Master No (Masters and Mercenaries, #9)(97)

Where was she? Was she inside the big house? Did she have any idea what was going on? He had to pray that McDonald cared enough about his daughter to keep her out of whatever the hell he was doing. Making deals with China’s spy organization could be a double-edged sword. Unfortunately, Ten was fairly certain he would be gutted with that sword one way or another. He had to make sure no one else got hurt.

He tried to stop Theo’s progress as they headed for the door, but he was weak again, his muscles drained. Useless. He was f*cking useless.

“Stop this right now, Taggart,” he said, using his best boss voice. “I order you to stand down and retreat.”

“I am retreating.” Theo kept right on moving into the hallway and began hauling him up the stairs.

“You coming?” A voice with a thick Australian accent called down. Brody was here. He would get to die with the rest of them.

Or maybe he was better trained than Theo. Perhaps Damon had done a better job with his men. “Brody, you’re now second in command. Get your men out of here. Leave right this f*cking second or I will make sure you never work another day in your life again. Am I understood?”

“Can’t hear much. I think that C-4 blast might have done something to my ears, boss,” the Aussie cracked. “We should move. I can see headlights coming. Maybe a minute and a half out. Des and Nick are in a holding pattern. They’ll make sure the exit is clear.”

Everyone was getting fired.

“You don’t have any time,” a soft voice said.

Theo turned, raising his weapon.

Fuck, his vision was finally clearing and he got to look at Hope McDonald standing at the bottom of the stairs in her crisp white coat. She apparently observed protocol even out here in the jungle. “Kill her.”

Theo had his weapon pointed at her head. “She doesn’t have a gun.”

“That bitch doesn’t need one.” Faith would be safer with her sister dead.

Hope’s hands came up. “Theo won’t kill me. He’s a gentleman. You should move. Father’s men will attack from behind and the Chinese will come up the road.”

“Why would you tell us anything?” Theo asked.

“Because it won’t change the outcome. I really would like for us to work together, Theodore. I find you fascinating. Even more now that I’ve read your records. Mr. Smith was a good subject, but you will be a masterpiece. You should hurry. They’re almost here.”

“Kill her.” Ten couldn’t remember everything that had been done to him, but it had started with her. His true agony had begun with that needle she’d wielded. She wouldn’t stop. She would keep her research going and others would hurt, too.

Theo started to drag him out into the night, leaving Hope at the bottom of the stairwell. “I can’t shoot an unarmed woman, Ten. You can fire me later, but I can’t.”

Ten could kill her. He could do it easily, but right now he couldn’t even grip a damn weapon.

Retribution was going to have to wait because none of his men had the sense to listen to him.

“Faith. Tell me Faith left the island.”

Brody stepped up, peeling away from the shadows. For a massive man, he blended well with the night around him. He was dressed all in black. “I’ll take him. And Faith is safe and sound back at the vehicles with Hutch and Erin.”

He found his whole world upending as the big Aussie tossed him over his shoulder. God, he was going to be sick.

“Why is Faith with Erin?” Erin would watch out for her. Erin wouldn’t let anything happen to Faith. “The last I heard she never wanted to talk to any of us again.”

“I needed her intel,” Theo said. He touched his earpiece. “We’re on the move.”

Brody took a couple of steps forward before stopping again. Ten couldn’t see anything but the big guy’s backside. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you kidding me?” Theo asked. “Fuck. Erin and Faith are on their way in. Hutch is firing up the van and coming after them. It looks like we’re going to have to squeeze into one vehicle. I’m going to have her ass.”

There was the sound of gunfire and a curse.

“I’m going to need you to stand for a minute, Ten. Or at least sit. Keep your head down. Des, Nick, what’s going on?” Brody no longer kept things quiet. It didn’t matter. Hell was raining down around them.

Ten was surprised to find himself fairly steady as Brody set him down. He flattened his back against the side of the building, his palms against the material. Steady. He was going to get out of here and then he would recover and kick everyone’s ass.

He would do it after they got home because this operation was over. He would find another way to take down McDonald.

“We’ve got incoming,” Nick shouted back.

“We’ll let them come in and sneak out when they raid the building. They can’t see us here,” Theo explained. “And Hutch just cut the power. We’ve got the cover of night on our side.”

“Here, mate.” Brody pressed a gun in his hand. “Try to hold on to it.”

He had to admit, he felt better with a gun in his hand. He thought seriously about going back in and killing Hope.

Up ahead, he heard the sound of tires pounding over pavement. Unfortunately, Hutch couldn’t cut the lights on the vehicles.