Page 87 of Caught By Menace

The silent drone began to slowly shift its view. There, finally, Naya came into view. She wore strange men’s clothing. Her gait seemed off to him. Had she been drugged or hit on the head?

As if reading his mind, Cipher came across the radio. “Target in sight. Will put medical on standby for possible head injury or sedative exposure. Acquiring audio feed in ten, nine, eight…”

Menace’s earbud crackled. A moment later, Naya’s sweet voice filled his ear. “While the Splinter cell gets to agitate the people of Calyx.”

A woman dressed in men’s tactical gear came into view. He recognized her from the photos Terror had shown him.Turn around.He silently urged Naya to see the woman coming up behind her.

“You always were the smart one.”

Naya stiffened. She faced her mother slowly. “Hello, Mama.”

His gut clenched as the woman took her time studying Naya. He waited to see what she would say to her daughter.

“You turned out prettier than I’d imagined. With your daddy’s genes, I was sure you’d look like someone beat you with the ugly stick by now.”

He spotted the tic in Naya’s jaw.No, sweetheart, don’t poke the bear.

Naya pointed to her flawless cheek. “The scar’s a nice look for you. Makes you look powerful.”

“Shit,” Menace whispered. She simply couldn’t stop those smart-ass remarks from leaving her mouth.

“Counting twenty-seven armed on the main floor,” Cipher informed. “I read a dozen heat signals in other portions of the factory. Will engage and separate enemy with drone missiles on command’s mark.”

“Affirmative,” Pierce answered.

Down on the factory floor, Naya and her mother continued to face off. He’d missed some of their conversation. He was sure it had been a doozy.

Her mother grinned. “Let them come. It will accelerate our plans but we’re ready. People are already on edge because of the food shortages and the riots. All it will take is one spark and this populace will rise up.”

The whole evil plan came to light. Menace had to admit it was a tried-and-true method for fomenting revolution.

“And what?” Naya shouted. “You’ll be right there to supply them with weapons?”

“And food. The easiest way to win hearts and minds is to give them what they need.”

Naya glared at her mother. “You are insane. This plan isn’t going to work. It’s just going to get a lot of people killed. Look, those weapons are fine for close-quarters combat, but the sky warriors control the high ground. They have ships and bombs and weapons—”

“Prepare to breach.” Pierce interrupted the feed. “Cipher, give us a sixty-second countdown.”

“Yes, sir. Breaching in sixty seconds.”

“Can you imagine the kind of sales volume I’ll have then?” Naya’s mother asked. “Every backward country bumpkin on this planet will want one of my weapons.” Naya’s shoulders slumped. “You’re a monster.”

“Breaching in forty-five.”

“Oh, sugar baby, don’t look so sad.”

Menace’s heart skipped two beats as the other woman raised her weapon and aimed right at Naya. Before he could even shout the word no, Naya took three to the stomach. The world went still around him. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. He choked on his gum as his instinctive swallow pulled it down histhroat. Awash in horror, Menace watched Naya fall backward into her brother’s thin arms.

Blood soaked her shirt and spilled onto her hands. He’d seen enough stomach wounds to know that she didn’t have much time. They had to get to her. Now.

“Breach! Move! Move!” Pierce shouted the order. “Cipher, blow that back room.”

On autopilot, Menace ran forward with his team. Small, controlled explosions rocked the facility. Tunnel vision took hold. His only thought was of reaching Naya in time. The reality that she could die alone clawed at him. If she died without knowing how much he loved her, Menace wouldn’t be able to live with himself. It would be too cruel for her to leave this world without knowing the warmth of his love.

Two explosions Pierce’s men had set took out the doors and granted them access to the building. They hit the factory hard and fast. The sight of Naya in a pool of blood in the center of the floor made his heart leap into his throat. Bloody streaks marked the path she had been dragged. Rapid gunfire and plasma bursts rocketed over her writhing, hemorrhaging body.

Raze and Venom were pinned down on one side of the room. Hazard had a shield with him but he was too far back. Every time he took a step, he drew heavy fire. Frantic, Menace looked around for something, anything, to use as a shield so he could pull her out of harm’s way.

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