Page 4 of Savagely Yours
Once I handed Larke off to the Feds, I would go back for our fallen colleague. Then, I would return to her side the moment I swam my way out from under all the paperwork that was sure to follow this assassination attempt. Usually, Solana had evening duty at Larke’s condo, but after a night like this one, I would stay with Larke until things cooled down.
We headed for the elevators.
I pressed the down button, and when it arrived, I motioned for Tony to check the metal box for any security risks. After he gave the okay, I stepped inside, followed by Larke and Solana. The rest of the team took the stairs.
While we descended, I remained next to the elevator buttons in the event we needed to activate emergency protocol. Larke remained silent but alert, and I sent her a reassuring smile. She replied with a firm nod, her jaw working.
We made it to the ground floor without incident.
The doors opened to the rest of the team waiting on the shiny tile, and when Larke stepped out, we returned to diamond formation. Rather than making a direct beeline to the garages, we took an alternate route to ensure we remained on the path with the most camera oversight.
“Do you think it’s safe to take my car?” she asked.
“Not likely, but you’ll be safe once DOJ arrives,” I said. “You’ll leave with them.”
“Will you come with me?”
“I’ll meet up with you…” Chris stumbled through another doorway. “Later.”
Behind me, Isaac sighed a low “Thank God” and headed toward Chris, but I stopped him with a hand on his chest.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
The blood on Chris’ neck had dried, but there was nothing to indicate that he’d used something to stop the flow or clot the blood. Then, from the way he’d sounded when I talked to him, his injury had been to a blood vessel large enough for a relatively quick bleedout.
“Chris?” I called. “Answer me, kid.”
Chris continued to stagger toward us.
Isaac shoved against my hand.
“Isaac, I’m ordering you to stay put,” I warned. “Songbird is a high-value asset.Do notbreak formation.”
“So, we just let him die?” Isaac shoved again. “Dez, there’s five of us. One of us can break formation to go check on Chris.”
“Do not break formation.”
“Or else, what? You’ll write me u?—”
“What’s that?” Larke asked. “I saw something flash or blink.”
Snarls echoed throughout the underground parking space, and it quickly began to make sense why Chris was walking toward us as if he was leaving an Irish pub on Saint Patrick’s Day. I’d had my doubts—it was easy to doubt something on a phone screen—but I couldn’t deny what I was now witnessing right in front of me.
Then, I noticed the flash.
“It’s a bomb,” I said, backing up. “Looks like an IED. Insidenow.”
We rushed back into the building.
I knew, from experience, that it was more than likely what the second assailant, likely a sniper, wanted us to do, but their aim posed a lower risk than Tapley being vaporized by heat and shrapnel. My suspicions were confirmed when, next to me, Isaac dropped to the ground.
Solana moved into his position.
I maneuvered Larke back into the stairwell. Tony remained on the other side of the door. Jesse announced that he had eyes on the shooter, so Solana and Mario headed for their position. Larke and I went several floors up, and I checked the hallway before stepping into the corridor. Keeping in mind where I last remembered Chris’ position, I took her in the opposite direction, dragged her into an unlocked office, and trapped her underneath me in the farthest corner.
Jesse’s voice buzzed in my ear. “Dez, Chris is down, and DOJ’s here. They said the device doesn’t appear to be active, but they’re securing the area. I also notified them of the shooter’s location.”
“Just let me know when the all-clear is given,” I said, staring down into Tapley’s face.
