End Game (Will Robie #5)(115)

“You don’t have to do this, Patti,” said Blue Man. “There are other options available to you.”

She smiled. It made her look vulnerable and even lovely somehow.

And then she slammed her fist into his face. Blue Man staggered back as Robie and Reel moved forward, only to be met by gun muzzles and fingers pulsing on triggers.

As Patti rubbed her injured hand, Blue Man slowly straightened. There was blood pouring down his face from his broken nose.

“I suppose I deserved that,” he said.

“So what?” said Patti. “But it’s what I wanted to do. And so I did it. It’s just how I’m wired.”

She nodded to one of the guards.

And then Patti Bender turned and walked back in the direction from which they’d come. Soon she was out of sight.

Robie looked at the guard expectantly. “She said she hunts fair.”

The guard cracked a smile. “Well, she’s not hunting tonight, like the lady told you.”

“So who is?” asked Robie.

“That would be me.”

They all turned as the man came out of the shadows.

It was Scott Randall.





CHAPTER





69


Randall stepped forward. He was wearing cammie gear, jump boots, and a pair of NVGs on his head, though they were tilted upward.

He was also carrying a Remington rifle with an infrared scope, both Robie and Reel noted.

And he was sporting a malicious grin.

“I was hoping we would hook up again at some point,” he said. “We left things . . . incomplete last time.”

“I thought the outcome was pretty straightforward,” countered Reel. “You and your wife were lying on the dirt with your tails tucked between your legs.”

Randall’s grin faded. He shook his head. “You were maybe going to get a little bit of sympathy from me, lady. But that just went out the door.”

“I don’t need sympathy, certainly not from a dick like you.”

“You need to learn how to keep your fucking mouth shut,” shouted Randall.

Robie said, “Patti mentioned something about being fair?”

Randall turned to him and chuckled. “You’ll be armed. You’ll get a head start. Maybe you’ll pull off a miracle. But I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.”

“Do we get NV optics?” asked Reel.

“That would be a negative,” said Randall. “And just so you know, I won’t be alone.” He called over his shoulder. “Hey, guys, don’t be shy. Come out and show yourselves.”

From the shadows, seven men appeared. They were all tall and muscular with shaved heads and hardened countenances. They did not appear to share Randall’s cavalier attitude toward what was happening. They said nothing. They held their weapons professionally and stood in the manner of men with military training.

Robie studied them. He assumed these must be the “badasses,” and they looked it. They were completely focused. On the mission.

Killing us.

He said, “You guys look like the real deal. So I can’t believe you’re good with this idiot being your leader. He could lead you right to an early death.”

“Shut up,” snapped Randall. “The only ones dying tonight will be all of you. Especially you and the bitch.”

Robie kept his gaze on the men. “You didn’t answer my question.” He glanced at Randall. “But maybe they already know the answer.”

Randall pointed a finger at him. “I was an ROTC commander in college.”

“Yeah, where I’m sure you killed quite a few kegs of beer,” said Reel.

Blue Man stepped forward. “In the interests of not prolonging whatever this is, how exactly is it going to work?”

Randall focused on him. “It’s a classic thing, really. You run and we hunt you down. We kill you or you kill us. It’s even, right down to the numbers.”

Parry looked around and said, “But there are nine of us and eight of you.”

In answer to this, Randall pulled a pistol from his holster and shot one of the blue scrubs in the head. The man fell where he stood.

The man and woman in the blue scrubs leapt back. The woman started to sob.

“Thanks for reminding me,” said Randall. “Almost missed that one. Never was good at math.” He grinned.

Robie stared down at the body for a moment and then looked at Randall and said, “You mentioned that we’d be armed?”

In answer Randall pointed to a doorway in the wall. “In there. Guns for everyone. You arm up, you get five minutes to run, and then we come and find you. Kill or be killed.”

Reel noted his optics. “But you’ll have the clear advantage with those.”

“Hey, home field advantage, way I see it. But you guys are Feds. You’re supposed to be good.”

“And how many times have you done this thing down here? Enough times that you know the lay of the land like the back of your hand?”

Randall shrugged this off. “Again, home field advantage. Gotta love it.”

“And why are you doing this?” asked Blue Man. He looked at the hardened men behind Randall. “I mean if you’re going to kill us, why go through something this melodramatic?”