Page 57 of Ending the Game

“She’s got nothing to do with this, Axe.” Cooper’s voice is casual, like he’s not bargaining for our lives. “Let her go. We can work it out between us.”

“I. Need. The. Flash drive,” Axel roars, and I tremble, not sure how I’m still standing. “My life means nothing without it. Give it to me, and I leave. Give it to me, and this ends. We all walk away.”

Cooper’s shoulders drop, deflating. I pray Axel doesn’t see the tiny difference in him. “I don’t have it.”

Oh, God. No.

“What the fuck do you mean you don’t have it?” Axel explodes as he wraps an arm tightly across my chest. “Where is it?”

Cooper’s trying to reason with him, but I think Axel’s past the point of reasoning.

The gun presses even tighter against my skull, and I wince in pain.

Blood pounds in my ears, and my body shakes as silent tears continue to fall.

At least he knows I love him.

“It’s a few hours north of here. One of Rook’s brothers has it. Take me. I’ll bring you to him. We’ll go get it together. Just leave her out of this.” Cooper inches forward, continuing to remain calm even as Axel’s composure breaks.

“No, Cooper.” My heart pounds out of my chest. I refuse to trade his life for mine and let him get in the car with this killer. I refuse to let him die. “Don’t leave.”

Cooper’s eyes flare with anger and apprehension.

“Listen to your girl, Sinclair. She’s smarter than you. I’m not about to let you walk me into a trap.” Axel’s shaking hand rubs against my body, and I freeze. “Fuck. Fuck! This wasn’t supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen this way.”

Cooper’s eyes grow wide with Axel’s words, and all the regret of this past year drowns me when I realize this could be it...

Axel’s wordstrigger my memory, and it comes back to me like a flash-bang.

“Disable the last car” is ordered. I don’t hesitate before taking out their tires.

“Are we taking out the others?” I ask, then look over at Axel, who’s been strangely quiet. “Axe, man. You with me?”

He doesn’t answer right away.

“Axel,” I yell. “You okay, brother?”

“Fuck. Fuck! This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Axel isn’t making any sense. “Fuck, Linc. Let her go.”

Ford is fighting a losing battle on the ground, trying to calm everyone down when the first gunshot is fired from the terrorists’ second vehicle.

Linc secures Saylor and takes cover to return fire. Our team is in a standoff, and Axe and I are supposed to be covering them.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Linc go down. But the angle of the shot... it’s wrong.

I shift to look at Axel.

He’s already on his feet, coming my way.

His rifle is on the rooftop, and his handgun is pointed at me.

“What did you do?” I look up at him from my position, not believing what I just saw.

A small electronic device falls from his pocket, and I grab it, shoving it in mine.

“I’m gonna need you to give that back to me, Sinclair.” Axe points his gun at my head, and I sweep my leg out and up, taking him down at the ankles. He falls backward and pulls his trigger.

Red-hot heat tears through my body a second before the building collapses.

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