Page 70 of Raven's Claw
Which they’d already suspected.He just hated being right.
Kash bypassed that exit and headed for the other, allowing Nyx to take lead — steer him around any other surprises.There were two more hidden wires, but he made it into the adjoining corridor without setting anything off.
The whole building creaked, the howling wind echoing through the hallways.Some kind of motor hummed in the distance, suggesting Tucker had hooked up a generator.Which made sense if he’d been living here for a while.
A hint of movement stopped him cold, Nyx pressing back against his legs.Kash waited, breath held, gun at the ready.He wouldn’t take a lethal shot unless he had no other options.Not until they’d located Jordan.
The floor creaked as a shadow moved beyond the doorway.Slow.Methodical.Disappearing off to the right.Kash shuffled forward, boots silent against the weathered flooring.The scenery dipped a few times, but he pushed through, stopping at the threshold.He drew a breath, then slipped inside and cleared the area, when Nyx backed into him.
He hit the ground, covering her as bullets cut the air, ricocheting off the metal walls — whizzing way too close to his head.He laid down a few cover rounds, grabbed Nyx and retreated back into the other room.
“Hey, Kash.I know that’s you, buddy.”
Kash cursed under his breath.“Tucker?”
“Sorry, Tucker’s not here right now.”
Kash motioned for Nyx to stay then chanced a peek out, hoofing it across the open space for the far wall when Tucker didn’t outright fire on him.If he kept the man focused on him, he could turn him around then spring Nyx on him.Take the guy down without killing him.
Kash moved through the next door, circling to his right.“I’ll assume you’re Icarus.”
“Bravo.You figured it out.I’m impressed.”He laughed, the sound bouncing all over the place.“I’m afraid your teammates are on the other side of the building.I made some modifications over the past month.Installed a few doors so I could isolate different sections.It’ll all be over by the time they double back.”
“Look, Icarus.I don’t want to hurt you.I just need to see Jordan.Make sure she’s okay.”
“She’s been better.But then, bullet wounds tend to leave a mark.”He’d moved off to the left, farther from the doorway.
Kash clenched his jaw, biting back the urge to barrel ahead, guns blazing.But if Tucker really had made modifications, they might need him to find Jordan before she bled out.
Kash cleared the next area, then turned back, that thick feeling between his shoulder blades stronger than before.“Did you shoot Rook, too?”
“The man’s a monster.Always pushing.Never satisfied.Nothing was ever good enough.Except Ember.She’sallhe ever talked about.Be like Ember.Think like Ember.Well, screw Ember!I’m his son.I should have been his favorite.”
Boots scuffed off to Kash’s left.He’d been right.Tucker had backtracked.
Kash inched ahead.“That must have been frustrating.Always being in her shadow.But she was a victim, too.Why do you think she left?”
“To make my life hell!Do you know what Rook did to me when she slipped past me at that compound?”His voice trailed off, a solitary sob sounding in front of Kash.
“Nothing good, I’m sure.”
“She said I could leave.That I’m free.But I’ll never be free… Until I kill everyone.”
He stepped out of the shadows off to Kash’s right, rifle notched in his shoulder.A burst of gunfire preceding each step.
Kash dove to his left, clipping Tucker in the leg before whistling — keeping the man at bay with a few well-placed shots just shy of hitting him but enough to make him retreat.He took two staggering steps back, blood blossoming through his pants, when Nyx hit him full force from behind.
They crashed to the floor, landing hard as Nyx shook her head, yanking on Tucker’s arm — dragging him back.Tucker shouted and kicked then grabbed his knife when Kash called her off.
She released him, circling around to Kash’s left side as Kash stood over Tucker.Feet braced apart.His weapon centered on Tucker’s heart.Even with his head still spinning, the room tilting, he wouldn’t miss.Not this close.
“Where’s Jordan?”
Tucker glared at him, still brandishing the knife, but too far away to get in a viable hit.And Kash would have a bullet through his chest before the man could throw the blade.“Probably already dead.”
“Tell me where.”
“Or what?You’ll kill me?”He laughed.“Looks like your ‘not yet’ is going to be your ‘not ever’.”
