Page 219 of Deadfall

“Why isn’t that thing fucking on?” Mahoney shouted.

He had a wild look in his eyes and looked horrible. His clothing was torn, and he had multiple wounds hastily wrapped with various pieces of his spare clothing. He looked over his shoulder, like something was pursuing him, as he stumbled into the clearing.

Lev stepped down from the helo with a grim look on his face. “Someone tampered with it.”

“Well fucking fix it! We need to get out of here,” Mahoney said, his voice wavered.

“What’s wro—” His face paled. “Oh shit.”

I looked over at what had drawn his attention, to see Emersyn step out of the deep shadows. A thrill rushed down my spine—she looked like a predator emerging from the dark, all lithe lines and lethal grace.

“Hello, Lev.”

“Syn,” Lev stammered. “Hey, wow, I–you—”

Mahoney growled and pointed his gun at her. “You! You’ve been fucking with me!”

Emersyn smirked, and despite the gun directed at her, advanced across the clearing with her own gun in hand, trained on Mahoney.

“It’s not my fault you’re careless where you step,” she said.

“Daddy isn’t here to save you this time,” Mahoney snarled.

“No!” Lev stepped in front of Mahoney’s gun and turned back to Emersyn. “I’m so sorry—”

“Fucking save it,” Emersyn snarled. “I thought you were dead, Lev.”

“I know—they–they found the safe house,” Lev said. “I didn’t have a choice—”

“You took years from me!” Emersyn’s voice shook, but her gun was steady.

“He said he’d kill you!” Lev insisted.

Emersyn sneered. “You never did have a backbone when it came to arrogant men. You let Riggs run us into the ground. You let him—” She gestured to Mahoney. “Mislead my father and his team—you left me to suffer, Lev.”

“I’m sorry,” Lev muttered. “I didn’t know what to do!”

“You should have come to me,” G growled.

I stepped up beside him as we emerged from the trees, guns leveled at the two men. Mahoney and Lev’s attention jumped to us. Mahoney didn’t know who to train his gun on, and wavered between us and Emersyn. If it was possible, Lev went even paler.

“Hey, buddy,” I drawled.

Lev opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Realization of his predicament dawned on him and his shoulders sagged. He knew there was no way out.

“We could have fixed it,” G continued.

“I can’t believe we trusted you, man,” I said.

Lev shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I really am—”

“Enough!” Mahoney screamed. “Get in the helo, Lev!”

“Oh my God,” Emersyn groaned. “I’m so fucking tired of you talking—”

Emersyn took another step—

A gun went off.