I turned to Tank. “Get Linc and Ry on the line. We’re rolling out,” I ordered, already striding out of the room toward our artillery room, shifting easily into combat mode.
Tank followed, doing the same. “Porter going to stay with the women?” he clipped, and I knew he was worried about Dallas. After finding Joanie and Lanie drugged, Linc had moved them to Dallas and Tank’s, calling in the doctor we kept on retainer. After ensuring they would recover, he’d called Porter in to keep an eye on them.
I nodded, handing him a M4A1 carbine, our rifle of choice. “Nothing’s gonna happen on Porter’s watch,” I assured him as we slid on bulletproof vests and loaded our pistols for backup.
“I know where the back entrance is,” Gage announced. “I can help. You should take me with you.”
I eyed him critically for a moment, respecting his bravery while at the same time not wanting to see him get hurt.
“You gave me a chance, Prez,” he pressed. “You also said we protect our women. Please let me help.”
“All right.” I nodded, tossing a vest at him. “Put that on. Stay behind us and do what we say—without hesitation. Got it?”
“Got it,” he agreed readily.
“You ever handled a weapon?” Tank wanted to know.
At his head shake, Tank grumbled. “We’ll fix that after this shit’s over. For now, just stay behind us. Don’t want you accidently shooting yourself or me,” he muttered as we strode out of the building and to my truck.
“Cason sending coordinates?” I demanded as I hit the gas.
“Yeah,” Tank replied from his seat beside me. “We’ll rendezvous with Linc and Ryland around the corner from the apartment. Looks like it’s a five- unit structure. Alice’s place is on the second floor, right-hand side.”
It felt like an eternity but in reality was only fifteen minutes before we were pulling up to the designated meeting area, finding Ryland and Linc waiting on us alongside a shuttered laundromat.
This part of town wasn’t highly trafficked, and the cover of darkness would work to our benefit.
“Preliminary look shows a front entrance, which lacks the element of surprise. We don’t know how many assholes are with him,” Linc reported.
“There’s a back way in,” Gage shared. “It’s not obvious at first, but she had a fire escape you can reach from the back.”
Linc’s gaze lit with surprise and a glimmer of respect as he nodded at Gage.
“Tank and I will take the front,” I directed. “You and Ry take the back with Gage—keep him behind you. He’s unarmed,” I added. “Shoot to kill—except Pike. Unless you can’t, keep that fuck alive. I have plans for him.”
At their nods of agreement, we split up, with Tank and me striding toward the front entrance. We’d have to go in blind. With the windows largely covered and no movement we could see, we’d need to work quickly and quietly.
I made easy work of unlocking the gated entrance, sliding it open without a sound. The carpeted stairwell in front of us leading to our second-floor destination. The building was old, and there was no doubt we’d need to tread carefully on the stairs if we were to keep the element of surprise on our side.
I took the front, gun aimed as we hit the second floor, finding the same man caught on the security camera that had grabbed and drugged Grace standing guard outside the apartment door.
He spotted us at the same time I shifted to the side, allowing Tank the angle he needed to throw his knife, hitting the asshole as intended, squarely in the carotid artery.
I rushed silently forward, catching the man before he could make a sound as he dropped to the floor, dead.
I nodded to Tank in respect as we sidled up to the door.
In positionRyland texted.Limited visual. Grace alone. Good to strike.
I nodded again to Tank and, without hesitation, kicked the door open while Ryland and Lincoln entered through the fire escape.
The living room was empty save for Grace, slumped in the same position as on the video. Everything in me needed to get her out of here, to make sure she was okay, but I had to remove the threat first.
I stood guard in front of her, gun aimed and ready as the other three swept the apartment. With the bedroom empty, they stood in front of a closed hallway door, presumably the bathroom.
Ryland kicked in the door, followed by the report of his gun.
“Clear,” he bellowed, and I didn’t hesitate to move to Grace, pulling out my knife to cut her free.
