Page 40 of Digit's Deflection
“You don’t truly believe we’re going to just let you walk out of this building, do you, Armatrout?” Knight’s tone is goading, deliberately so I’m guessing.
Armatrout’s fuse is short, and he’s quick to anger. Which is the perfect space to get him into. He’s careless and reckless when angry. He’s also far more unpredictable and, therefore, more dangerous then.
But I’m guessing Knight’s hoping to capitalize on the careless and reckless side of the man in this instance.
Armatrout gives a rather inelegant snort. “And how exactly are you intending on stopping me, my good man? You’re at a bit of a disadvantage, wouldn’t you agree?”
Finally, the man moves into sight and, immediately, I want to wipe the arrogant smirk he’s directing at Knight right off his smarmy face. Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye, I look back over at Scooter and see him holding up three fingers.
I nod my understanding that we’re to move on three. He then gestures toward me and shows me to go to the right when goingthrough the door – he’ll take the left. He draws his weapon with one hand and holds three fingers up again, with the other.
Counting down, on three he rushes the door, weapon aimed at Armatrout. I follow behind, weapon sweeping the room at large, my eyes tracking for movement.
“Not nearly the disadvantage you anticipated; I think.” Knight’s sarcastic rejoinder is met with a sneer.
“Please. Your stupid little friends don’t make an iota of difference.” He bares his teeth in a parody of a smile.
“Oh, I think you’d be surprised at just how much of a difference they do make.”
Tension is like a living, breathing presence in the room, and you can see Armatrout’s calm façade crack.
He moves to stand in front of Knight, just out of arm’s reach. He may be all kinds of crazy, but he isn’t stupid. Wouldn’t make it far in this business if he was, I guess.
“You know, Kane, I’m seriously tired of your constant meddling. Between you and your bitch, I don’t know which one of you’s been a bigger pain in my ass.”
I can see Knight’s entire body lock from where I’m standing. Unfortunately, so does Armatrout who, smelling blood, goes in for the kill.
“Although, seems out sweet little Indigo doesn’t give a rat’s ass whether you or Dear Daddy lives or dies, since she couldn’t be bothered to respond to her messages.” There’s a beat of silence, while Knight gives him a second to gloat. Then volley’s back.
A sound comes from the commander and a weird look flashes across his face. I don’t know what it’s about, but it seems as if something’s upset the man, more than he already was.
“Yeah, you’d be forgiven for thinking that, since we intercepted them all and she’s not seen a single one. Didn’t think we were going to leave her vulnerable and open to your sickgames, did you?” A muscle twitches in Armatrout’s jaw. This round’s point goes to Knight.
“We know you were hoping she’d be foolish enough to offer herself up ‘in exchange for’ her dad. But we all know you had no intention of honoring that offer. So we ensured that there’d be no way for her to communicate with you.”
“You fucking arrogant prick—” Armatrout’s words stop abruptly as he whirls away, breathing hard and working harder to get that notorious temper under control. His hands are clenched so tightly, I’m surprised he hasn’t snapped a tendon.
“Arrogant, maybe, but wise to your kind and the twisted games you play for the sheer hell of it. For the love of watching people suffer. I may be arrogant, but I’d take that over being a psychopath any day.” Knight’s words have the intended effect.
Grabbing a weapon out of the hand of one of his two men in the room with us, he walks up to Knight and presses the barrel against the skin of his forehead.
“I could blow your fucking head off right where you’re standing.”
“You could, yes, but then where would be the fun in that? You can’t make me suffer by watching you hurt the commander if I’m dead, now can you?”
Knight shifts ever so slightly, and Armatrout steps back, once again out of arm’s reach. I’ll give him his due, his sense of self-preservation is strong. He knows Knight would snap him like a twig, given the slightest opportunity.
My heart about stops beating in my chest when my team leader takes a couple steps toward the commander, who continues to watch the goings on without so much as a word. The only sound he’s made to this point is the strange little growl earlier. Armatrout and his other armed henchman bring their weapons to bear on Knight, who then stops, his arms up.
It takes me a second to realize he’s set it up that Scooter and I are now behind everyone else in the room, because they’ve all turned toward Knight. Well played, Boss Man. Well played.
In the space of a heartbeat, we strike with deadly accuracy. Without a sound, Scooter drops the guard to the floor, while I get Armatrout in a headlock, weapon pressed to his temple.
The man drops his weapon and raises his hands in the air. Maverick, closest to us, kicks the gun out of reach.
“Well, I guess that’s what’s known as checkmate in chess, wouldn’t you agree, Armatrout?”
“Go fuck yourself, Kane.” The man’s face twists into an ugly grimace, the light of madness igniting in his eyes. “I will see every last one of you dead before this is all over.”
