Page 38 of Ground Zero

Mike announces, "Target secure."

Nina responds, ”Roger that."

I answer, “Copy that.”

As I climb down from my perch, the sun is just breaking the horizon. Dirk and Hardcore pull up. They were stationed outside the perimeter and had comms, so they heard the entire takedown. I wait for them, and we enter the house without speaking.

Lucifer and Batman are stationed at each of the doorways. I speak to Luce when we walk by, "Good job, buddy! You still got it."

I glance into the bedroom to see Zane, Justin, Mike, and Jocko with the seven victims. Dirk and I pass by, but Hardcore sticks his head inside. He asks, "Is Bee in here?"

Justin answers, "She's in the other room."

Several women take him, "Thank you!"

In the living room, we find the live perps in handcuffs, kneeling on the floor with their dead accomplices blocking their escape. Jack and Brody guard them, and Dirk and I walk over to where they stand.

They aren't watching the men. They are watching the woman sitting in a straight back kitchen chair, squalling her eyes out, rocking back and forth, mumbling incoherently.

I nod toward her, "Bee?"

Brody nods and says, "She's unstable. Strung out on something. Probably meth. Could be hallucinating."

Jack says, "Her cheese has slid off her cracker for sure."

Just then, Hardcore enters the room, and the next few seconds play out in slow motion.

He stops and stares at her, wailing. Frowning, he calls her name, "Bee?"

She stops crying and looks at him. Shock and shame play across her face and everyone realizes at the same time that she isn't a victim. She was in on it.

Hardcore takes a step toward her, and his voice is deadly cold. "You had everything, and you choose this? Fuck you!”

Bee pulls a small revolver out from under her shirt and points it at him. Her hand is shaking badly.

Two red dots appear on her forehead. Brody and Jack have their weapon locked on her.

Dirk and I lunge for Hardcore at the same time.

But we are too late.

He charges forward.

A single gunshot breaks the silence.

Bee's body hits the floor.

Nina’s voice asks in my earpiece, “Rocket?”

I respond. “Shot fired. Standby.”

Jack and Brody lower their weapons, and I look at them to see which one just shot our CFO's sister-in-law. Their intense expressions are uncompromising.

Hardcore stops and stares down at Bee's lifeless body. There is no sympathy on his face, and I realize why his nickname is Hardcore. He hooks her with his foot and rolls her over.

Blood colors the hole in her shirt in a circle over her heart.

I key the radio. “Status update. Three dead. Four in custody. Seven hostages safe... One suicide.”

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