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“Good work,” Kostya nodded.
Gideon’s phone vibrated and he looked down, then punched his fist in the air.
“Kane came through.”
“He’s on fire today,” Ryker said. “What did he say?”
“That two of his brothers sell cars off of Körük on the east side of Batman.”
“Okay, I’m changing up the teams. Since Linc still hasn’t made it back, it’s you and you as Team One,” Kostya said pointing at Ryker and Nolan. “Landon and I are still Team Two, so we’re going as well. It’s dark now, so we’re going suited up, and Gideon, you’re still our eyes and ears here at home base.”
He paused and looked over at Leila. “We’re going to need you to go with us.”
“I figured,” was her short response.
“Gideon, get her set up with some of your gear. She can’t use Jase’s, it’s too mammoth.”
Gideon nodded as Leila stood up. “Which team?” she asked.
“I’ve got a little bit of Turkish, but not much,” Kostya admitted. He turned to Ryker and Nolan. “Can you speak any Turkish?” Ryker and Nolan shook their heads.
“Leila, you’re going with them.” Gideon was helping her into body armor. Ryker was impressed that she didn’t slump in the slightest as she put it on.
“Do I get a weapon?” she asked.
“What are you comfortable with?” Gideon asked.
“Any handgun you have. I haven’t shot an automatic rifle in the past two years, so I’m rusty.”
Gideon nodded. “I’ll get you fixed up.”
“What about me?” Jase asked.
“We can’t afford for our liaison to have one little scratch on him tomorrow for the meeting, so your ass is planted,” Kostya said.
10
Ryker couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“That’s a gasoline fire,” Landon said.
“I’d bet anything that’s our destination,” Kostya said with disgust.
Kostya laid on the accelerator so they could get to the small car dealership that had a service station and autobody shop attached. The gas pumps were up in flames, still no sign of firefighters.
“Look!” Nolan yelled. Everybody’s head turned to see what he was pointing at. It was an SUV the same make and model as theirs, and it was shooting out of the autobody shop behind the small little dealership.
“Landon, you and I are going to follow the SUV. Ryker, Nolan, and Leila, go see what’s going on at the autobody shop!”
Ryker wanted to haul ass out of the SUV, but he slowed down a step and a half, waiting for Leila to catch up, so they were three steps behind Nolan by the time they crossed the street. All three of them ducked and covered their heads when a gasoline tank blew, but then they resumed running toward the shop. The three bays were closed, as was the small door to the office, with the window blinds closed.
“If the fire spreads to the cars on the parking lot, we’re in trouble,” Nolan pointed out.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re always in trouble,” Ryker said as he kicked in the door.
There were three desks, two of them on their sides. One of the desks had blood smears all over it, and the trail led to another door that obviously went to the garage area. Ryker looked over his shoulder and saw that Leila was looking at the blood, but she wasn’t showing any outward signs that it was bothering her.
Good.
