Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
“Again? How’d you get another ace?”
Molly grinned and swooped up the cards they’d laid on the table. “Really, Viper. I think you’re trying to let me win at this point.”
“It’s a good thing we’re not playing for money.” He reached for his second cup of coffee.
“Well, I guess so, since you said ‘Hit’ when you were at eighteen.”
“You would’ve won anyway.”
She sighed and lifted her gaze to the clock on the microwave. It’d been almost two hours since the guys left, and she didn’t have another card game in her.
“Sorry, Molly. They’re probably just getting there now. We’ve got a while to wait.”
She nodded, forcing back the rush of emotion moistening her eyes. “How long does this type of thing usually take?”
He took a long sip, and his eyebrows met over the top of his nose. “Hell,” he finally answered. “There’s a lot of variables. Rogue just got word of where Rex is hiding so they haven’t had much time to get intel.”
“Kat’s place?” The memory of Viper mentioning the other woman, Cinnamon, made her stomach ball into knots. She wasn’t the jealous type, but until she had more information about the situation—directly from Atlas—she’d be a little on edge.
“Yeah.” He sipped again.
“How did you find out where she lives?”
He grinned. “Rogue found Damian again—the guy waiting outside your apartment the other night. We brought him in for another round of questions this morning and lo and behold, he had an address for us.”
Wow. “That came together.”
“Usually does. One piece at a time. How ’bout I teach you a game of poker?”
She wrinkled her nose and placed the cards back on the table. “I’m not sure I have the capacity to learn something new right now. I’m too nervous.”
“All right.” He picked up the deck of cards. “Name your game.”
She grinned. “Why mess with a good thing? Blackjack.”
He rolled his eyes and shuffled the deck. She propped her chin on her hand. At least kicking Viper’s ass at cards wasn’t boring.
“How many?” Atlas kept his gaze on his scope. He was staring at Kat’s property. Watching Rex fuck the woman in her pool made his skin crawl more than the hissing of the critters coming from the jungle floor at his knees.
Rex finished thrusting then rolled away from the woman with long red hair. He leaned his elbows on the edge of the pool. At the moment, the two were alone. Five minutes and fifteen thrusts earlier, there’d been three guards in the pool area. Rex had sent them away.
Rogue was still gathering drone footage, otherwise they would have gone in minutes ago.
“Looks like three more inside, plus three smoking at the front of the house.”
“Five against six,” Wraith said. “Damn good odds if ya ask me.”
Urgency filled Atlas’s veins with ice. They were so fucking close to ending this. To wrapping up the job, getting Molly safe, and going home.
“Bringing the drone in. Let’s get that sonofa—”
The rumble of a motor sounded in the distance. The hair on the back of Atlas’s neck jumped to attention. He swiveled his gaze to his boss. Rogue’s mouth hardened. Sweat dotted his brow.
He turned the tablet to Atlas. He watched on the screen as a large jeep rolled up the road running parallel to where they were staked out. Another one was right behind it. Both vehicles pulled into the driveway, and a bunch of men jumped out of both.
Dread wrapped his vocal cords in a death grip.
“Who the fuck is that?” Wraith spat, snatching the tablet from Rogue. “There’s eight more hostiles. Fourteen total.”
Atlas dragged his palm over his face, pulling the sweat off his pores but leaving the anxiety.
He looked at Rogue again. He’d seen his friend pissed. Seen him unsure. Never had he seen him nervous.
“Were we spotted?” Havoc asked.
“Nah,” Wraith said. “They’re geared up, though.”
“They must be expecting us.” Even as Atlas spoke the words, he wanted to deny them. They’d been so goddamn careful except for one thing. Only one person could’ve done this.
“The stripper,” Rogue growled. His menacing gaze shifted to the pool, where Kat let out a squeal of laughter.
“Had to be,” Wraith said. “She tipped us off. Knew we’d find the place, then alerted Rex.”
Atlas stood, letting out a sigh. “Doesn’t matter. This ends now.”
“Copy,” Rogue said brusquely.
The team moved in to stand in a tight circle. “Reaper, Atlas, and I will push out early,” Rogue said. “Wraith and Havoc, you come in behind us. We’ll close in on the pool and secure the target.”
