Page 34 of Redeeming Meg

The USB. In his gut, Declan had no doubt that’s what the kid held outstretched between him and the terrorist.

Was Tommy a traitor? Was this leverage of some kind? Had he lost his fucking mind?

Hagar started to swipe the drive from his fingers, but the young man snatched it back. “No need to waste time with my computer,” Tommy said to Anderson. “I wouldn’t leave highly classified information on there, anyway.” He jutted his chin toward Anderson as he met Hagar’s rueful smile. “He’s not part of this. Let him go.”

Meg whispered in Declan’s ear, “We can’t let that USB fall into Hagar’s hands.” She swallowed hard, her eyes on Tommy the way a mother would look at a son. “And we have to save Tommy. Hagar will kill him.”

She reached for the ultrasonic weapon and pulled out the earplugs. The weapon would incapacitate those inside for a couple of minutes, and that might be all they needed.

But then she dropped her hand from it. “Tommy’s in the line of fire.”

Which would make him a challenge to move if he was unable to walk on his own. It was risky—a blunt solution for a situationthis delicate—but what choice did they have? They couldn’t shoot all the terrorists, save Tommy, and grab the USB.

Before Declan could insist she go with her gut and use it, footsteps thundered behind them, followed by the unmistakable click of a gun safety being disengaged.

He whipped around in time to see the trigger-happy suit who’d fired on Meg earlier. God, it seemed like a lifetime ago already.

He’d only left the man unconscious, and now, his good deed had backfired. The hidden doorway the suit had emerged from was still cracked open. Apparently, the chief of mission not only had a private elevator but also a private staircase.

The guy narrowed his eyes at Meg. “You.”

She raised the hand with the earplugs as if in surrender, but Declan saw the device in her other next to her side, ready to fire. “Yes, me,” she said quietly. “There’s a hostage situation in there.” She pointed at the bullpen. “I need you to turn around and go back where you came from. We’re handling it.”

His attention darted toward the windows, and he started to lower his weapon, but then his gaze flicked back to her and snagged on her half-hidden weapon that looked exactly like a handgun. Without hesitation, he raised his gun and…

Declan tackled Meg as he saw the man’s finger squeeze the trigger.

The shot cracked through the air, whizzing past Declan’s head as he slammed Meg to the floor. The bullet pinged off the elevator door, and shouts erupted inside the bullpen.

No need for quiet or stealth now. In one swift movement, he palmed his sidearm and shot the man in the knee.

The guard screamed and fell to the ground, gripping his leg and cursing. His weapon hit the ground and spun a few feet away.

Meg leaped to her feet, retrieving the weapon and pocketing it. Next, she snatched up the fallen earplugs and stuck them in her ear. I warned you,” she grumbled, staring down at him. “Wrap your tie around it to stop the bleeding. You’ll be fine.”

“He fucking shot me!” the man yelled.

Declan gestured for her to get down again as he chanced a glance into the bullpen. Hagar had spun toward them, gun raised, finger on the trigger. Anderson had scrambled for cover and was nowhere to be seen. Tommy just stood there, frozen.

Stupid kid.

Not a kid, he told himself. But still an idiot for all his swagger and fake confidence.

Hagar’s goons rushed for them, AK-15s aimed at the windows. Declan ducked and waved Meg toward the stairs. “Abort!”

“No,” she said and grabbed the handle of the door.

He knew what she was about to do, and he cursed under his breath but raised his gun and fell into step right behind her, bringing it up under her raised arm as he rested a hand on her waist.

It was a move they had perfected in Switzerland three years ago, and he still loved its beauty, its simplicity.

In sync once more, she launched herself through the door.

THIRTEEN

She fired.

Dec fired.

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