Page 95 of Ground Truth

Too close.

He lunged forward to cover the last three feet of distance and landed with all his weight on the exit bar that crossed the glass door.

The entire heavy framed door pushed open.

Flint inhaled fresh air deep into his gasping lungs and kept moving, scanning the lot.

He spotted Drake off to the right near a palm tree.

Drake stood holding Brand’s head against the hot steel of the sedan’s trunk, arms pinned behind his back. Brand had stopped struggling. He must have realized he was no match for Drake in size or skill set.

If the guards kept coming, they’d be closing in fast behind Flint. He had a short hot moment to act.

He dashed to Drake’s side, still gasping for air.

“Glock,” he demanded breathily.

Drake turned his body to reveal Flint’s pistol poking out of the back pocket of his jeans. Flint grabbed the pistol and turned toward the exit door, setting his shooter’s stance and taking aim.

When the glass door flew open, Flint steadied his weapon and fired.

Two shots.

Two more.

Center mass.

Hedinger’s two goons dropped like heavy punching bags that had been cut loose from the rope holding them up from the top. The short one hit the ground first. The lanky one landed on top of him.

Neither guard had been wearing body armor.

They were making no effort to get up. No moaning, either. No breathing.

They were both dead.

Hubris. Just like he’d thought.

Both bodies blocked the doorway exit.

No one else could come through the door.

He didn’t pause to gloat.

“Throw Brand in the trunk. I’ll clean out the Vespas.” Flint rapid-fired the instructions and Drake followed through.

Flint emptied the Vespas’ storage of the evidence they’d gathered so far and the equipment they’d need to escape Atabei.

Before they left Houston, Scarlett had insisted they make a plan B. Flint had had no desire to argue, so they’d done as she demanded.

Which was a good thing.

Not that he’d ever let her know it.

The original plan—to take the construction crew transport flight back to Miami—would have worked if things had unfolded differently.

Now that shots had been fired and three of Hedinger’s goons plus the hospital CEO were dead, flying back to Miami with the construction crew at the end of the workday was no longer a viable option.

Hedinger was three men down. Plus Brand and the woman. With any luck, he wouldn’t be able to replenish his team quickly enough.

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