pipe connects with my arm, knocking my weapon from my grasp. The blow does nothing to stop my forward momentum. It only pisses me off further. Twisting toward the asshole who hit me, I come face to face with none other than the President of Los Demonios, and I sneer. "Bad fuckin' mistake."
Gripping the bar, I pull, bringing the guy toward me. When his face is within reach, I bring my elbow down, splitting his cheek open, causing blood to run down his face. While he bellows in pain, I grab his left arm and twist. The movement causes him to drop to the ground. Using the metal pipe I disarmed from the motherfucker, I raise it above my head and bring it down across the back of his head. The blow I delivered so powerful it caved in the side of his skull, leaving no question the son of a bitch is dead.
Tossing the bloody pipe to the ground with a clatter, I retrieve my gun. Taking off in a jog, I turn the corner of the building to find Vayda struggling with Cortez, who refuses to let go of Sydney. As soon as Cortez is distracted by my presence, Vayda takes the opportunity to strike. Unsheathing one of the blades, she keeps in her boots, Vayda sinks it into Cortez's side.
"Cunt!" he bellows, letting go of Sydney and backhanding Vayda across her face. That's when I take off across the lot toward my woman and the soon to be dead man. Hearing boots crunching on the gravel behind me, I glance over my shoulder to see my brothers approaching.
"Run! Run! Run!" I order Sydney as she darts past me and to my brothers, who I know will get her to safety.
Just as I'm about five yards away from Vayda, Cortez gains control of his senses, leans down and snatches Vayda off the ground, reaches behind his back for his gun and places it against my woman's head.
Chapter Eighteen
Tequila
"You take one step closer and I'll put a bullet in her pretty little head," Cortez warns Malik as I stay focused on Sydney as she continues to run. Only when I know she's a safe distance from us do I show any concern for the current predicament I'm in, and the fact I have the bitter end of a barrel pressed to the back of my head. My scalp stings as Cortez's grip tightens on my hair. "You were all fools to think you would win against me. I never lose."
"Give it up, Cortez. Your first mistake was thinkin' you could waltz in here like you own the place, and fuck with my club and my family," Malik keeps his weapon trained on Cortez. "This is my city, motherfucker."
As the two of them exchange pleasantries, I slowly drop my arm to my side, hoping Cortez is too wrapped up in trying to prove he has the bigger balls right now to notice my movement. All I need to do is get to the three-inch serrated blade tucked in my other boot. Making eye contact with Malik, I then divert my eyes downward, trying to signal to him that I'm going to attempt to reach for something. If he knows me as well as I believe he does; he'll realize what I'm planning. Knowing he understands, Malik remains focused on Cortez, never giving away the fact I'm silently communicating with him.
Malik takes a step to his right, causing Cortez to swing his weapon in his direction, momentarily giving me the small advantage I need to make my move. Bringing my foot up, I pull my second blade from the inside of my boot, twist my body into Cortez's, causing both of us to lose our balance. The gun in his hand discharges before he loses his grip, as we hit the ground hard with me landing on top of him. His eyes widen in disbelief as blood bubbles out of his mouth. The blade I sunk into the side of his neck throbs against the palm of my hand with every beat of his heart. I give the blade a twist, feeling it tear his flesh. Cortez gurgles as he chokes on his own blood. I find it fitting that the man who is known as The Butcher, the man known to cut up his victims, will die by the blade also. "Rot in hell, you sorry piece of shit." I twist the knife one final time before ripping it from his body. Blood quickly seeps from the gaping wound in his neck, pooling on the gravel beneath him.
Strong arms lift me from Cortez's almost lifeless body, and Malik pulls me into his chest. "Come on." He tries to walk me away, but I hesitate.
"He's not dead yet," I tell him, not wanting to leave until I know Cortez has taken his final breath.
Pointing his gun at the ground, Malik pulls the trigger, putting a bullet through the center of Cortez's forehead. "Satisfied?"
I look up at Malik's face; his lips turned up in a grin. "Now, you are just trying to show off."
Malik's hold on me tightens as he looks down on me. "Why don't you put that mouth of yours to better use besides tryin' to bust my balls."
"Why don't you kiss my—." Malik's mouth crashes down on mine before another word falls from my lips.
