Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2)(121)

Owen took the opportunity to stand up. It was awkward and he felt ungainly, but if there was even half a chance, he had to take it.

“After what you did to Robert, I think I’ll pass,” Ari yelled. “And we’re done playing your games, Levi.”

Levi’s eyes turned to Owen. “Well, then I guess I can do what I like.”

He was out of time. Levi raised the gun his way, and that was the moment Becca made her move. Her elbow came up and back. Owen threw his body to the ground, holding his head up. He felt heat graze his shoulder and then pain flared as he hit the ground and the chair came apart. Owen spread his arms and they came loose. He was still bound to the arms of the chair, but a few painful tugs and he was free. He rolled toward Donnie Lennox’s body. He needed that gun.

Becca struggled as Levi fired again, throwing his aim off.

Owen cursed those bloody zip ties but managed to get that gun in his hand.

He forced his body to move and brought the gun straight up, and he found himself staring right at Becca.

“Your move, Owen,” Levi said, his voice showing no sign of tremor. “I’ve got this to the back of her head. You might be able to make the shot, or you might hit that big gorgeous brain of hers.”

Levi wasn’t much taller than Becca. He was right. Taking the shot would be risky, and he wasn’t as steady as he should be.

“Becca, do not move,” he commanded. “Don’t hurt her.”

“We’re at a standoff, you and I,” Levi said. “I’m going to back out. I don’t trust that Ariel is still in that perch of hers, so I need to get out of here now or she’ll come in behind me. We can do this the nice way or I can go down in a blaze of glory. It’s your choice.”

There was no choice at all. “Just let her go.” He struggled to get to his feet. “I’ll take her place. I’ll go with you and we can work something out.”

He wouldn’t. He would kill the fucker the first chance he got, but he would lie through his teeth if it meant Becca was standing at the end of this. And Levi was right. Ari was out there. Ari was coming down those stairs, and not for a therapy session.

“I think I’ll skip the hostage-taking portion of the day, but I need a head start. Sorry about this.” Levi pulled the trigger and Becca screamed.

Owen’s shoulder lit up like it was on fire, but he stayed on his feet. Levi shoved Becca his way and she stumbled into him. He looked her over.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. Go. Get that asshole.”

It was all he needed. Despite the fact that his left arm didn’t seem to work anymore, he took off after Levi Green.

He caught a glimpse of the man running down the hall before he turned and disappeared. Owen slowed, not wanting to get caught in a trap. He eased around and saw the door closing.

He raced to the end of the hall and flung it open just in time to see Levi Green hit the street. Levi had dropped his weapon and he started down the street, seeming to revel in how many people were walking along the front of the house.

“Damn it,” Ariel said, running up behind him. “You can’t shoot him here and he knows it. Bastard.”

Levi turned and tipped his head as though to say they were welcome to try again another day.

“We have to move out. He’ll call the police in again.” Owen forced himself to shut the door. “We have to call them in ourselves. Apparently there’s a kid in this place somewhere.”

“The police are going to have a field day with this one.” Ariel held a semiautomatic in her hands, the same one he’d seen Robert pack during their flight from the cabin.

“Owen?” Becca walked in, her face pale. “Owen, are you okay?”

He was now. He strode to her, and despite the pain in his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m fine, but we have to move out and quickly.”

“I’m parked behind the house. Rob is waiting for us. Well, he’s passed out in the back, but he’ll live. A couple of university students were renting a cabin not far from the accident site. They got us to hospital. After they patched Rob up, I hotwired a car and we left before we could be questioned.”

“How did you find us?” He refused to let Becca go, taking her hand in his and following after Ariel.

“It was a hunch. Becca had said Levi must be working with Huisman. He couldn’t take you to a hotel. Rob told me MSS was coming. They wouldn’t make a move until they knew they had you, so that bought us some time. It was a good bet he would bring you here.” Ariel moved to the rear of the house. “I parked in the back and snuck up.”

“You’re hurt.” Becca hustled to keep up.

There was blood on his shirt. A lot of it. “I think the bullet’s still in there.”

“It’s not a fatal wound. We’ll deal with it after we get away.” Ariel held open the door to what looked to be the garage. “Don’t mind the body. I had to deal with the MSS agent.”

Owen gaped at the woman on the ground. That was a lot of blood. It looked like Ari knew how to use a knife, too. He stared at her, wondering where his peace-loving shrink had gone.

Ari merely shrugged. “I wasn’t always a therapist.”

He took Becca’s hand and walked out of the house to join his friend. He was in excruciating pain, but they had one more stop to make.