Page 98 of Striker

“You tell that sack of shit he’s going to fucking pay!” Rune screams.

I spin, rifle raised, and I see him.

Hunter’s on the ground at Rune's feet, legs sprawled out, blood pooling under his leg. I aim, swinging my rifle up to Rune's face, but men swarm in front of him, blocking him and Hunter from my view.

There’s static and noise in my head. Voices. Reaper cursing, telling me tomove in. Viper next to me, telling me tomove, movebut I can’t seem to drag my feet from where they are planted.

We have to get him.

We have to get our brother.

I have to get to Hunter.

My feet unfreeze and I bolt forward, weapon aimed, following Reaper’s dark form, keeping Rune and his men in my sights.

“Stay back!” Rune screams, and we all freeze. My blood chills.

“Fuck,” Reaper grates from my left and in my earpiece.

“Which one of you fuckers was it?” Rune screams and my stomach bottoms out. Between the press of bodies and guns surrounding Rune and Hunter, I catch the glimpse of a Glock pressed to Hunter’s temple.

“It was me,” Reaper calls out.

Liar, I think just as Hunter screams, “It was me!”

An angry snarl roars from behind the line of soldiers. I aim, considering taking out each one until I can get a clear shotat Rune, but know the second he realizes what I’m doing, he’ll shoot.

God. Please.

I move my finger off the trigger, sweat beading my brow, soaking my mask. I’ve never hesitated before.

But then I’ve never had something I was scared to lose.

“Was it him?” Rune asks. “Didhegive the order to have her killed?”

I shift, trying to get a clear shot and one soldier suddenly shifts, aims, fires.

Pain explodes through my chest as the air punches from my lungs. I hear Hunter’s animalistic scream as I stumble back, landing on my ass.

Fuck.My hand flies up to my chest, sliding over my vest to my shoulder. My pulse quickens as I sit stunned, trying to determine if the pain in my chest is fatal. If I’m about to bleed out.

My finger hits a spot just above my vest and agony shoots through my nerve endings into my brain like an electric bolt.

Reaper appears next to me, and I hear more movement. Shouting. Thepop, pop, popof guns firing. His arm laces around my shoulders and I’m pressed back against his chest.

When did I lie down?

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Reaper rasps, pulling me up, each curse scraping out of him like it’s painful.

“He shot with a hell of a curve,” I say, reaching for my chest again, but my arm feels heavy. “That asshole was a good shot.”

“Almost as good as you,” Reaper says, and I realize I’m sprawled across his lap.

“Get back!” Rune screams. “I’ll fucking shoot him right now!”

“I’ll cut your fucking throat,” Viper screams. “You kill him and I’ll gut you.”

Reaper sits me upright. I grit my teeth, fire shooting through me. I don’t know how the fuck I was hit at that angle, but it’s not clean.

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