Page 26 of Deadly Alliance

He held his hand out to her and they walked from the room. It was time to catch a madman.

* * *

It wasa whole new ball game being on this side of the mission Emme realised as she watched the team move into position around the old dilapidated factory towards the housing block. She and Bea both had comms units in, as did Dee and Will.

“Maverick, we have movement and two heat signatures,” Bea relayed to the team.

“Copy that,” Zack replied.

Seeing Zack geared up for a mission was odd, but it was the way his entire demeanour changed that was most striking. A cold aloofness seemed to shroud him that wasn’t normal for him.

It was Shane who had caused her heart to stutter though; he looked so raw, so feral. His eyebrows were drawn into a straight line of concentration as he checked and rechecked his firearms.

He had only glanced at her as they filed out, but the look had been full of warmth and trust that she hadn’t seen there before today. It made her crazy heart jump with hope. Hope for what, she didn’t know.

Drawn back to the present, she watched as the team crept closer. Zin and Lucy took the side exit that led to the road, Jace, Lance, and Owen moved in from the rear—that was the exit that concerned them the most because it backed onto trees.

“Proceed with caution. Maverick, you have the lead,” Bea said as she handed over command to Zack.

It had surprised Emme to hear Zack’s call sign was Maverick as he didn’t strike her as a Maverick, but there was a lot she didn’t know about these people who were now her friends. It made her feel as if they had a life that she could never compete with, a history that she would never have with them.

“Standby,” came Zack’s reply as the team held their positions on the exit side of the building. There was absolute silence; she could have heard a pin drop as they waited for the go signal.

The image on the screen was crystal clear thanks to Dee ‘borrowing’ a satellite for this mission and blaming the Russians. Her eyes were glued to Shane as he and Zack crouched at the side of the building near the door. They all had eyes on each other and Zack lifted his hand close to his ear signalling them to move in closer.

Emme held her breath, knowing she could do very little from this point on and hating it. She much preferred where she could be helpful and not stuck twiddling her thumbs.

“You see this formation?” Bea asked as she pointed to the way the team was set up around the perimeter.

“Yes,” Emme replied, her eye on the screen, her ears on Bea.

“It’s called a linear ambush. It’s when the units are equal distance apart and using the element of surprise.”

“So why not use an L-shaped ambush?” Emme asked. She saw a flicker of surprise and something like pride on the older woman’s face for just a second.

“You know the answer to that, but well done, Emme, I was testing your knowledge and it seems you have done your homework. I admire that in a person.”

Emme curbed the smile that twitched at her mouth. Her attention was averted as Zack and Shane ran low towards the door.

Quickly a small charge was attached and they moved for cover before blowing the lock. She watched as smoke covered the entrance, making it difficult to see anything on the screen. She knew the team had night vision goggles to help them see through the fog of smoke. A series of pops were heard over the comms followed by a louder boom, and she sucked in a breath as voices and shouts came over the line.

Then a silence that was louder than gunfire ever was and twice as terrifying. Then she saw Owen and Lance come through the front with a man between then, firearms pointed at him as he was pushed to his knees. They quickly searched him, and zip-tied his arms and legs.

“Target acquired,” Zack spoke as he came out with an arm in front of Jace who was carrying Lucy in his arms. Zin followed up the rear, his eyes scanning the area constantly.

Emme felt her mouth go dry as she saw Lucy’s limp body in Jace’s arms. The serious expression on the other men’s faces told of their worry as they flanked Jace and moved to the vehicles.

“Can we have Phoenix on standby? Shadow is down.”