Page 7 of Rogue Mission
THREE
My sixth sense is crawling, every hair prickling along my arms as I move from the stairwell into the empty hallway.
A low rapping sound sharpens my attention.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"JT here," I say into my comms gear, "closing in on the target and the unknown. Appears to be a supply closet. Breaching in 30 seconds. Over."
Try the door handle? Kick it? Or?
But before I can do anything, an electronic sound whirs and the door cracks open.
"You're welcome," Beast replies through my bone-conduction headset.
Shoving the door open an inch, I angle for a look inside.
Inside the room I'm expecting a terrified scientist huddled in a corner. But I'm wrong on all counts.
There's a man. One. The heat signature. Not the principal I'm here to rescue, for damned sure.
Fuck. Where is she?
Slamming the door wide open, I step inside the small room with my gun sights on the mountain-sized man taking up most of the space.
Oh Jesus,there she is!
What the fuck? Over.
All I can see are her legs.
The fact that her legs are hanging out of the ceiling shoulder propel me into motion, but for a beat, this unexpected discovery glues my feet down.
Writhing out of the vent, are two bare calves and a pair of dainty black shoes.
She's kicking like an Olympic swimmer.
The bastard's trying to drag her back out.
Not happening on my watch.
My grip on the Glock tightens. "Don't move a fucking hair."
The bastard doesn't even glance my way. I might as well be a speck of dust in the wind. His focus is so locked on her.
"Stop kicking," he grunts, grabbing for her again, straining to reach her legs. "Boss said not to damage the merchandise, but he didn't say I couldn't have a little fun first."
My vision tunnels. Jaw clenching hard enough to crack teeth.
"Step away from the woman!" My voice cracks like a whip.
He makes another swipe, a ham-fist wrapping around her ankle.
I snort like an angry bull. Killing him would be a complication this mission doesn't need.
With practiced precision, I flip my pistol, load up my arm and swing at his bulky head, intent on knocking him into next week.
Only she hits first and lands a direct face shot.
