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But he’d take boring over the last time he met up with the monster any day.
Once Nick and Jax had surveillance under control, he and the others walked over to the hospital. Noah was overseeing the transfer of the last patients, some of whom appeared confused. A couple were complaining about being inconvenienced, and Micah was glad he didn’t have to work with strangers like that all day. He’d go nuts.
Once in the building, Micah, Aric, Kalen, and Ryon situated themselves in the basement-level stairwell. Keeping Parker from realizing he was actually in the basement instead of on a regular floor posed a problem, so they’d spent two days rigging the elevator to appear to be taking him to the first floor. From there, they’d put up directional signs designed to keep him away from any outside-facing walls—and thus from realizing there wasn’t an outside on his floor.
What if, what if? Too many hazards.
Micah shut out the negative internal voices and focused on listening to Nick through his headset. This time around, that was their best way of communicating, since there were too many enclosed spaces and hiding spots to see every team member.
Every half hour that ticked by was interminably long. The worst of it was they couldn’t even talk to make the time pass quicker. Shifters had notoriously awesome hearing. One scuffle at the wrong second, and the game was over. The headsets, however, were designed for their ears only, and were safe from anyone on the outside overhearing conversation coming through them.
At last, Nick’s voice broke the silence.
“The target is on site. He’s approaching the entrance on foot, so I’m assuming he flew in and shifted a safe distance away.”
A pause. Less than a minute later, “Noah has intercepted the target and is redirecting him. The target appears visibly unhappy about the change in rooms.”
Stay cool, Noah.
“Target is on his way down.”
“Copy that,” Micah said, palming his pistol. “We’re ready.” He didn’t dare speak again.
A pause. “Target is off the elevator, heading your way.” Pause. “He’s outside the room, looking in. Damn, he’s suspicious.”
Go in, you fucker. Go in!
“Target’s turning back! He’s on the run! Apprehend him!”
Fuck!
Micah and his teammates spilled from their hiding place and cut off Parker’s escape. The man skidded to a halt in the middle of the hallway, then turned and fled back the way he’d come. At the end, he disappeared around a corner.
“Dead end,” Nick called out. “You’ve got him cornered. But watch out! He’s armed!”
Just then, Parker popped into view and fired three shots in their direction. Just behind Micah, a couple of the bullets struck flesh. Micah, Ryon, and Kalen flattened themselves against the wall, but Aric was lying on the floor, bleeding. And cursing.
“Motherfucker!” Crimson was spreading across his left shoulder and his left side, soaking his shirt.
Lunging for him, Micah dragged him off to the side and leaned him against the wall. “Aric’s down,” he called into the headset. “Two gunshots, shoulder and torso.”
“Backup’s on the way,” Nick said. “Hang on.”
Parker fired more shots, but they ricocheted down the hallway without striking anyone. Seemed they were at a stalemate. Until the fucker ran out of ammo.
“We’ve got him pinned, but—” Micah began.
Just then, Parker’s hand appeared around the corner. And in his hand . . .
A grenade. Jesus Christ.
Micah yelled, “Fuck! Grenade! Hit the floor!”
They dove, and the explosion came, deafening in its power. But the grenade hadn’t been lobbed at them, much to Micah’s shock. As the debris and smoke cleared, he got up on his knees, looking around. The damage wasn’t to their end of the hallway, but Parker’s.
“Shit, did the asshole blow himself up?” Ryon asked, then coughed.
Aric snarled. “One can hope.”
