Page 24 of Stone
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Rounds of gunfire ensued, more people dropping. Maddox shoved me out of the way just before I was shot.
With more light in the building, it was easier to see what the fuck we were doing. Yet shadows were everywhere.
Four more were down. We kept going, racing up two flights of stairs.
“Look out!” Kage yelled.
I reacted instantly, kicking the gunman in the gut. As he toppled backward, his back hitting the metal railing, I issued another brutal kick. He went flying over the railing, crashing into the concrete floor below.
The end of the hallway was in sight. I powered in front, running at full speed while shifting the rifle back and forth.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Three more came at us.
Three more went down.
“Fuck!” Kage snarled as he was pitched against the wall, immediately grabbing his shoulder.
“You’re hit,” I snarled.
“Flesh wound. Go!”
There were no other soldiers guarding the doorway, but I knew better than to think we were in the clear.
The three of us moved to the entrance, ready to rush in together.
I gave the nod and we moved inside. As I’d expected, another soldier remained inside the room guarding Dani, the barrel of his handgun placed against her temple.
Another flash of memory almost became debilitating, the nightmare of a single mission haunting me to this day. I shook it off, allowing the anger and bitterness to take its place. Now wasn’t time to reminisce. I had to get her out of here.
The shock of recognition drove a stake through my heart. Instantly, her eyes were filled with tears, which she blinked away.
I was so fucking torn for a few seconds I couldn’t think straight.
Kage was forced to push against me as a reminder we weren’t out of the woods yet. Her expression was full of tension and fear. Seeing the bruise on her face nearly tore me apart. She was shaking, shifting in the chair until the asshole growled for her to stop moving.
“You came,” she managed.
“Course I did,” I told her and moved further inside, taking my time doing so. Kage and Maddox flanked my sides, moving further away.
“Posez votre arme,” I ordered the man in French, telling him to put the gun down.
He snickered, barely giving me a look.
Dani shifted, her lower lip quivering as the asshole shoved the metal into her head. Rage instantly tore through me. I watched him carefully. The fucker had nothing to lose at this point, but knew we did.
The moment his finger holding the trigger twitched, I reacted without thinking and without hesitation.
I pulled the trigger.
As his body slumped to the floor, she yelped and began struggling with the bindings.
In two long strides, I was by her side. “It’s okay, Dani. I’m here. You’re safe now.” I grabbed my knife, immediately cutting the rope holding her wrists together. As I moved to her ankles, which had been secured to the legs of the metal chair, she sucked in her breath.
“How? Why are you here?”
