Page 48 of Mortify

That's when I hear it through the gunfire—engines starting outside.

Not bikes. Vehicles.

"They're tryin’ to leave!" someone shouts through comms.

Sounds like Dag.

I peer out a window, see two SUVs tearing away from the back of the property.

Dark vehicles, no plates visible. Has to be the Patriot making his escape while we're busy with his security.

"I've got vehicles escaping," I holler over the comms. "North side, heading for the tree line."

"Let them go," Runes orders, but I can hear the frustration in his voice. "Finish clearing the buildings. We can't chase and clear at the same time."

But every instinct screams to pursue them, to hunt them down like the wild dogs they are.

We're letting him slip away again, letting him regroup, plan more attacks on our families.

This was supposed to end tonight.

Rati appears with his shotgun, takes the door off its hinges.

The room beyond erupts in gunfire.

I hear him grunt, see him stagger back, blood spreading across his torso.

"Rati's hit!"

Magnus and I push forward, laying down fire while Emil drags Rati to cover.

Blood spreads across his cut—looks like it caught him just below his bullet proof vest.

Bad spot. Real bad.

"I'm good," Rati grits out, but his face is pale, going gray at the edges. "Just finish this."

"Like hell you're good," Emil snarls, already ripping open a first aid kit. "Aesir! Get up here!"

The remaining hostiles don't last long.

Cornered men fight hard, but we fight harder.

When the smoke clears, the house is ours.

Bodies scattered across the upper floor, blood soaking into cheap carpet.

"House clear," Fenrir reports.

"Barn clear," Tor adds. "Found enough fentanyl to kill half the state. And... fuck. We got trafficking victims here. Six women, locked in the back. They're in bad shape."

"Secure them," Runes orders. "Aesir, soon as you're done with Rati, check them out. Vanir, call that contact at the shelter,the one who helped with—" He doesn't finish, but we know. The one who helped when we found trafficking victims before.

I help stabilize Rati while Aesir works on him.

The bullet went through, but we don’t know if it hit anything vital, but he's losing blood fast.

Entry wound's small, but the exit... fuck.

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