Page 34 of Bound in the Dark

His shoulders were as tight as steel. Was it just the stress of everything or was there something wrong? Fuck it. He hadn't survived this long by ignoring his instincts.

Highdive keyed the mic to the earpieces they were all wearing. "I don't like this. Sharp, Rooster and Grinder peel off, stay back and watch our backs."

Hawk nodded and the three men in question slowed then turned around once the rest of them had passed. A small amount of the tension weighing down his shoulders lifted knowing they would have the extra eyes and guns at their backs. If only they could have gotten Sharp here and set up as overwatch earlier.

Scanning the woods and clearing ahead Highdive didn't see anything out of place. Minetti had two SUVs parked near the truck and five men stationed around the area. They were relaxed, barely even reacting as the Dark Sons seven bikes and Teks' van pulled up. The Italians had the headlights of the vehicles all on which made for easy visibility on the field but killed any possibility of seeing into the surrounding forest.

Tomasso and Tony looked like they were having a heated discussion as they stood by the side of the truck. From what Highdive knew those two had been inseparable since childhood. What could have them at odds?

Hawk gave the signal and Tek pulled around next to the truck. Three Brothers parked their bikes near the SUVs and two circled around to the back of the truck to take up positions.

That left him and Hawk to pull up in front of Minetti. Tomasso looked pissed as he waited for them to approach while Tony looked eager. The man was practically vibrating with a sick kind of glee that had Highdive itching to pull his weapon.

Tomasso gave Hawk a tight smile. "Sorry for the last minute change. Since you insisted at the last minute that I be here Tony thought more discretion was needed so that Petrov couldn't set anything up."

What the hell was he talking about? Tony had been the one who had said after the meeting earlier that Tomasso wanted to meet Hawk. The only last minute changes had been on the Italians' side.

Hawk's eyes narrowed. "That is not how we do business. I didn't ask for you to be here. All we want is the truck. It was your man who said you had intel you wouldn't share until now."

Tomasso looked confused and cold started seeping into Highdive's gut. "Which one of my men? I never said I wanted to meet personally."

The sound of a round being chambered ended the mystery. Tony pressed a gun to the side of Tomasso's head. Movement at the tree line quickly followed. It was hard to get a good count but if Highdive had to guess there were over twenty men now surrounding them with assault rifles.

Options and tactics raced through his mind. Three of them were outside the killing zone but that wouldn't be enough to save everyone. The trucks could be used as cover and they had on body armor but since most of his Brothers were only armed with handguns it would be a bloody fight.

"Tony?" Tomasso managed to put a world of anger and confusion into that name.

"Everyone keep your hands off your weapons or my men out there will start killing to make a point," Tony shouted.

Sharp's whispered voice came over their earpieces. "We've got at least thirty hostiles in play. Grinder and Rooster are circling on foot to see if there are any more hidden and provide support if needed. I'm going to see if I can get to high ground."

Highdive wasn't sure how much help they would be able to give but prayed their haste in coming here tonight wouldn't cost lives.

"You're going to kill us all anyway. Not much incentive not to take you out as well." Hawk's voice was calm.

"What the hell do you hope to accomplish with this, Tony?" Tomasso asked.

"I bring you and the thug to Petrov and I get enough money to keep me in luxury for the rest of my life somewhere your father will never find me. If you both come nicely I'll even let all your men live."

Did the man think they were idiots? There was no way they would let them live. Petrov would kill Hawk and use Tomasso as a hostage right up until the moment he realized his father wouldn't be blackmailed.

Donavan Minetti was a cold bastard that was known to take more comfort in bloody vengeance than the peaceful return of a hostage. Highdive met Hawk's gaze and saw the same knowledge in his eyes. His President gave the hand signal to hold.

"There is nowhere on this planet I won't find you. You were my brother and you threw it away for money?" Tomasso spit.

Tony grabbed Minetti’s arm and pulled him towards the front of the truck while he ranted. "I was never your brother. Your father treated me like I was your lapdog, not family." Hawk gave the signal to ready. The two men were so caught up in their argument they were unaware of anything else.

Tomasso pulled his arm out of Tony’s grip as they got to the hood of the truck. "You're right. A brother wouldn't betray me like this. My father warned me not to trust you. That you had greed and jealousy in your heart. I thought he was being a paranoid fool. But he was right, you are nothing but a coward."

The men from the forest were slowly closing in. Highdive knew Hawk would have to give the signal to act soon if they wanted any hope of being able to take cover and fight back.

Tony raised his gun and pointed it at Tomasso's head. "Maybe I'll just kill you and tell your father Hawk turned on us."

Tony’s head exploded in a fountain of blood and brains followed by the distinctive echo of a high-powered rifle. For a single heartbeat the world seemed to pause before the sound of a second shot kicked everything into high gear.

Highdive grabbed Tomasso and dragged him after Hawk towards the cover between Tek's van and the truck carrying the weapons they could really use right now. Bullets flew through the night pinging off the vehicles.

Two of the enemies close to them crumpled to the ground like puppets with their strings cut. Whoever the hidden sniper was, they were on the Dark Sons' side.

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