Wraith nodded. “Got your six.”
“Test,” Reaper said, and everyone checked their earpiece.
Rogue moved forward to a break in the trees, his fist held up at a ninety-degree angle. The pool sat fifty yards away. A three-foot high cement wall circled the perimeter of the backyard, boxing in the pool and lounge area.
Rex stood. He wore red swim shorts, and a cigar dangled out of his mouth. Kat stretched out naked on a lounger.
“Move,” Rogue commanded.
They rushed forward. Atlas kept his gun trained ahead, one eye watching the east side of the dwelling, where the guards had disappeared moments before. Twigs snapped beneath his boots and large ferns brushed against his sleeves. He ducked and dodged around the swaying foliage.
Rex laughed loudly and pinched Kat’s nipple.
Christ, he wanted to blow the fucker’s hand right off. The creepy bastard who’d threatened Molly. Who’d tried to kill her. Rage filled him. He forced away the impulse to step out of line.
To end Rex.
They got closer, traveling in a V formation. Movement on his right made him swivel his head. “Hostiles three o’clock. On your go.”
“Go,” Rogue said immediately.
Atlas pulled the trigger and hit one of the guards between the eyes. Clean shot. His two friends frantically turned toward where the shots had been fired, but Atlas was faster. He got one of the guys in the shoulder and the third threw himself behind the house for cover.
Kat screamed and raced for the sliding door, a towel now wrapped around her.
Rex stood firm, his old but fit body vibrating on the spot. The bastard knew they wanted him alive. He was worth too much.
Ten yards before the wall, Rogue slowed and held up his hand. Right now, they were still out of view due to the thick foliage.
“Come and get me!” Rex shouted. A laugh followed. He spread his arms wide and turned in a big circle as if he were king shit on turd island. Only the wall and the pool separated them.
“Lemme just put a bullet in his brain and call it a day,” Atlas murmured to Rogue.
“No. Spread out.”
Atlas veered right and Wraith left.
He moved quickly, getting closer to the property. As if on cue, the remaining eleven men rushed into the fight—four from the west, five from the sliding door of the house, and two from the east. Atlas reached the cement wall and ducked low. A large fern shielded him.
From where he knelt, he could see the east corner of the house and the driveway, which held two sedans and three heavy-duty jeeps.
The guards formed a circle around the half-naked asshat. A flash of red moved among the tangle of cargo-covered legs.
“Come on out!” Rex taunted. “No one’s gonna hurt you.” He let out another laugh.
Atlas dipped his head to the scope and narrowed in on one of the guards pointing at the jungle in Rogue’s direction. “Target in sight.”
“Hold fire. Wraith, prepare to throw.”
“Frag ready.”
Atlas froze, waiting for the drop.
“Shoot!” screamed Rex. “Just shoot the whole fucking jungle up!” He pumped his arm in the air.
His men obeyed.
Eleven guards unloaded bullets into the foliage. The clap of gunfire echoed over the trees.
Atlas stayed low. Bullets strayed in his direction, smacking into bark and tearing through tree branches.
“Wraith, go!” Rogue yelled, his order punching through the background noise of war.
“Incoming!” Wraith warned.
The sharp cling of metal on cement followed.
Atlas covered his head.
Kaboom!
The blast rocked the ground. Atlas’s shoulder banged into the concrete wall. His ears rang. He lifted his head as a cloud of smoke encased the pool area.
“Move in!” Rogue shouted.
Atlas leapt over the wall. His blood pressure hit overdrive, his senses firing. His gaze swept the scene as he ran toward the chaos.
Men screamed. Two were on the ground, their bodies mangled. A few others jumped in the pool to put out the flames licking their clothes.
Atlas locked his gaze on a huddle of bodies on the floor near the sliding door. The guards jumped up, pulled Rex to his feet, and ushered him into the house. “Target is inside! Repeat, target is inside!” he bellowed to his team.
“Secure him,” Rogue said.
A glance to his left showed Rogue and Wraith in battle. Gunfire blasted, and they ducked behind the cover of the cement wall.
