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She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and leaned up on her toes. “I’m glad I got to come. I missed my trainee.” She kissed him hard and then stepped away. She grabbed her rifle from where she’d leaned it against the wall when she’d crawled through the window and her handgun from the seat of the chair facing the window. “Is there a back way out of here?”
He chuckled. “There was once. Into the mine. This lodge was built in front of the mountain with access to the mine behind it. Unfortunately, an explosion destroyed the entrance to the mine and damaged the lodge. The lodge has since been repaired, but nothing has been done to repair the mine shafts.” He grabbed his AR-15 from the closet and headed for the door. “That being said, we can go through the kitchen and out the side door.”
They crept down the corridor and a back staircase, avoiding the grand entrance and curving staircase in the lobby. Once they reached the ground level, Judge led her through the back side of the lobby, into the dining room and then the kitchen. A night light shed a soft yellow glow over one of the countertops, giving them just enough light to navigate.
They were halfway through the kitchen when a scraping sound was followed by a deep voice, “Stop, or I’ll shoot.”
PJ spun, aiming her handgun at the shadowy figure standing in the corner by a table.
Judge caught her arm and pushed it down. “It’s okay, Drake,” he said softly. “It’s me. Judge.”
“Damn it, man,” the voice said from the shadows. “I almost shot you.”
“Shh.” Judge moved toward the man in the corner, drawing PJ with him. “I’m glad you’re up. We need your help.”
As they neared, PJ could make out the man’s face and the hand he held out with his finger pointed like a pistol. Shit. She’d almost shot an unarmed man.
Drake’s gaze fixed on her. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked Judge without taking his gaze off PJ.
“I am for now,” Judge said. “But I need to get out of here before TCW decides to burn the place down to get to me.”
“Who’s the girl?” Drake asked.
“This is PJ,” Judge said.
“Liza’s PJ?” Drake frowned. “Isn’t she one of them?”
“Yes,” Judge said. “They sent her to kill me.”
Drake’s frown deepened, and he stepped around the table, his fists clenched.
PJ held up her hands, gun and all. “If I was going to kill him, he’d already be dead, and I’d be long gone before anyone was aware.”
Judge chuckled. “She’s right. PJ’s a trained assassin, just like Liza. She came to get me out before anyone else made a play for me. Their leader is out for blood over the death of the man they called Tiberius.” He stepped closer to Drake. “I need your help.”
Drake’s eyes narrowed. “Do I need to kill her?”
Judge grinned. “No. They’re threatening to kill her family if she doesn’t prove that she has killed me within forty-eight hours.”
“It’s forty now,” she corrected.
“What can I do to help?” Drake asked.
“Somehow, we have to find Augustus and take him down.”
“The problem is, he rarely makes an appearance,” PJ said. “When he does, he’s surrounded by his bodyguards.”
“You need a way to lure him out in the open,” Drake said.
PJ nodded. “He’s cagey. It would take a lot to get him out.”
Judge’s brow dipped, and his eyes narrowed. “How angry was he over Tiberius’s death?”
“He was in a rage,” PJ said.
“Have you ever seen Augustus that angry before?” Judge asked.
PJ shook her head.
