Page 64 of Stryker

“And it will go on againif you don’t put your guns down,” a voice said from across theroom.

The team members stood to face thethreat. Stryker placed himself in front of John, Frank, and Loriwhile aiming his rifle at a stout man in a white lab coat who helda small black box in his hand. Two other men in lab coats stoodbeside him holding guns.

Damn. A firefight herecould get one of the prisoners hurt.

“Put the guns down, orI’ll turn up the volume on their bands,” Mr. Stout threatenedbefore giving the prisoners another zap, making them cry out inpain.

“You demented asshole,Smith,” John yelled. “Let them go.”

“I warned you, John. Anyescape attempt would be punished.”

John gestured to Stryker. “This is oneof the so-called scientists who wanted to test us.”

“What’s stopping us fromsimply shooting you?” Brick asked, trying to buy them moretime.

“If you try, I’ll pushthis, and those bands will activate without a shutoff. They willdie a painful death in front of you,” Smith said with a sick smileas he maneuvered himself behind one of his minions. They’d neverget to him in time to stop him from pushing the button. “So, youwill return them to me and escort us out of the area.”

“Are you fuckin’ crazy?”Fletcher asked.

“He is,” Conor answered.“And he’s telling the truth about the bands.”

“Shit,” Strykersaid.

Everything inside of him wanted to puta bullet between the asshole’s eyes, but he couldn’t. John reacheddown and tried to pull the band off Frank, but it wouldn’tbudge.

They were in a standoffsituation.

“If you shoot the boxbefore he hits the button, it’ll disrupt the connection and renderit harmless,” Gator’s voice came across the comms. Considering hismechanical and explosive background, he’d be the man toknow.

It was a one-in-a-millionshot.

“Stryker?” Bricksaid.

Stryker glanced down at John, holdingFrank protectively in his arms. The boy lookedterrified.

“Well, make your choice.Either you hand them over and lead us out, or I push this button,and you watch them die,” Smith said with a grin.

“Left,” Fletcherwhispered.

“Right,” Brickreplied.

The tactic was solid. If he shot thebox, they’d shoot the other two assholes holding the guns. Headjusted to a better position, levelling his rifle, making itappear as if he was trying to protect more prisoners.

“You have to the count offive to decide,” Smith threatened, holding the box out slightly,his finger hovering less than a quarter inch above it. “Five, four,three, two—”

“One,” Stryker said andpulled the trigger.

Two more rounds were fired almostsimultaneously. The two hostiles with guns fell to the ground, andSmith stood with his mouth gaping open, looking down at the spotwhere the box used to be but now lay on the ground inpieces.

Smith snapped out of his shock andreached for one of the guns. A shot rang out to Stryker’s left, butthe sound didn’t come from one of their rifles. It sent Smithflying back into the wall before he slumped to the ground. Therewas no doubt he was dead. Stryker looked to his left to see Johnholding the Glock he’d given him. His lover was white, his facedetermined.

There’d be time later to make sureJohn was okay with shooting the man. Right now, they had to get theprisoners to safety.

“Move out,” Brickordered.

Stryker picked Lori up, and Johncarried Frank as the team transitioned into a nearbyhall.

“Coming up on your six,”Gator said as they turned the corner. He joined the back of theranks, covering their escape.

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