Page 3 of Fire and Ice

"That's not a lot of time," Brett, ever the devil's advocate, spoke up.

"How long would it take you to get into your vest and dive into the panic room?" Maia shot back.

"I'm not going in there—claustrophobic," Brett declared.

Before Brett knew what was happening, his ass hit the chair, Maia's palm squarely on his chest.

"Is this some kind of damn joke? You're telling me this now?" Maia snapped furiously. "Listen McCord, it doesn't matter. I'm bundling you into that room whether you like it or not."

"Your manhandling is kinda hot." Brett grinned, wiping the tension momentarily from his face before his shoulders slumped in resignation. "I'm not too claustrophobic."

Maia looked up to the ceiling as if praying for divine intervention.

The SAT phone rang. Viktor.

"Pierce."

"Maia, there are eight hostiles. We've connected three of them to Reznikov."

"What? Reznikov is linked to Vergara?"

"It would appear so. Reznikov may be using Vergara to move the new recreational drug they have developed and isn't too happy with Vergara's impending incarceration." He paused before adding. "Maia, I need to pull you out. It's too dangerous for you."

"No.We're in the home stretch."

"If Reznikov identifies you as the one who burned him in Russia, he'll come for you with all he's got."

Small world.

"I'll ... be ... fine."

"I never should've ..."

"Viktor, damn it, I'll be fine."

"I'll monitor chatter. Keep you posted."

Viktor disconnected.

Well, this bodyguard detail wasn't turning out to be too boring after all.

Four hours later.

"They're 20 clicks out," Lucas crackled through the radio. Ten minutes earlier, two black SUVs had taken the exit to Castle from the main highway.

"Copy that," Maia returned and handed a Kevlar vest to Brett. "Put this on."

Danner skidded into the room, assault rifle cocked nonchalantly on his arm. "Panic room checked. Response team is on its the way."

Maia nodded. "Take McCord into the panic room."

Gunfire erupted and illuminated the courtyard. Lucas and Chavez were in elevated positions on external tower structures, camouflaged by trees, giving them sniper advantage. Manning and Edmunds were providing distracting fire behind the front windows and Danner was guarding the back.

Castle was a ranch-style house sparsely built on five acres of heavily wooded land. It had minimal furnishings and architecture because it kept getting blown up and rebuilt. All the windows were retrofitted with bars so that, even if the glass was broken, people couldn't get in. Unfortunately, unless you had a key, you couldn't get out either. The bars were configured like a gate and were on titanium hinges with a depressed locking mechanism located discreetly at the bottom right. There were two exits, front reinforced double doors and a steel back door located in the kitchen.

"Talk to me guys," Maia spoke over the radio. She was crouched behind a sofa crafted with a bulletproof frame near the entrance leading to the panic room. "How many?"

"Two are down—I think Vergara's foot soldiers. There are eight mercs plus two more foot soldiers. They're hiding behind the SUVs, bulletproof."

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