Page 96 of Armed ’N’ Ready

With a trembling hand, she reached for the open cuff dangling from her wrist and snapped it closed over the top rail, clicking it tightly enough to show Meera she’d done as ordered, but leaving a small amount of space between the cuff and her wrist. Maybe enough that she could squeeze her hand out when the woman wasn’t looking.

Meera moved to the platform’s control panel. Another savage gust rocked the cage, swinging one end upward with such jarring force Andi was nearly knocked off her feet. Meera struggled to maintain her balance, holding the gun with one hand and the control box with the other. She pushed the green down arrow. The platform lurched and began a slow descent.

Only one thing was certain. As soon as they made it to the ground—if they made it—Meera would turn that gun on her for the last time and pull the trigger.

A shadow darkened the platform, and she looked up. She pressed her lips together, stifling her cry of joy.

Nick and Saxon stood on the ledge by the primary control box, looking down. He aimed his gun at Meera when the platform dipped sharply to one side and seemed to slip out from under Andi’s feet. Meera’s body slammed against hers.

Abruptly, the cage jerked to a stop, forcing both of them to grab the rail. Nick hurtled onto the platform, landing with a heavy thud. The cage shuddered but maintained its position. Above them, Saxon trotted back and forth on the ledge, barking.

Before Nick could regain his balance, Meera turned to him and raised the gun. The platform rocked, sending her closer to where Andi stood.

“Nick!” Andi screamed, clutching the rail tighter. She’d expected him to shoot Meera the second his feet hit the platform, but he didn’t.

He’d fallen to his knees, his head hanging low as his chest heaved. When he lifted his head, a sheen of sweat glistened on his pasty-white face. The entire lower half of his uniform shirt was soaked with blood.

Before Meera could steady herself and take the shot, Andi kicked at Meera’s arm—the one with the gun—knocking it from her hand. The gun flew end over end, tumbling over the railing.

Meera clenched her hands. Venom shot from her eyes. “Fucking bitch!”

Still kneeling, Nick raised his weapon, but before he could come on target, Meera spun and kicked him square in the chest, directly on top of his wound. He let out a deep cry of pain, gritting his teeth and pressing one hand to his chest.

“No!” Andi screamed, knowing it was useless. The woman would normally be no match for Nick’s size and strength, but anyone could see the damage the bullet had inflicted, and Meera meant to take full advantage of it.

Saxon let out a series of barks and snarls.

Meera lunged for Nick’s gun, but he twisted away, protecting the weapon so she couldn’t get to it. As they fought for control, his eyelids flickered. He was on the verge of passing out.

Something went over the side of the railing. His gun. She couldn’t be sure if it had slipped from his hand, or if he’d intentionally tossed it, knowing he didn’t have the strength to hang on to it.

Andi strained at the handcuff, desperately trying to extricate herself, but she’d made it tighter than she’d intended and couldn’t squeeze her hand out. She stretched her body as far as it would go, trying to land a kick to Meera’s head, yet unable to make contact from this far away. Again, she pulled and tugged at the handcuff, wincing as it cut into her skin and drew blood.

A soft whirring came to her ears. The steel cable on the opposite side of the cage was slipping, causing the entire contraption to list.

The cables aren’t holding.

The cage twisted back and forth, slamming again and again against the side of the building, and with each impact, the other end of the platform angled more steeply.

A series of sharp barks sliced the air, and when Andi looked up, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Saxon was in midair.

The dog landed unsteadily, his feet clawing frantically for purchase on the metal surface, reminding her of the balance training Nick had given him on the lake.

For a moment, Saxon looked as if he’d slide to the lower edge of the platform, and Andi’s heart lurched. “Saxon!” At the last second, he regained his footing and clawed his way to where Nick and Meera grappled together.

The big shepherd snarled, then clamped his powerful jaws around Meera’s leg. She screamed and beat at his head with her fists. Ignoring the blows, the dog shook his head back and forth, growling as he drew blood.

Nick grabbed something from one of the many leather pouches on his belt—a baton—and slammed it against the side of Meera’s head, but she turned away in time, and it was only a glancing blow.

Meera shrieked her rage and pain, pressing a hand to her head, but only for a second before reengaging, trying to wrest the baton from Nick’s grip.

His eyes were almost closed. As soon as he completely passed out, none of them would stand a chance against Meera’s sick, twisted thirst to kill them all.

She really is insane. Not even Saxon’s jaws clamped around her calf, or the blood dripping from between the dog’s teeth was enough to cut through her escalating madness.

I have to help Nick.