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She heard the thump as it landed, so close to her the upper layer of snow blew away in the powerful rotor wash.
The crunch of snow beneath their boots told her they were exiting the chopper. The murmur of voices coordinated their movement. She heard Trasker’s voice, distinct and angry. She smiled. She bet he was pissed.
The sound drifted away into the distance, and she allowed one positive thought to go toward her sisters-in-arms inside the dome. It was crucial she got her hands on a weapon. Carefully, she pushed away the snow, the meager clothes she wore retained a lot of the heat, so her core was warm, but her hands and feet had no protection. She worked her hands, trying to warm them up as she rose, pulling the makeshift nunchucks from her belt. She stayed low, following the side of the chopper until she reached the pilot’s door.
Then she struck, pulling the door open and knocking the pilot hard in the side of the head with the weapon. He slumped over the controls, and she smiled when she saw his sidearm. That would do.
* * *
Rose perchedin the rafters waiting for the bulk of the force to enter the dome. She counted six guys plus Trasker. He was striding in front of the men holding the weapons. He was damn arrogant. As soon as they were inches from the entrance, she blew their homemade IED, and their bodies went flying. She heard the sound of a pistol and realized that Karasu had been effective in securing the chopper. She looked down to see that several men had escaped the bomb, but Karasu moved into the gaping hole of the front door. She threw down the pistol and went at the first guy with her nunchucks, ruining his aim, then with several quick moves, disarming him.
That’s when Rose heard the second chopper. Dammit. Reinforcements? She scrambled her way down to the floor to help Karasu. That’s when she noticed that Trasker wasn’t one of the men who was down. Celeste!
* * *
Celeste was instructedto stay in the bathroom with the door locked. She heard the explosion and the gunfire. Afraid for her friends, she was dying to know what was going on. If anything happened to them, she would feel so awful hiding like a coward. But Rose had made her promise to stay put. Her pregnant friend was going to bravely hoist herself to the ceiling to give herself a good vantage point while Karasu neutralized the chopper pilot, so they had a way of escaping once everyone was dead.
She had the laptop Trasker had given her, but she’d already destroyed the virus. He wouldn’t be using it on NSA. She could only hope her message to Kodiak had gotten through Ailee that the president and prime minister had been targeted.
Celeste closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, swallowing against the awful feeling of losing either of those women outside. She shivered and cupped her hands on her upper arms, trying to provide some comfort. She was so scared. So scared.
She jumped at the banging on the bedroom door, but she didn’t move. Someone was shouting for her to let him in. It was Trasker. Oh, God, he’d gotten through. He was here to kill her.
She pressed her back harder against the wall, clutching the laptop. She heard wood splinter and the broken door slam against the wall. Then he was at the bathroom door, pounding and ramming it. The flimsy lock broke and the door swung open.
He filled the doorway, reached down, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her out of the room. She wasn’t going to go down without a fight. She twisted, swinging the laptop, and it clipped him on the temple and he stumbled away, hitting the wall with his shoulder. She bolted for the open door, but he caught her before she could get through. He pulled her so hard, she flew backward and hit the wall.
Then he was on her again. “Who knew you were such a fighter? You little cerebral freak!” His face was a mottled purple, his fury blazing out of his eyes. “You won’t win. You are going to give me that virus!”
He backhanded her so hard she saw stars, her lip splitting as she tasted blood on her tongue.
She rested against the wall. “You’re too late. I destroyed it. You’ll never get what you want, you twisted monster!”
He grabbed her upper arms and pulled her up from the floor. “You little fucking bitch! I’m going to kill them both in front of you. You may finally get it that no one is safe. Not my family, not your friends. I want the world to know no one is safe!”
She dropped the laptop and punched him, knocking his head to the side. He rubbed his jaw and glared at her. Her anger whipped into heights she’d never felt before, she punched him again. This time in the nose. He went backward, blood gushing, stumbling, and falling to the floor.
She was already running hard and made it through the doorway and halfway across the living room. He threw his weight into her, hitting her back, and the impact snapped her head back before she fell hard. Then he was on her, his hands going around her neck, cutting off her air supply, and blood to her brain.
She bucked and fought until everything went gray. She was going to die here before she ever saw her beloved’s face again. GQ—his gorgeous face swam before her eyes. She wanted him to be the last thing she ever saw before she died, not Trasker’s contorted, murderous face or his madman eyes.
Her movements weakening, she gasped for air.
Someone pulled Trasker off her and it took a moment for her to regain her senses to find Karasu, using her nunchucks to beat the living hell out of Trasker. He tried to fight back, but Karasu gave him no quarter as she struck like lightning to his face, arms, legs, and abdomen. He fell to the ground as she continued to pummel him, until with a jerk of her shoulder, she cracked the wood against his temple, and he lay still.
Then Karasu was at her side helping her to sit up. Celeste saw Trasker move. He pushed up on his elbow with a gun in his hand.
Celeste croaked, “Watch out!”
Karasu turned, but it was going to be too late, they were both defenseless.
Three shots rang out, striking Trasker simultaneously. He fell back, his arms and legs splayed out. Karasu helped her up, and she caught a glimpse of his dead face, his eyes open and staring. She could only hope he was burning in hell.
She turned to find Rose, supported by Iceman, Preacher, and her GQ standing there. Behind them was the whole team, including two women and three SEALs she didn’t know. But all of them were a sight for sore eyes.
Her gaze went back to GQ, and she saw the shimmer of moisture in his eyes. He stared at her in a raw and open way, making her heart contract for his fear for her life, and his love that was bold and shining in his eyes. With a soft sigh, she collapsed against Karasu, relief surging through her. It was finally over.
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