Page 115 of Lethal Alliance

We move upstairs amid a pack of Mak’s men, Masha in my arms, Ofelia holding my hand, Dimitry in front of us and Luke behind. The sound of gunfire punches the air as we hasten through the compound, heading for the rear exit that leads down to the dock on Biscayne bay.

We’ve just left the building when all hell breaks loose.

“You need to get to the boat, Roman.”

I don’t need Mak’s voice crackling in my ear to tell me what I can already fucking see.

Men clad in black militia suits are coming at us from every direction on the compound.

There’s a chopper overhead, cutting down our team with precision fire.

And on the water, two rigid-hull inflatable boats are crowding in behind ours, cutting off our escape.

Fedorov might be in Spain, but something tells me he’s still running the show.

“Head to the second exfil point.” Mak’s voice is calm and assured in my ear. “I have backup on the way.”

Mak and I designated a nearby shoreline harbor as an emergency extraction point if shit went south.

And shit has, most definitely, gone fucking south.

“They’d better fucking hurry,” Dimitry mutters, glancing grim faced at me.

“I need to get the girls out of here.” I’m already running at full speed for the trees that separate us from the shoreline harbor.

“Copy that.” Dimitry nods at Luke. “We’ll cover you.” They turn to face the oncoming fire, as more of Mak’s men join them. I race through the trees, pulling Ofelia by the hand, Masha clinging to me tightly.

I have to get them to safety.

Nothing matters more than that. Not Orlov, or Alexei Petrovsky, or whatever shit storm is being unleashed behind me. Nothing matters but making sure the girls get out of here alive.

The shore landing is half a mile from the compound. I’m running it as hard as I can when a shout goes up behind me.

“Over there!”

I glance over my shoulder. There’s a dozen men coming for us, at double our speed.

If I stop to shoot them, we won’t make the shoreline in time. Far worse, I will expose the girls to their gunfire.

Ofelia has seen them too. She turns to me briefly, her already pale face bloodless, eyes wide and terrified.

“We can do it,” I say under my breath, pulling her with me. “We’re nearly there.”

There’s a quarter mile to go, and I can already see where the trees are starting to thin ahead of us.

Ofelia stumbles, and her hand slips from mine. “Roman!”

“Ofelia!” Masha’s scream echoes off the trees.

I halt, tugging Ofelia to her feet. “I won’t leave you. Come on.”

“No!” She tries to stand, but she’s clearly turned an ankle, or worse, because her leg simply crumples beneath her. “I can’t,” she whispers, tears falling down her face. “I can’t stand, Roman.”

“It’s okay.” I’m looking around, trying to find shelter, but the best I can do is a large banyan tree. I pull Ofelia under the root canopy.

“I have to put you down,myshka,” I whisper in Masha’s ear as I lower her down to Ofelia’s waiting arms. “I need you to hide until I come for you, okay?”

Masha nods solemnly, staring at me with wide eyes that break my fucking heart. I strip off my jacket and wrap it around them. “It’s bulletproof,” I say to Ofelia. “Keep it over you both.”

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