Page 70 of Sasha’s Secret

“No, I need you to stay here. Keep an eye on Brookes and Birling. If anything happens, I want to know where you are, unless…”

“Unless it happens right here. Look, just go. Do what you have to do, and… if necessary, you can find me afterward.”

He knew that. He’d find her if the world was ending.

Moments later, it seemed as though it was.

* * *

Three blasts, seconds apart, rocked the building. The first threw Rocco across the floor, with the second and third coming right behind. The explosions came from different directions, adding to the cacophony of panic that swept through the room like a whirlwind. Alarms screeched and wailed, fighting for dominance with the screams of the people around him.

He staggered to his feet. His ears felt as if they’d been stuffed with cotton, his head was buzzing, and his brain was being spun in a centrifuge at high speed. In spite of all that, he zeroed in on the stage, to see only the staggering, stumbling forms of Linzi’s backing dancers as they struggled to their feet—of Linzi, there was no sign.

Rocco prayed it was because Scott had done his job. Prayer was all he had—comms were a hiss of useless static, and when he dragged his cell phone from his pocket, there was no signal. Damn it, everything was fucked.

He turned automatically to the table, to see the remainder of their party sprawled every which way.

Apart from one—Brian Schofield was nowhere to be seen.

Professional priorities clashed violently with personal ones. His job demanded he do everything to confirm Scott had gotten Linzi to safety, but his instincts as a man in love were in direct conflict. The latter prevailed.

He reached Sasha as she was picking herself up from the floor. “Are you all right?” he yelled, trying to make himself heard above the ringing in his ears. “Sasha. Are you hurt?”

She shook her head—slowly. “I’m okay—I will be. Where’s Brian?”

Rocco looked around, widening his search to the whole room. “Gone. Stay here, cara. I’m going to—”

“You all okay?” Ghost emerged from the smoke and chaos, Hollywood right behind him.

“More or less. You?” Rocco doubted what had happened would even put a dent in the two Deltas. Like him, for them this would be a quiet day at the office.

“We’re okay. Where’s Schofield?”

“Disappeared. We’ve lost him. This must be his handiwork.”

“A diversion. At least Monroe got Linzi and her boyfriend to safety. I saw them heading for the service tunnels.”

“What about Frank? Have you heard from Truck and Beatle?”

“They checked in just before the explosions,” Hollywood replied. “They said he was heading in this general direction, but was still several minutes away. This is going to cause gridlock while the fire department and EMTs attend.”

Wherever Scott had parked the Hummer, Rocco hoped it was on the right side of any police cordon and he, Linzi and Ram were already on their way home.

Ghost nodded in agreement. “With luck, this’ll keep Schofield away, and Truck and Beatle will deal with him.”

“What about Brian? He’s in the wind,” Sasha said. “We have to—”

“My job.” Rocco cut across what he knew would be Sasha’s insistence on going with him. He couldn’t allow that. He looked around, taking in the terror and alarm. This was his error to put right, not hers, and there was no way he would allow Sasha to put herself in the line of fire. He had to go after Brian alone.

A sudden eruption of sound drowned out the cacophony of fear and panic around them. The service doors had crashed open. Rocco and Ghost pivoted on the spot, weapons raised, to see Scott stumble through and collapse on the floor, one hand clutching the back of his head. As his knees hit the carpet, his hand came away, revealing bloody fingers.

Having holstered their sidearms, Rocco and Ghost lifted Scott and sat him on the nearest chair. He was still conscious but groggy, and clearly needed medical attention.

“I’m sorry, boss,” he groaned. “I grabbed Linzi, like you said. She was screaming for her boyfriend—wouldn’t move until she could get a hold of him. I got them both to the entrance of the service tunnels, and Brian was right behind us. He shot Ram and was going to shoot me but his gun jammed. Linzi was freaking out behind me. I managed to get off a couple of rounds but he was flying at me and I only winged him. I remember him raising his hand… I turned to push Linzi out of the way, but the back of my head exploded. I think I was only out for a minute, maybe two, and when I came to, I saw Ram still lying there. I checked his vitals, but he was gone.”

“Linzi and Schofield?” Rocco prompted, sparing a glance at Ghost. A minute or two might as well have been an eternity. With all the pieces in place, if Frank had made it in time, they could even be miles away by now, in any direction. On the other hand, if Frank hadn’t arrived, there was an outside chance Brian had gone to ground somewhere in the labyrinth to wait for him.

“No sign,” Scott said. “They’re gone, boss—it’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”