Chapter 16
They were spreading out.Taking alternate tunnels as if they already knew where they all led. And hell, maybe they did. All Walker had was a ratty old map, half-faded from years of hanging on a wall. And it didn’t even show all the different levels or the small, half-hidden storage rooms. Just the broad strokes of where the large sections were located.
He cursed, following the main group. Once he reconnected with Ty, Knox, and Colton, he’d send them down the other tunnels — have them trail the men who’d branched off. But until then, Walker would stay with the pack. Because they were headed straight for Blair.
Not that Blair couldn’t hold her own. She could. And she had Gretta with her, along with Corbin nesting somewhere high. But Walker knew her bastard of a boss had brought at least one agent with him. That, coupled with the ten others who had snuck in the back, meant there was a minimum of a dozen tangos all converging on Blair’s location. And that was a lot for anyone.
Walker would just have to ensure he evened the playing field, a bit. Left Montgomery vulnerable. While the man wielded power through his job, Walker doubted he was that skilled in hand-to-hand. Or that he was half as good as Gretta when it came to marksmanship.
Just Walker’s luck, they’d agreed to use non-lethal force whenever possible. In case not all the men Montgomery had with him were dirty. Were just doing their job. Also, because it was London, and the last thing they needed was an international incident. Even with Leland rallying a group of Interpol agents — making an impromptu JSOG group with Blair as their MI6 counterpart — Walker and his teammates needed to reserve deadly force for emergencies only. Which meant, knocking their targets out. Using the taser strapped to his hip. Even a flash bang if he thought he could incapacitate enough of them before the effects wore off, and Walker had to resort to capping the other crew in the head in order to save his own ass.
Regardless, it severely limited his options.
Another tunnel, and another one of the men slinking off. That left six still moving toward the meeting location. Possibly more who had ventured in the other entrance with Montgomery but had stayed hidden. Waiting until the bastard gave some kind of signal to move in.
And way too many for Walker’s liking.
He edged ahead, grinning when the rear tango stopped to clear a small area to the right. What set the perfect stage to take the guy out. Walker moved to the corner of the door, waiting as the man snuck into the storage area. Bigger than most of the others they’d passed and more than enough space for a few men to be hiding.
Catching the asshole as he turned, had the creep reeling back — arms flailing in an effort to stay on his feet. A quick lunge and a sweep of his legs, and the agent was down. Head hitting the floor. The hand holding that Colt Commando rifle splaying out to one side.
Walker darted over, threw a few more punches, then knocked the guy out with the butt end of his Beretta. A flip and a couple of joined zip ties — some tape across his mouth — and the tango was done. Wiped off the field without spilling any blood.
And all under two minutes.
Not that Walker would rely on every takedown going that smoothly, but he’d take his lucky breaks wherever he got them.
He retraced his steps, quickly making his way back to the main tunnel before trailing after the line of men, again. Doing his best to catch up without making a sound. All that metal flooring echoing even the slightest scuff. What could put his entire team in jeopardy if he alerted the other crew they weren’t alone before they’d thinned the numbers a bit. Of course, when the other men realized they were one guy short…
Walker would adapt.
He reached the small junction next to a recess where Ty had been waiting. Biding his time until shit started to go sideways. Walker eased over to the darkened hole, lightly tapping the edge. Not enough it carried down the corridors, but Ty got the message — popped out a moment later. Walker made a few hand signals, nodding toward the area where the men had branched off. Ty didn’t waste time asking questions, just gave Walker a half-salute and headed off. Indicating he’d grab Knox and Colton and hunt the other men down. Make sure no one could pop up on Walker’s six in the middle of a firefight. Because there was no doubt in Walker’s mind, this would end bloody.
It was in the air. An eerie stillness that often came before an eruption of violence. And Blair would be right at the center of it.
That thought had him upping his pace — quickly closing in on the conga line of mercenaries traveling along the hallway. He caught up with them a couple of junctions back from where Blair was meeting with Montgomery, the light echo of their voices drifting down the corridor. Not loud enough Walker could make out what they were saying, just the remnants of words. What could have been rule, or fool.
