Page 5 of Legacy's Call

“I’ll give it up when I get my deal.” The man lifted his shoulders and chin defiantly.

Ronan dropped into a squat in front of the man. “Mr. Tillman, you’ll give me the information now, or I’ll open that door”—he pointed to the access hatch on the side of the plane—“and toss your ass out of this plane. From this altitude, you’ll freeze and shatter when you hit the ground, as will anything you have on you. We don’t care ifweget the information you stole. We only care thattheydon’t.”

“What if it isn’t on me?” the man sneered.

Ronan looked from him to the young men with him. “Then it’s with them. Same process, just three bloody ice chunks instead of one.” He extended his hand. “Now.”

Jack stared at him for a long moment. Ronan’s expression didn’t change. With idiots like that, onemust let them process their escape routes to see there was no way out.

“You wouldn’t.” That was what he finally came up with. How eloquent.

Not entirely surprised, Ronan stood up. “Boys, strap in.”

His team rushed to seats and started to strap in. “Wait, you can’t be serious.” Jack laughed. “You’ll suck everyone out of this bay if you open that door.”

Ronan laughed. “You’ve been watching too much television, Jack. How the fuck do you think we jump from high altitudes.” He pointed to a harness system above them. “We’re going to be fine. On the other hand, you and your boys will take a flying leap without a parachute.”

Ronan pulled the harness down and hooked it to the line that ran from one side of the bay to the other. “Which one gets to go first?”

“Dad, give him the information,” Brandon said.

“Dad?” Ronan smiled. “That’s so sweet. These your boys?” Ronan pointed from one to the other.

Jack stared daggers at his son and then back at Ronan. “You won’t do it.”

“Okay. Come on, Brandon.” Ronan unlatched Brandon’s seat harness and pulled him up by thecollar. Pissing himself, the young man tried to get away from the hold Ronan had on him. “Dad!”

Ronan dragged the man across the bay. He saw the way the older couple looked at him. Having not heard the conversation, they had no idea what Ronan was doing. He hit the latch light, letting the pilots know he wanted to open the door. The crew chief came out of the flight deck. Ronan looked up at the man standing on the second-story landing. The crew chief looked from Ronan to the guy in his grip. Ronan used sign language:

“All clear. Making a point.”

The crew chief gave Ronan a thumbs-up, walked back into the flight deck, and shut the door.

Brandon screamed at his father as Ronan hit the jump light. It would cycle from red to yellow to green, but it wouldn’t open the door. Brandon begged and pleaded with his father.

Ronan had no intention of throwing the man out of the plane, but he’d fake it until that bastard gave up the information he was after.

The light went from red to yellow, and Ronan made his last play. He moved in front of the door and grabbed the lever that would open the hatch if he lifted it.

Jack unbuckled his harness and pulled off hisboot. “Here it is!” He threw the boot at Ronan. Wraith was out of his seat in a heartbeat to grab the boot. He checked it over and shook his head no.

When Ronan grabbed the lever again, Jack screamed, “It’s under the insole in the heel!”

Wraith pulled out the insole and looked in. He reached into the boot and worked a bit before pulling out an SD card and holding it up between two fingers. Ronan pushed Brandon back toward his father then took the card from Wraith and walked back over to Tillman. “You’re damn lucky you started your blackmail before that piece of shit ISIS remnant took you hostage.”

Tillman didn’t say a word. There was no bravado or begging. Ronan lifted the card. “If this isn’t real, I’ll be right back here. You’ll be the first one out that door this time, and they’ll follow you.” Tillman’s eyes narrowed, but he held his tongue.

“Fucking father of the year material right there,” Jug said over the comms. Ignoring the comment, Ronan gave the chip to Stryker. “Get this to Dude.”

“Rog-o.” Stryker took the card and headed to where his gear was stowed. When he wasn’t being used as a medic, he ran their comms. Tonight, he was the only one with a secure satellite link on his computer system.

“Dude, you have incoming,” Stryker said when he inserted the disk.

“Roger.” Dude acknowledged.

Ronan sat down beside Wraith, who was away from the others. “He has a copy.”

Wraith nodded in agreement.

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