Page 28 of Paradise Ties

Within seconds, Astrid slid over the side in silence. Dane moved up behind Zack and a moment later heard, “Come over slowly, they’re looking away.”

One by one he, Zack, Daniel, and Smithy scaled the space coming to land on the edge of the pool area on noiseless feet. They were near the day beds and used them for cover as they surveyed the situation in front of them. They saw the man they knew as Karol Snopek addressing Zin, and they moved into position as a unit as Kanan’s voice came over the comms. “Zin has managed to engage the leader in a discussion. You need to move fast because he’s about to go full Viper on them and then we’ll be mopping up blood and puke.”

Astrid headed towards Lucy and Aubrey, her movements small and swift. Both women had clocked them coming in, as had Will and Drew. The relief on their faces was something he knew he’d never forget. Dane acknowledged them with a tight nod as he and Daniel skirted towards the main body of guards on the perimeter nearest the hostages. Zack and Smithy moved towards a group of sunbeds and then waited.

Snopek looked agitated as he spoke to Zin, and then they got the signal they needed as he lifted his gun to Zin’s head. As he went to fire, Zack took a shot and Snopek went down, with a bullet through the heart. Jack dove for the Princess, covering her with his body. Dane fired as the guards began to realise what was happening.

He and Daniel moved with practised precision, securing the perimeter. He saw Lucy and Astrid take out the guards nearest the doors with calm, deadly assurance. Each got a quick, clean, clinical bullet. Aubrey and Celeste began to usher the hostages towards the doors with Drew and Will behind then. Dane saw a guard lift an automatic weapon to fire on the hostages and put a bullet through his head, ending the threat from that direction.

Jack had picked up the Princess and was carting her towards the exit doors as Leonid Ihorovych Vakulenko moved in behind him. Lining up the shot, Dane fired, and Leonid hit the ground, dead. Jack turned and lifted his chin in thanks.

He stepped back at a sharp sting to his ribs, turning in time to see Zin snap the neck of the man who’d fired at him. Dane’s ribs burned from the impact of the bullet and he’d never been happier to be wearing a bulletproof vest, even though the bruise would hurt like a son of a bitch for days.

Though it seemed longer, it was only seconds until the team, including those on the inside, had secured the hostages and killed ten of the kidnappers. The other five were on the ground, Zack and Smithy guarding them with weapons as Astrid secured their wrists with zip-ties.

Dane checked the area was secure before heading towards Lucy, Jace, and Drew who were with a woman weeping beside her friend’s body.

“Dane.” Lucy released Jace and hugged her brother tight.

He held her close, not wanting to let go. “You’re not happy with the kids giving me grey hairs, now you’re joining in?”

Lucy laughed at his words as she stepped back to Jace, his arm going around her back to pull her into him. Dane understood. He would’ve been the same if it’d been Lauren. Lucy may be a badass with mad skills, but she was the love of Jace’s life. Any fool could see that and as such, he understood Jace’s need to protect her.

The door opened behind them, and they raised their weapons in unison.

Liam walked in a cocky smile on his face. “No need for that kind of reception.” His smirk was relaxed but he scanned the room for injuries, his shoulders relaxing when he saw nobody from their group was harmed.

A man wearing a Saint Kitts and Nevis’ police uniform pushed through, his face stern and angry as he surveyed the scene. His eyes landed on Zack and he strode towards him with purpose. “What is the meaning of this? You have no authority to lead an assault like this on foreign soil.”

Dane smirked as Zack crossed his arms and braced his legs shoulder-width apart as if settling in for something. The policeman had no idea of the bear he’d just poked. “Is that right? Well, how about you tell me how you and your men were faring with handling the situation?”

The officer visibly bristled. “We were handling it in our own way.”

Zack leaned down towards the smaller man. “Seems to me your way was about to get hostages killed.”

“Casualties are inevitable in a situation like this.”

“Not on my watch they aren’t,” Zack replied, his jaw clenching.

“This is not your watch. You are murderers.” He turned to his officers. “Arrest these men.”

Dane rolled his eyes at the idiocy of the man. They had saved lives and handled a potentially volatile situation with no further people being harmed. This man was posturing, and he knew it.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jack growled and then turned to Will as those from the incoming team were cuffed. “Make the call.”

Dane knew he was referring to the Eidolon contact in the British Government. He grinned as he heard Kanan laughing at Zack’s situation through the comms.

“K, you have thirty seconds to get your ass up here and sort this out before I lose my shit,” Zack growled.

The next few hours were a clusterfuck. Kanan had managed to pull some strings and get a call into Prime Minister Hennrick Deveaux. He had promptly arranged for them to all be released, and they had received a profuse apology and gratitude for their help.

Princess Taamira had made a call to her family. Learning they’d been willing to let her suffer and not pay the ransom had been a bitter pill for her to swallow. Dane felt sorry for the woman. She was entitled but she knew little else, and he had a sneaky feeling that under the jewels and money was a good person who just wanted to be loved. Her antics spoke of a woman looking for attention and not knowing the right way to go about it. It wouldn’t surprise him to see this have a profound effect on her life.

After the initial shock of her family’s betrayal had waned a little, she offered Fortis any amount they wanted if they took over her security detail. Zack had patiently explained that they couldn’t do that at this time and passed the conversation over to Jack. He told her he’d have a private jet ready within the hour and Liam would escort her to meet Mitch and Waggs in Miami.

Dane had laughed when the Princess lifted her eyebrow in a haughty regal manner as she looked over Liam in his navy and large pink-flowered swim shorts.

“What? I’m on holiday!”