Chapter 12 #2
That voice inside Neve’s head started whispering again as she walked around the desk and stared at the screen.
Zadie drew her finger along a task bar, the black wedge slowly inching toward the right. “Ramsey’s purging all the files, not just his. Every single one. It’s already at sixty percent.”
Neve tapped the desk. “Can you stop it?”
“It’s locked. With enough time, I could find the key but…”
“But by then, it’ll be too late.”
“Paper trail’s a bust, too. There’s nothing in the folders, but there might be another way.
” Wynn leaned against one of the cabinets.
“Doctors often link copies of their files to a cloud server, in case there’s ever a fire.
If we can find the server, we might be able to retrieve the records that either haven’t synced yet or have been archived. ”
“Where would they keep the server?”
“Somewhere cool. Maybe a surgical ward with blood and other meds that need to be refrigerated.”
“And since Ramsey’s not here, he’s likely looking for it, too. Let’s go.”
Coulter stopped them before they crossed over the threshold. “I doubt Ramsey’s alone, so… Don’t rush into anything, and we all keep our heads on a swivel.”
Scout slapped his shoulder. “Why don’t you lead, tough guy. I don’t mind watching you put on another show like in the scrapyard.”
Neve grinned, schooling her features when Coulter stared back at her.
She nodded and motioned him forward, guarding their six as he moved out, muscles straining against his hoodie as he quickstepped down the hallway, rifle at the ready, his massive form silent across the polished linoleum.
Scout winked at Neve, matching Coulter’s movement step-for-step, looking just as lethal.
They headed deeper into the building, the scent of antiseptic wash gaining strength. The track lighting glowed blue in the darkness, nothing sounding from either direction.
They neared a sliding glass door, a dim light glowing from somewhere inside, when a group of Ramsey’s guys barreled out of a darkened doorway, separating Coulter and Scout.
Neve got off a shot, dropping one asshole, before the others were on them, way too close for more rounds.
She met the attack head-on, dodging a couple strikes before kicking him in the jaw.
The guy staggered back, wiped his mouth, then lunged at her, landing a couple hits, each strike hitting her like a sledgehammer.
She backed up, waiting until he struck — had a grip on her arm — before using his momentum to hike him over her shoulders once she’d dropped.
He landed hard, rolling onto his feet faster than normal, those drugs giving him an edge.
Grunts and scuffs sounded behind her, Coulter yelling at Scout to get down before a shot cut through the noise.
The merc in front of her glanced past her, dividing his attention just long enough for her to grab a knife, throw it at him.
It hit him in the shoulder, knocking him back, arms reeling, boots dragging across the floor. She moved with him, sprinting a few steps before kicking off the wall, palming his shoulder then wrapping her thighs around his head — spinning and shifting her weight, knocking him off-balance.
Her shoulders took the brunt of the hit as they slammed into the floor, pain sparking through her chest as she squeezed her thighs and yanked the knife free with her left hand.
The soldier bucked beneath her, one hand disappearing down his side, and she knew the bastard was scrambling for his own knife.
That all it would take was one strike to her leg, and he’d have the upper hand.
Coulter appeared above them, blood dripping down his chin from a split lip and what looked like a hit to his cheek.
He didn’t wait, simply grabbed the guy’s hand, pried the KA-BAR from his grip before he’d gotten it clear of his sheath, then jabbed it in his thigh — what Neve suspected was the guy’s femoral artery.
The guy screamed, still trying to wrestle free until he went limp, his dead weight nearly crushing her chest before Coulter yanked him up by his vest, dragging him off to one side.
Chest heaving, Neve sucked in a quick breath, everything tilting to the left.
Coulter bodily lifted her and shoved her against the wall, covering her as he swept each direction, the rest of her team stacked in a line in front of her.
She blinked, finally getting the hall to stabilize, when an alarm sounded through the building, a set of steel fire doors slamming shut behind them as the glass doors locked with a resounding click.
A man appeared inside the dimly lit room beyond the glass, walking toward them with a slight swagger.
He stopped a foot away from the doors, his mouth curved into a grin, blood staining his hands up to his wrists.
He wasn’t dressed like the others, instead wearing a black button up and matching black denim.
Ramsey.
Coulter aimed his Sig at the bastard, and Neve knew, even through glass, Coulter wouldn’t miss. “Ramsey.”
Ramsey tilted his head to the side, not even wincing when Coulter fired off three quick rounds, each one creating a spiderweb of cracks in the plexiglass. “I’m afraid it’ll take a lot more than that to break through.”
Coulter fired three more, each hitting the same mark, spreading the cracks the entire width of the door. “Thinking not as much as you hope.”
“Impressive.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re the guy who broke into my facility. Afraid I didn’t get your name.”
“Open the door, and I’ll properly introduce myself.”
Ramsey snorted. “I would but…” He smiled when another one of his men moved in behind him, whispering something Neve couldn’t make out.
“I’ve got other plans. You might want to focus more on getting out before the entire place goes up.
Oh, and I’ve got another team landing in…
” He checked his watch. “Looks like they’re already here. Can’t have any witnesses, now, can I?”
Ramsey took a step back, still smiling when Coulter fired again, chipping the glass but not breaking through.
“Great seeing you again — Neve, isn’t it?
I have to say, I never suspected your team had survived.
” He raked his gaze over them. “Well, most of them. Tell Archer I said hello when you see him on the other side.”
Neve stepped out. “Or, maybe I’ll just let Finch know you failed. Bet he’d be thoroughly disappointed.”
Ramsey laughed. “Finch knows what I want him to know. And I’ll deal with him, when the time’s right. But for now, you’ve got company.” He took another step. “And thanks for showing up. Saved me the trouble of hunting you all down.”
Ramsey turned, sauntering off like a man with nothing but time.
Spinning, Coulter scanned the adjoining hallway, smoke already creeping along the ceiling, the temperature noticeably rising, as footsteps echoed down the corridor.
He edged in front of her, keeping them all pushed against the wall when Fraser rounded the far corner, a handful of men lined up behind him.
The asshole dodged Coulter’s first trigger pull, taking one in the arm without so much as a flinch. He stayed at the edge of the hallway, his voice echoing along the corridor. “Just what I was hoping for. A rematch. The only question is, who do I want to kill first?”