AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I don’t give him the chance to finish his sentence. He forgot to disarm me. Major rookie mistake. He's gotta be brand-new at this. I flip my Glock in my hold and fire behind me at his right kneecap. He shrieks as the bullet shatters it.
I twist in his hold and kick his weapon from his grip, then slam my hand into his chest. He collapses with a thud on the ground, clutching his leg and screeching again at the top of his lungs.
There’s no question he’s just alerted his team.
Great.
My gun trained on him, I take him in. He ain’t just a rookie, he’s a kid, can’t be more than twenty. Jesus Christ. The shit he’s mixed up in, though, it’s real down ‘n’ dirty. If he’s got the stomach for it, got that kind of darkness in him that he’s working for the wrong people like this, I can’t be hesitating with what I’m about to do here.
I press the muzzle of my gun to his head. “Sorry, kid. Can’t take the chance.”
His eyes are wide with naked fear. “Please,” he chokes out. “I don’t wanna die.”
Dammit.
I hesitate.
But, no, I can’t risk it. He ain’t just a twisted gun for hire who’s coming for my client, he’s a loose end for me. Seen me, had me wound him and threaten to blow him away. You don’t take out a threat when you got a chance, they got the opportunity to keep coming at you.
“Close your eyes.”
“Oh God,” he cries. He squeezes his eyes shut and his whole body shudders. “No. No. No. God, please, no,” he sobs.
I hear footsteps coming toward me, his accomplices nearing me.
Do it, Cal. It’s gotta be done. Now! Do it now!
“I… I’m doing this for my family… need the money. If I die, they’ve got no hope. Please.”
My aim wavers.
“Goddamn it!”
I slam my motorcycle boot into the side of his head, knocking him out cold.
A fresh wave of adrenaline shoots through me as I realize the two remaining assholes are almost on me. I holster my gun and turn away from the kid, darting for the side of the diner.
I vault up and grab onto the edge of the flat roof above me. Gritting my teeth, I haul myself up and roll onto the top of it.
Snatching up the TEC-9 I stole, I crawl across the shingles and look over the edge, searching for the two guys I still need to take out.
The fools are together now, trying to come to their teammate’s aid after hearing his screams. I follow their path to him and take aim, waiting until they reach his unconscious body. These two are a couple of decades older and the way they’re moving so fluidly and confidently tells me they’re seasoned veterans at this. Dangerous, hardened killers. Curses as they come across the kid are the last sounds to leave them before I pull the trigger and blow them away.
“Jesus,” I rasp, pushing my weapon away and rolling onto my back as I take a minute to catch my breath.
When I finally manage it, I tap my earpiece, connecting with Sin.
“You got it done?” he answers before I can get a word out.
“Yeah, but we got a live one. A kid who needs your help.”
My voice is shaky and hoarse and, true to form, Sin picks up on it, asking worriedly, “You all right?”
“Fine. The client’s safe. Mark Laughlin can go back to his lap of luxury as CEO for his high-end investment firm now these assholes are off his tail.”
“One bad decision with the wrong people is all it takes sometimes. Close call for him.”
“Good thing he called us up then, ain’t it? Now, you gonna take the kid, or not?”
