Page 124 of Coup De Grâce
“It’ll hold,” he assured me. “And I got the best of the best for you. I swear, I wouldn’t let you plummet to the ground like a pancake.”
I nodded, feeling a little reassured.
“I mean, unless you release too soon. Then that’s not on me.”
He just had to open his fucking mouth. I gritted my teeth, reminding myself that I was not going to kill anyone today. Well, not any of my teammates.
“You’ve got this, boss.” Rae grinned at me, looking a tad too enthusiastic about all this.
When I turned to IKE, hoping he would be the voice of reason, he had the same shit-eating grin on his face. “This is gonna be good. You’re gonna be a legend.”
“That was not what I wanted to hear.”
He frowned, “That’s exactly what I would want to hear on a job like this.”
Somehow, we had very different feelings about this. Probably because none of them were going to jump off a building and then try not to die a very painful death.
“You know, boss,” Rae whispered. “If it makes you feel any better, if by chance anything happens, it’ll be a few seconds of sheer terror followed by a very quick death.” She squeezed my shoulder and winked at me as she stepped back.
I wasn’t sure how the fuck that was going to make me feel better, but as they all backed away from me, I knew there was no more time to contemplate what might happen.
I faced the edge of the building, taking in the distance I would need to run to gain enough speed. I could do this. I would do this. They did it in the movie and Tom Cruise did, like, all his stunts. It would be good.
“You checked the length, right?” IKE muttered behind me.
“Of course I did,” Slider retorted.
I didn’t wait another second. I took off at a dead run, ignoring the pain throbbing in my leg, and then I leapt from the building, catapulting my body through the air as my legs and arms pinwheeled.
Then I was flying. Air pricked at my eyes, drying them instantly. My heart ceased to beat in my chest as I arced through the sky high above the insanity of the city below.
Two people turned in the opposite building, gaping at me as I soared toward them. I gave a slight wave just before I ran out of line and was jerked backward. My eyes widened as I was suddenly swinging in the opposite direction, dipping low as my momentum swung me toward the other building.
Air licked at my skin, burning it with the intensity of how fast I was moving. I kept my arms tucked in, sure I would move with better speed, and that meant I was less likely to plummet to my death.
Right?
My body started arcing back into the sky as the line ran out again. This time, I was soaring above the building with the sniper’s nest. My fingers found the carabiner, readying to release me.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I shouted, though the words didn’t actually leave my lips.
As I started to swing back, I pushed the carabiner to release me, but nothing happened. Panic shot through me as I twisted and found the release again, this time unlatching myself.
The roof came up all too quickly, but I was at the edge. I wasn’t going to make it. “Fuck!” I shouted, holding out my hand to snatch the edge of the roof. I barely gripped it as my arm jerked painfully, tearing my shoulder from the socket.
My fingers were slipping, barely holding the edge, but I somehow managed to shift my weight enough to grip the top of the building with my other hand. Digging my feet into the side of the building, I shifted one inch at a time until I hoisted myself up enough to climb over the edge.
Rolling onto my back, I stared up at the sky as the noise from all around me came rushing back with an intensity that was overwhelming. I almost died.
Again.
I was gonna kill Slider.
Air whooshed into my lungs as I worked to regain the feeling in my body. I could do this. I was here. All I had to do now was finish the job.
If only my legs would function. Jelly…my whole fucking body was like jelly right now. I breathed hard, focusing on not passing out from the sheer intensity of it all. I could do this.
I rolled over, shoving to my feet, but almost fell. Dizziness washed over me. Yeah, I was not made for Mission Impossible. Sucking in a deep breath, I focused on the job at hand. Get to the other side of the roof and take out Iron. Easy peasy, right?
