Master No (Masters and Mercenaries, #9)(125)

“I’m not going to let some bit of cannon fodder ex-soldier scare me off,” her father said.

“He won’t stop,” the guard in the back explained as they moved up the stairs. “That’s what the rumors are. They say once Taggart wants to kill you, he won’t stop until the job’s done. I didn’t f*cking know it was his brother. I didn’t know.”

Apparently, the guards were spooked about Ten’s friend. She would use that to her favor if she could. “I don’t think he’s going to care. You should probably run. I’ll tell him it was all my father’s fault.”

Her father forced her to move. “They won’t run, Faith. I pay them too well and they both know what I would do to their families if they did. Now get up those stairs. We’re going to make it to the car and get the hell out of here. Stan, be sure the plane is ready. Have the pilot start her up. It’s time to leave.”

She blinked as they walked out into the daylight. Up ahead, she could see the main house was on fire.

She wished she’d been able to tell Ian Taggart to go after Ten. Once MSS got into the air, there would be no way to save him until they figured out where he was being held in China. One of the wounds she’d found on his body was from where her sister had pulled his tracking device. If they’d gotten Ten off the island, he would disappear.

“I’ll kill Taggart myself,” her father swore. “How dare he. I’ll ruin that man. I want a full work-up on him and his family and everyone who works for him. By the time I’m done, he’s going to be ground into dirt along with everyone he cares about.”

Faith dragged her heels as they made it to the lawn. She couldn’t get into that car. If she did, her father would take everything from her. She wouldn’t remember who she was. She would be his puppet and his pawn.

Stan got on his phone and asked about the plane. After a second he turned back, completely ashen. “They blew up the plane, sir.”

Her father’s arm tightened around her. “Looks like you might be the only card I have left, missy. Let’s see if Taggart minds killing women.”

He put the gun right to her head.

“Stop!”

She looked up and Ten was walking across the yard, his hands held up.

“Don’t hurt her.”

All those guns were suddenly trained on him.

“I won’t if you tell Taggart to call off his dogs,” her father growled.

“As soon as I can find him.” Ten met her eyes. “Are you all right, Faith?”

She nodded. “But you have to go. He’ll kill you.”

“Not if he wants me to talk to Tag. He was right behind me. He’ll be here in a minute and I’ll talk him down. I’m the only one who can do it,” Ten promised.

“How the hell did you get away from the Chinese?” Her father sounded flustered, his usual authority fleeing as they were inundated with the sounds of gunfire.

“You have your friends and I have mine,” Ten stated enigmatically. “All that matters is the Chinese agents are all dead and MSS is going to have some recruiting to do. Why don’t you let Faith go? I know you don’t want to hurt her. I’ll take her place.”

“No,” Faith insisted even as her father tightened his grip. She couldn’t breathe.

Her father wasn’t backing down. “I will hurt her, Smith. I’ll kill her. I’ll do it before I let you have her so you better get Taggart out here or I’ll have my men kill you and we’ll make our own way.”

“I’m here.” Ian Taggart came out of the shadows, his big body moving through the smoke. He carried a long rifle, the kind she’d seen soldiers use, and he didn’t lower it as he moved in.

“Put the gun down, Taggart,” her father commanded. “Or I’ll kill my daughter.”

“The way you killed my brother? Do you honestly think I would negotiate with you? I just needed time to get my team in place.” Taggart touched his ear. “Erin, Nick, you have a go.”

She heard the sound, pings through the air, and then she felt her father’s body shudder, felt the warm spray of blood touch her skin. The two men guarding her father went down as well and Faith was left, the only survivor.

Ten had her in his arms before she could really look around. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t risk him getting away with you. I’m sorry we had to kill him.”

She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his neck. “You saved me. I would have done the same to save you.”

“You’ll never have to. I promise.”

She looked back at the wreckage of the house she’d once loved and then clung to him again. Nothing would ever be the same, but she wasn’t alone.





CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE



Dallas, TX

Six Weeks Later



Ten stared at the computer screen, the headlines flashing like a big neon sign. Contacting his old bosses at the Agency and turning over the evidence that Karriker was a double agent had been simple. The man had disappeared a few hours later, but the business with the senator had taken a few weeks to play out. This morning, the New York Times had broken the story of the recently deceased Senator Hank McDonald and how he colluded with five named corporations to profit off wars around the globe. It came complete with pretty pictures of CEOs and board members being hauled out of their offices by the police.