Page 70 of Duplicity

The team would see them hurtling down the lane up to the spa with the gunmen in pursuit. But it wouldn’t hurt to make sure. Simon got on the radio. “All positions, this is Zero-One. We are approaching the front of the building while being pursued by armed assailants. Assistance required.”

“Copy that.” It sounded like Jasper. “On our way.”

Jasper gave a series of orders, splitting the team between continuing the search and breaking off to help back them up. Hopefully, it wouldn’t interfere with their operation. A few red dots moved away from the collection of the others. A few more were scattered throughout the building.

Cat hit the button for her window.

The van slowed, and she turned, brought her gun arm around, and squeezed off shots. Two. Three. Four. Would she empty her clip?

Her body jerked, and she slumped back, leaning over the emergency break between the front seats. The van continued to roll forward.

“Cat!” He scrambled toward her.

The doors opened behind him, but Simon ignored them. Blood. Where was the blood on her? She’d already been injured. She didn’t need this.

“Freeze!”

He didn’t listen. Simon turned her shoulders and saw a gaping wound bleeding badly, high on her right arm.

Someone grabbed the back of his belt.

He lost his balance and landed on his back on the metal floor of the van. A gun barrel settled in front of his face. It was all he could see. A low voice said, “You’re coming with us.”

“No—”

The gun came down and slammed into his temple. Pain exploded as his skull slammed between the metal floor of the van and the solid metal of the gun.

“You’re coming with us.” The man grabbed his shirt and used it as leverage to get a grip on Simon and slide him across the floor. He tossed Simon through the air. Out of the van.

He landed on his back on the asphalt and cried out.

Stars blinked overhead. He saw stars.Cat.She wasn’t dead. She couldn’t be. It had only been an arm wound, right? The van continued to roll slowly away from him.

“Get him in the car.”

They hauled Simon up. He couldn’t control his limbs, even while his mind screamed at them. There was nothing he could do to fight it. He had no power to stop them. He landed on the scratchy carpet of the trunk.

The lid slammed over him.

Under him, the vehicle revved, and they set off. His body rolled against the side.Lord.This time, he did know what to say.

Help.

He needed a way for Peter to find him. Simon shifted, which hurt a lot in the enclosed space. He had plenty of bruises by now, but they weren’t worse than the gunshot Cat had suffered. At least she wasn’t in here with him.

He dug out his phone to call Peter and…

The screen was shattered.

He hit the power button.

Nothing happened.

It was dead, and most likely, so was he.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Cat sat up, reaching for the steering wheel to pull herself up. She cried out. The door behind her opened.

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