AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Calliope…”
“I promise. I won’t take any unnecessary risks. And, once you’re done with the rest of them, you can circle back — bust in and save the day. Deal?”
He grunted as if it hurt. Probably because he knew she was right. They’d never come out ahead if they didn’t gain the upper hand. Find a way to outflank them. And Wyatt was their best shot.
He gave her a curt nod followed by one of his death glares, then was up and running. Down the corridor, eliminating another tango before Wyatt was through the far exit doors and out of sight. Ten seconds flat.
More bullets followed in his wake, and she used the temporary distraction to hoof it down the corridor, around the corner then through the doors and into the imagining department. What she hoped would be enough cover to give her the advantage — take them out one at a time.
Footsteps shadowed her move, slowing once they reached the doors. There were a few moments of eerie silence, then the door opening. Not much, just an inch or two. Enough to peek inside — get a bead on her location.
Callie didn’t move — didn’t breathe — waiting until the guy was inside and heading for the far wall before she fired. Dropped him with a shot to the head.
Another guy barreled through a second later, diving across the room then spinning toward her. He didn’t aim, just started firing, bullets pinging off the machines. She wedged herself behind the X-Ray machine, counted to three then popped up and fired. Missed a bit wide the first time but caught his leg the next. It wasn’t fatal but it knocked him back — gave her enough time to fire, again. Hit him in the shoulder just outside his armor.
The guy slammed against the wall, leaving a bloody smear along the paint as he slid to the floor, rifle clattering to the linoleum.
She moved, darting across the room, managing to squeeze behind a trolly when the door opened, again, a lone shadow just visible on the floor.
“I have to say, Calliope, I’m impressed. If I’d known you were this hard to kill, I might have risked trying earlier. Before you got your friends involved.”
Higgins. And the bastard was gloating. As if he’d known all along it would come down to him and her.
Calliope chanced a quick look, ducking back as he fired her way, bouncing the round off the metal table. “Trust me, Higgins, the feeling’s mutual. I could have capped you in Puerto Rico and just been done with it.”
“I was actually surprised you didn’t. That it took you so long to figure out I’d been playing you. Tracking you the entire time, though, I suppose discovering Keith was involved probably knocked you for a loop. Mentor and all that.”
“Don’t worry. I know exactly who I can trust, now. So, thanks for that.”
“Yes, Booker and his crew. I’ll admit, I didn’t see that coming. Hadn’t realized you two were so close until everything went down in San Juan. That’s why I didn’t attempt anything before we returned. Your circle of friends is just a bit too good. Which brings us to now. Give me the evidence I know Booker copied, and I’ll leave. Let everything fall out as it needs to.”
She snorted, chancing a quick scoot to the MRI, diving in behind it just as Higgins fired. Nearly caught her in the shoulder. “Those bullets you keep firing suggest you’re lying.”
“Stop running, and I’ll stop firing. I just want those copies.”
She shifted around to the back. What might be her one chance to get behind him. “If that was true, you would have asked, instead of bringing a wet squad with you.”
“Letting you live isn’t my main objective. I’m just giving you a choice to speed things along. I’ll count to ten, then, I’ll just have one of my guys blow the room. The entire hospital, if needed. Gas lines can be such a bitch. One…”
He was serious. He’d have one of those assholes toss in a grenade or flash bang inside. Maybe set a charge on the equipment or hold true to his threat and blow the entire center.
The fact none of his men had joined him, yet, was encouraging. Proof that Wyatt was working his way through their ranks. Eliminating the other threats. Which just left Higgins.
“I can only imagine what’s in the photos we took that’s got you worked up enough you’d follow us here instead of making a run for the border. Guess I should have scrutinized them before leaving Puerto Rico, but then, I thought I could trust you.”
“We all make mistakes, Jensen. I’m at five, are you stepping out or am I creating a tragic incident?”
She snorted, removing her burner, then shuffling around to the far side of the unit, before darting to another table of instruments several feet away. Praying she didn’t make enough noise he’d notice. Popping up without him opening fire was one of the few times she’d been surprised in a good way.
Higgins huffed. “Guess we’ll do this the hard way. Just remember. I gave you the choice. All these people didn’t have to die.”
Callie took a breath, ran through her plan then stood, tossing the phone at his feet. “Dodge that, asshole.”
The cell skipped along the floor, each impact echoing through the room. Higgins inhaled, then dove for cover, shielding his head for a few moments — obviously expecting something to explode. But Callie was already up and running, half her focus on the door in case one of his agents appeared out of the shadows, then stopped with her gun aimed at Higgins’ head. No way for him to dodge or counter before she got off a shot.
He cursed, then stood. “Not bad. I really thought you had a grenade.”
“I want to see your hands, or I’ll just drop you.”
