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“That’s right, Mud, I’ve come to take you back where you belong,” the man said.
As Judge cleared the last step, he could see over Brian’s shoulder to the man beyond. Anger burned low in his belly.
Tiberius was dressed in blue jeans, a white polo shirt and a Denver Broncos ball cap. He looked like any other guest who’d come to celebrate the grand opening of the Lucky Lady Lodge.
Only he wasn’t, and he had what appeared to be a lump of clay in one hand and a timer in the other. The man planned to set explosives in the lodge.
Oh, hell no.
“I’ll go,” Brian said. “But you need to leave these people alone.”
“Come here, boy,” Tiberius said. “Now.”
Brian eased forward.
“You don’t have to go with him,” Judge said.
“Shut up,” Tiberius ordered. “Wiley never should’ve brought you into the fold. We should’ve known you were a traitor to the cause.”
“And what cause is that?” Judge demanded. “Whatever Augustus feels like doing that day? You’re nothing but a bunch of thugs, kidnapping people and brainwashing them by playing against their weaknesses.”
“Mud, get over here, or I’ll set this thing off right here, right now.”
Brian shook his head. “Put it down, and I’ll go with you. I don’t want any trouble. I told Judge I wanted to go back to where I belong. He never should’ve taken me away.”
Judge’s heart sank at the boy’s words.
Tiberius snorted. “Damn right, he shouldn’t have taken you away from your family.”
“Give me the explosives.” Brian held out his hand and moved close enough to take the lump of C-4 from Tiberius’s hand.
As the man handed over the explosives, he grabbed Brian’s wrist, pulled the teen up against him and held a knife to his throat. “You’re coming with me, Mud. And the traitor is coming, too.”
Judge left the gun in the holster beneath his jacket. “Let Brian go. It’s me you want.”
“Brian, is it?” Tiberius spit on the floor. “It was Mud to those who cared about you. You think this traitor gives a damn about you? Nobody does but your family in The Chosen Way.”
Brian moved his hand to get Judge’s attention and then tossed the C-4 toward him.
Judge caught it. “Let Brian go.”
“You think that’s the only set of explosives I brought with me?” The man laughed. “There’s another set due to go off in five minutes.” He sneered. “Make that four. Now, get out of my way, or I’ll kill the kid.”
“If you kill the kid, you have no leverage to get out of here alive,” Judge pointed out.
“The clock is ticking,” Tiberius said. “Four minutes isn’t enough time to get everyone out of the building. Three is even less. Move aside and let me take Mud back where he belongs. We’ll come back for you another time—when you’re least expecting it. Come on, Mud.”
The teen’s eyes narrowed. “My name is Brian,” he said through clenched teeth. Then he slammed his arm backward, hitting his captor hard in the nuts. At the same time, his other hand yanked Tiberius’s arm down, dragging the knife away from his throat far enough that he ducked free, emerged behind the man and gave him a hard shove forward.
He staggered toward Judge, swiping for his throat with the knife.
Judge dodged the man and his knife, swept out his leg and tripped him.
Tiberius lost his balance, hit the rail and flipped over the top.
Judge lunged for the man’s leg, but it was too late. His momentum carried him all the way over. He fell over fifteen feet, landing on a glass-topped table below. The glass shattered on impact, the sharp edges piercing his chest and neck.
A woman screamed, causing a stampede of guests rushing for the exit.
