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Judge’s heart plummeted to the ground with Tiberius. “He was the only one who knew where the other set of explosives are. We have to evacuate the building. Now.” He started for the stairs.
“Wait,” Brian said. “I know where he put them.” He crossed to the railing Tiberius had just fallen over, dropped to his knees and peered up at the bottom edge of the top rail. “He was placing it when I first spotted him. They’re somewhere around…here.” He pointed at the rail.
“Careful,” Judge said. “Don’t touch it.”
“It’s okay,” Brian said. “Wiley taught me how to set these and how to disengage them.”
Before Judge could stop him, Brian pulled the timer out of the plastic explosives and stopped the clock.
He handed the clock to Judge. “I couldn’t let him hurt these people.”
Judge pulled the teen into his arms and hugged him hard. “You’re a good man, Brian. A good man.”
Hank appeared at the top of the stairs, holding a gun in his hand. “What the hell just happened? Who fell over the rail?”
Judge stepped back from Brian. “This young man just saved the Lucky Lady Lodge and all the guests inside.” He held up the C-4 in one hand, the timer in the other. “The man who fell went by the moniker Tiberius. He was second in command to Augustus. Find out who he really is, and it might give us a clue as to who their leader is.” And maybe they’d find where TCW had moved to.
Chapter 14
PJ had been on edge since she’d woken that morning. Staying with TCW wasn’t accomplishing a damned thing. Augustus hadn’t been to the camp in days. She couldn’t carry out her plan if she didn’t have access to the man.
She’d begun to believe she’d have been better off leaving with Judge and Mud. Yes, it put her friends and family in danger, but PJ couldn’t live this way anymore. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to kill another person under Augustus’s threat.
They had spent the week getting the camp in order, clearing away brush and setting up the confidence course and other training stations. PJ had worked out twice that day, running the perimeter so many times that she was sick of it. Sick of being held captive by fences, guns and threats.
She’d begun working out the details of her escape in her mind. Tiberius had left early that morning with a couple of his henchmen. Now would be a good time to go for a run in the woods and just never come back.
PJ had gone so far as to visit the mess tent to swipe a couple of slices of bread and cram them into her pockets in case she got lost. She’d crossed to the knife-throwing range, strapped on a wrist sheath full of throwing knives then turned when two black SUVs roared up to the main gate. Once they were allowed through, the SUVs raced into the camp, sliding to a stop in the middle of the buildings.
Wiley emerged from the camp headquarters and strode toward the SUVs.
Augustus dropped down from the passenger side of the lead vehicle and marched into the headquarters building with Wiley and two other leaders hurrying after him.
PJ walked closer, stopping every few steps to perform calisthenics. As she came abreast of the headquarters building, she could hear the low rumble of voices from within but couldn’t make out the words.
Now would be the time to make her move. Augustus and the men he surrounded himself with would never expect her to attack him in the middle of the day, in the middle of camp with others around.
It would be an automatic death sentence for PJ, but it would be worth it to know she’d cut off the head of the snake. The Chosen Way would collapse without Augustus calling the shots.
Wouldn’t it?
Yes, Augustus had to be taken down, but would someone else try to pick up where he left off?
What she needed was the cavalry to swoop in, kill the bad guys and round up the rest. They could sort through and separate the leaders from the recruits.
The door to the building burst open. Augustus strode out, dressed as always with the top half of his face covered and wearing that ridiculous Zorro hat and cape. His mouth was set in a tight line, his fists were clenched.
PJ slid one of the knives out of the sheath and held it in her palm, the blade hidden up her sleeve.
As Augustus neared, PJ’s pulse quickened, and her muscles tensed.
She took a step forward.
“That’s PJ. She’s the one,” Wiley called out, breaking her concentration.
Augustus came to a halt several feet away from PJ and glared at her. “You let the devil loose, and he has killed Tiberius.” He whipped his hand in the air. “Kill her.”
PJ backed up, her heart leaping into her throat as the men on either side of Augustus started toward her.
