Just then, a blinding flash filled the air as the drone quickly rose in the air and discharged its strobe light sequence.
The distraction allowed Olive to twist out of Rachel’s grip and drop down.
As she did, the gun fired.
Someone screamed.
The bullet buried in the mantel, spraying splinters across the room.
Jason lunged forward before Rachel could fire again.
He caught her wrist, twisting hard.
Rachel kicked, trying to wrench free, but Jason was faster. Stronger.
He spun her, pinning her arm behind her back as Olive darted forward and kicked the gun out of reach.
It slid under the sofa with a dull thud.
“Don’t even think about it,” Olive said, her pulse hammering.
Across the room, Bradford pivoted, his weapon raised.
But Rex was already moving. He tackled the man, driving both of them into the braided rug.
The gun flew from Bradford’s grip and skidded toward the hearth.
Bradford fought back—hard—but Rex’s size gave him the advantage. He jammed a knee into Bradford’s shoulder, forcing his arm flat.
“Tevin!” Rex barked.
Tevin rushed toward him, Aegis standard-issue zip ties in hand—because, of course, he had them.
Olive hurried to help Jason. Rachel still thrashed, hair wild, breath ragged.
Olive grabbed the woman’s free arm, and together she and Jason forced the woman down so Jason could secure her wrists.
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Olive warned, adrenaline pulsing through her.
Rachel froze, her chest heaving, fury burning behind her eyes.
Across the room, Bradford was already bound, wrists cinched tight behind him. He tried to roll, but Rex planted a firm hand on his shoulder.
The room was chaos—scattered chairs, the sharp smell of gunpowder, the residual smoke from the flashbang, firelight flickering across shocked faces.
Then, finally, silence.
Olive wanted to believe this was all over.
But was it?
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Jason and Trickzip-tied the couple to ladder-back chairs in the center of the room where everyone could keep an eye on them. Trick even coughed on them a few times just for good measure.
Rachel glared daggers while Bradford scowled.
