Echoes at Dawn (KGI #5)(72)

The door was wide open. She could hear every single thing that had occurred. She knew that a member of KGI had been shot. He may even now be dead.

She opened her mind, put all her strength and energy to reaching out, casting her net wide to pull in the surroundings. She was instantly bombarded by a myriad of adrenaline, anger, fear, calm assurance. There. She refocused on the calm one. He was the one dictating the action. He was the one who’d issued her the challenge. Come quietly or suffer the consequences.

She focused intently on him. His mind was a fascinating irregularity. More machine than human. He had an objective and he was single-minded in his determination to achieve that objective. But what she saw, what she knew without doubt, was that he was utterly serious about killing every last person who stood between him and his objective.

He may die doing it, and he was at peace with that outcome. But he’d turn the airfield into a war zone and take out any threat to his success.

She pushed at Terrence, panic rising sharp and furious within her. Diego turned, his face a mask of anger and determination.

“Do you honest to God think Rio would ever let you just walk into the hands of the enemy? Think about what you’re doing, Grace. He’ll go crazy. He’ll get himself killed. Is that what you want?”

“He’ll be killed anyway,” she said with forced calm. It was imperative that she convince Terrence and Diego that this was the only choice. This was their only option. “I saw into his head, Diego. You don’t understand. I saw him. I know how he thinks. I saw his resolve. He has a sense of honor, as twisted as it may be. His only objective is to take me. However he has to do it. He is absolutely prepared to give the order for every single person out there to be killed.”

“You aren’t giving us any credit,” Terrence snarled.

She shoved at him again, pushing herself up into the seat. “It has nothing to do with credit. What I’m trying to tell you is that he is perfectly willing to die. It doesn’t matter to him because he has men behind him who’ll complete the mission. He has snipers surrounding us all. They’ve already shot one of your men. How many more are you willing to sacrifice?

“He’s not normal. Threats won’t work. He doesn’t care if KGI starts shooting back. He doesn’t care if they take a stand. He’ll mow down anyone who gets in his way. Will we win in the end? Maybe. But at what cost? How many families will lose their husbands, fathers, sons, brothers? Is one person worth that many deaths? No. It’s not. And what you’re not considering, what you don’t realize, is that they have no intention of killing me. They want me for what I can do. And that buys you and Rio and KGI time. This isn’t the time or place to take a stand. They have the advantage.”

“Son of a bitch,” Diego swore. “Goddamn it, Grace. We can’t just let you walk into that son of a bitch’s clutches. Do you not remember what they did to you before?”

“I survived,” she said calmly. “I survived before. I’ll do it again. Besides, I have a hell of a lot more to live for now. If you think I’m giving up and rolling over, you have another think coming. I’m going, but I damn well expect you guys to get your asses in gear and come save my ass before it gets too bad. All I’m doing is buying us some time.”

idth="1em">Terrence stared hard at her, respect and admiration bright in his eyes. “I’ve never known another woman with bigger balls than you, Miss Grace.”

She forced a laugh. “Thanks. I think.”

Slowly she pushed upward and this time they let her go. Diego caught her hand, and she turned to look at him.

“This is a hell of a brave thing you’re doing. I won’t ever forget it and I’ll make damn sure no one else does either. Go with God, Grace, and fight like the devil himself.”

She smiled faintly and then turned her head toward Terrence. “Give me your handgun.”

He looked strangely at her but didn’t hesitate. He pulled a smaller nine millimeter from his ankle holster and extended it to her. She slid her fingers around the stock, jacked a shell into the chamber and thumbed off the safety.

Then she took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform that had been pushed up to the hatch.

“I’m here,” she said calmly.

“Goddamn it, Grace, get the f**k back in the plane!”

Rio’s furious voice made her flinch. He stood a short distance away, beside another woman who’d been made to resemble her. The woman’s hair was twisted tightly around the fist of the man holding her captive while he held a gun to the back of Rio’s head.

She took a step down, her gaze connecting to the man behind Rio. Then she paused, never backing down from his stare.

“I want your word. I go with you, no one else gets hurt. I know much about you, Hancock. I’ve seen inside your mind. I know how it works. So maybe you’ll appreciate the implications of what I’m about to say.”

The entire area went quiet, held captive by the strength in her words.

She raised the gun held loosely by her side, but she didn’t point it at anyone. There was a mad scramble within the ranks of Hancock’s men, and he barked a terse order for them not to shoot her. No, they wouldn’t shoot her. A point that worked hugely in her favor. She could take one of them out right now and they still wouldn’t shoot her. They’d just slaughter everyone else while she watched.