Page 74 of Dash

The killers before me were either crooked cops or impersonators. I was about to die, executed in cold blood, exterminated from the face of the earth as my father’s assassin had decreed.

Chapter Twenty

Thena

The seconds slowed down, giving me plenty of time to feel the brunt of my self-loathing. I was going to die like the stupid woman I’d been the day I’d believed my father’s lies about Dash. I was about to leave behind a legacy of “I didn’t know any better” and “if only I’d done things differently.” I was going to check out without redeeming my second chance with Dash and leaving my sisters behind to suffer a fate similar to mine.

No.

My fingers tightened around Dash’s cane until my knuckles hurt. Something rebelled inside of me. I was no “little lady.” I was no defenseless “Astor princess,” either. I wasnotgoing to my death accepting and resigned. I was Athena freaking Astor, and even though I’d made mistakes along the way, I was going out of this world on my own terms.

***

Dash

“Where is she?” I rasped as I caught up with King fifteen seconds after the last drone was destroyed. “Where’s Thena?”

“Safe,” King reported. “I told her to stay put in the woods across the road.”

I looked up, thanking the universe for her life in the middle of this shitshow, but the flashing blue and red lights reflecting in the night sky cut short my gratitude episode.

“To the road,” I barked into my comms. “Now!”

My feet were already in motion. My legs pumped as I negotiated the woods, zigzagging among the bushes and trees, tackling the uphill. A thigh cramp threatened to slow me down, but I didn’t let it.

You’ve got to go faster, Dagger.

Ignoring the strain on my leg, leaving King behind to gather the team, I pushed myself to new speeds. Thena had no idea that our attackers had demonstrated little fear of being taken into custody by the police. She could not anticipate the danger. I was sure she’d try to help the rest of us. This meant it was highly likely that she’d already exposed herself to a swift death.

What were the chances those flashing lights announced the arrival of honest police and not impersonators or corrupted thugs?

Less than one percent, I guessed, considering everything I learned about my foe today, including the fact that whoever he was, he’d fought like a rich warlord and killed his own hires, a bunch of experienced mercs who had showed no fear of the police. The motherfucker who’d set the ambush had planned to finish us off this night.

I crested the hill, hoofed it at full speed to the edge of the road, and kept running just inside of the tree line. Hands pumping, feet light on the ground, I accelerated toward the flashing lights. As I turned the curve and neared the police cruiser, I faced the most frightening sight of my life: Thena confronting two uniformed police.

Wearing my jacket over her ripped dress, she stood with her bare feet braced on the asphalt, her jaw tight, her face dirt-stricken, her hair loose in a tangled mess. One of the tangos held his gun up, aiming at her face.

Running at a gallop, I broke cover, and feet pummeling the road, lifted the Uzi in my hands and took aim.Clink. Empty mag.Fuck.I’d spent the ammo hunting for drones. I threw the piece of shit aside.

“Hey!” I shouted as I reached for my handgun. “Over here!”

The two thugs looked my way.

Even as I lifted my Glock, I witnessed the most incredible, foolish, brave deed. Wielding my cane as a bat, reminding me of her softball glory days, Thena swung it harder than I thought possible. The cane’s knob struck her attacker’s hand. His weapon flew from his grasp and bounced on the road with a metallic clank.

She’d always had a strong arm and a good swing, but the problem was these thugs were stronger than her and weren’t playing a game.

The second cop’s eyes widened when he spotted me coming in. He turned toward me and reached for his weapon. Even though I was still at a distance, I took him out with three shots to center mass.

At the same time, Thena swung my cane again, smashing the heavy knob against the other man’s middle. It seemed impossible that the delicately built woman could inflict such blows on her stronger opponent, and yet he doubled over.

Thena struck again, raining blows on the thug, slamming my cane again and again. Even so, the man kept his arms up to protect his head. He stumbled a few feet to the side, and lunged for his weapon on the ground.

Nope.

I took my shot.

He dropped at her feet.

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