He needed to head east for the driveway—Rex would try to escape as he had last time. Before he could turn in that direction, a guard rose from his fallen position. His eyes widened, and he pointed his rifle at Atlas’s chest.
Atlas pivoted, aiming for the cocksucker, knowing he was too late. A bullet clapped out behind him and took the shooter to the ground. Blood exploded from the guard’s head before the body hit the cement.
“Got your six.” Havoc’s voice boomed through the earpiece.
Atlas glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “I had him.” He nodded toward the east of the house. “Secure the vehicles.”
“Copy.”
They broke into a run along the length of the house. Atlas dodged a palm tree and rounded the corner right as the front door opened.
“Move, Kat! Goddammit. Only you would sit naked while we’re being attacked.” Rex’s voice carried as he ran out the door under the cover of two guards flanking them.
“Not so fast,” Havoc called, in a singsong voice.
The closest guard wheeled around, and his face met Havoc’s bullet before he could pull the trigger. The second guard ushered Rex and Kat toward the jeep.
Atlas took him out with a bullet through the head. Kat, now wearing a floral silk robe, let out an ear-piercing shriek. Rex yanked open the driver’s-side door, his rapid movement sending Kat to the ground. He flung the vehicle into reverse.
“Take out the tires!” Atlas shouted. He shot at the right and Havoc the left two. Rex’s vehicle careened over the front lawn and backed straight into a tree. Kat’s ridiculous screams filled his ears, but he leapt over her, rushed to the jeep, and flung open the door.
Rex damn near fell into his arms. Blood pooled from a wound on his head, likely from hitting the tree. Atlas seized his bicep, pulled him to the ground, and secured his hands behind his back.
“Rogue, target is secure,” he said calmly into the mic.
“Ma’am,” Havoc said. “No one’s here for you. Least not yet. Quit screaming.” But he secured her wrists with a zip tie, too.
“What’s your status?” Atlas asked his team.
Rogue, Wraith, and Reaper appeared at the corner of the house. Rogue had a cut above his brow, and blood ran down his face. Wraith walked between Rogue and Reaper, who each held an arm around his waist.
They leaned Wraith against the bumper of one of the vehicles not far from where Kat lay on the ground.
Rogue approached Rex. He seized the man by his elbow and hauled him into a sitting position. “Got you. Fucking slimy prick.”
Rex wore a smug smile. “How’s the pretty girl? I heard she wasn’t a fan of swimming.”
In a rush of fury, Atlas booted Rex in the mouth.
Rex let out a pitiful scream, blood oozing from his lips. “You broke my fucking tooth!” he bellowed, spitting remnants to the ground.
“You’re lucky I don’t break your fucking neck.” He bunched his free hand into a fist. The other strangled the handle of his rifle.
Rogue stepped between them, laying a hand on Atlas’s shoulder. “Dude, he’s not worth it. You know we’ve gotta bring him in.”
He clenched his back teeth. “I know. What do we do with the woman?”
“That’s the thing. I need to talk to you.” He pulled Atlas aside, away from the perps. When they were out of earshot, he turned to face him.
“What’s going on?”
Rogue’s expression was grim. “I’m worried about Wraith. He’s lost a lot of blood, and I suspect his leg’s broken.”
“Fuck.”
“The drive will take too long. We need the chopper.”
Warning shot through Atlas. They’d left the bird in the city because they’d wanted to get in close without the noise of the heli.
“How are we going to get it?”
Rogue sighed. “We need Viper to bring it.”
“And what about Molly?” he snapped.
“Rex is caught. He can’t call anyone. Can’t arrange shit. I don’t think she’ll be in danger. It’ll be a couple of hours max. You take the chopper back with Wraith, Viper, and Reaper. I’ll drive with Havoc and our captives. If anything, you’ll get back to her sooner.”
Some of the heat left his face. He nodded slowly. He hated the idea, but Rogue was right. Even if Rex had more men he could send after Molly, he didn’t have use of a phone. And if Atlas could get back to her sooner, there was even less risk. “All right.”
Rogue nodded once. “Call her. Tell her the plan. I’ll have Viper roll out.”