Page 99 of Heartless

Serena was sitting this one out, too. She and Sean were partners, and she had never worked a mission without him. With all the intel Iris Gates had provided, she and her people were working overtime to delve deeper into the Wren Project. She would be their key to unlocking the identities and motives of these people.

The team now consisted of Eve, Gideon, Liam, Hawke, and Olivia. After reviewing the aerial footage of the warehouse, they had all agreed that having a smaller team could work to their advantage. There were few hiding places in the surrounding area. It was an ugly, open space, and approaching without being spotted was going to be a challenge. A tower stood in the middle of the warehouse area, and they anticipated guards would be posted at all four corners. Sneaking into the warehouse would be impossible unless they took the guards out first. Fortunately, they had an expert marksman on the team.

Olivia felt her energy surging. She was still weaker than she’d like, but the rush of adrenaline was giving her a much-needed boost.

“Okay,” Hawke said. “Let’s do this.”

Gideon rolled the dirt bike down from the SUV as Eve gathered her gear. Handing the equipment bag to Gideon, she hopped onto the bike, then took the bag that held her sniper rifle and hung it crossways over her back. Giving Olivia a wink and a nod, she roared off.

“Let’s go,” Hawke said.

The back of the SUV swung open, and Olivia and Hawke slid inside. The door slammed shut, and the engine started. She heard the other SUV start, too, and drew in a breath. Even though she had originally balked, she now agreed that this really was the best plan. They had no clue what this person wanted with Iris. He could intend to take her back home or kill her. Until they knew his intent, this was the safest way.

“Comfy?” Hawke asked.

“Oh yeah. You?”

“Sure.” His reply was wry. “I’ve always wondered how sardines feel.”

She did feel a twinge of sympathy for him. Not only was she several inches shorter and much lighter, but she also didn’t have a sore knee. Even though he’d given up the crutches a couple of days ago, she knew his knee was still painful. Being crammed inside a holding area, no matter how large it seemed, couldn’t be easy on him.

“Not far now,” she whispered.

“Yeah. How are you feeling?”

“Better. Stronger.”

“Okay, guys.” Gideon’s voice came through their earbuds loud and clear. “You’re about a quarter mile from the warehouse.”

Olivia’s hand went to her weapon in her holster. Even though she couldn’t see Hawke, she heard him move and knew he was doing the same.

“Your SUV is coming into the gate,” Gideon said. “The warehouse door is wide open. The sensors have been programmed to stop about ten feet inside. Godspeed, you two.”

The self-driving SUV slowed, and in her mind’s eye, Olivia envisioned it driving through the gate. Sounds outside changed, indicating the SUV was now driving into the warehouse. Nothing had stopped them yet.

“Stay still until we’re completely stopped,” Hawke said quietly. “Unless they blow us up, we’re covered.”

On that last reassuring note, they waited. The SUV traveled for several more feet. A second before it stopped, two shots were fired, and the windshield shattered. The question of whether they wanted to take Iris alive had been answered. If Olivia and Hawke had been in the front seat of the SUV, they’d be dead now.

The rest of the SUV was bulletproof, but they had swapped the windshield for regular glass and had placed two life-size dummies in the driver and front passenger seats.

Only seconds after the initial shots, weapons fired all around them, bullets pinging off the SUV.

The noise was deafening. No part of the vehicle was spared. Never had she been more thankful for bulletproof shields. How many men were out there? It sounded like an entire army, but rapid-fire weaponry often sounded like that. It was possible they would be facing more men than they could take, but they had known that from the start.

The instant the gunfire ceased, Hawke whispered, “Ready?”

“Yes.”

With that, Hawke flipped a switch, and the SUV’s backend swung open. They jumped out. Before their feet touched the floor, they were shooting. Men scattered, diving behind posts and old machinery. Olivia continued shooting, taking down two men, one after the other. Bullets flew everywhere, but as long as they stayed behind the SUV, they were protected.

The shooting slowed and then stopped completely. Olivia peered around the tail end of the vehicle. She spotted four men on the ground. She glanced around to see that Hawke was searching the area from his position at the front end of the SUV.

“You see anyone?” she said into her mic.

“No,” he replied. “You?”

“Just bodies.”

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