The other men obviously heard the voices, too, because they paused to check their weapons — pat down their vests. Mentally cataloging their resources the way Walker had witnessed Corbin do numerous times.
Walker could toss a flash bang into the mix, right now, and knock out half the men before he’d have to retreat. Get the rest focused on him. But while the distraction might prevent this team from engaging Blair and the others, it might worsen Blair’s situation. Speed up an attack or initiate one when she’d been on her way to making that deal with Montgomery.
And what if there were more men at the other entrance? Would they target him or just start shooting and worry about who they killed later?
Which meant, Walker was stuck waiting. Running through all the ways this could play out while lining up his targets. He’d wing the first two men — do his best to miss anything vital — then work his way back. No way he could chance using the taser or anything other than his Beretta. Not with them wearing body armor and being this close to Blair and Gretta. But he’d do his best to hit arms and legs — whatever was necessary to stop them without clear head shots. He might not make it out without getting shot, but he’d try. Because for the first time since the accident, he wanted to live. Really live.
With Blair.
He held his position, waiting, muscles primed, when shouts erupted up ahead — what sounded like gunfire and grenades. The whole op going for shit.
Walker didn’t wait for any other kind of signal, just lined up the front guy and fired. He hit the jerk in the left shoulder, just inside his vest, dropping him with a loud thud. But the other men were already turning by the time he hit the metal floor — as if they’d suspected Walker was there, all along. Bullets ricocheted off the huge beams above him, one grazing his leg.
He dove for better cover, taking out another tango when the man raced toward him, grenade in his hand. Walker had just enough time to duck — cover his head — before it detonated. Smoke filled the tunnels, bits of a compressor spraying out across the corridor.
At least, the bastard hadn’t taken out part of the wall. Maybe collapsed the entire section. Not that he hadn’t done a crap load of damage. Chunks of that machine embedded in the ceiling — a small fire pouring out toxic fumes.
It took Walker a few tries to stumble to his feet — shove a piece of metal out of his way. He pulled his shirt up over his mouth and nose, carefully picking his way toward Blair. The grenade had taken out two of the guy’s own men, scattering the rest into the adjoining tunnels. More shouting sounded toward the meeting area, the occasional pop of gunfire echoing in the air.
He started moving. Stumbling, really. Ears ringing. Smoke choking his lungs. What he suspected were bits of shrapnel embedded in his side. It took a few minutes to reach the edge of the corridor — get a look at the entrance to the room where Blair and Gretta should be.
Instead, there were more men. Fanning out on each side. Taking up sentry positions. A freaking wall of guns and other countermeasures between him and his goal. And there was no way he’d be able to eliminate all of the men, alone. He was good, but he counted at least seven. All heavily armed. Trained, just like him.
New plan.
He’d simply keep them occupied. Have them completely focused on him while Blair, Gretta, and Corbin dealt with whoever was beyond the door. Whatever it took until the cavalry showed up. No worrying about lethal force, now. Not with all their lives at stake. When their enemies were using semi-automatics and grenades.
Walker lined up his first target and fired.
Talk about pear shaped…
Blair had known things would turn ugly, but in that split second before the entire room erupted into a war zone, she’d had a small glimmer of hope that maybe Montgomery would go for the deal. That they could all walk away without firing a single bullet. And she’d been serious. All she wanted was their freedom.
Of course, Montgomery didn’t know about Leland. That Blair had already made a deal with Interpol. That she was recording the entire conversation. Buying time while they collected the last pieces of the puzzle. And Montgomery had just given Leland everything he needed to crucify the man.
Not that Montgomery seemed to care about anything other than bringing the streets of London down on their heads.
Gretta hadn’t even really settled into her position beside Blair before her boss was shouting at his bodyguard to fire as half a dozen more men came rushing through the door. All with rifles notched against their shoulders. What looked like body armor and helmets — grenades attached to Kevlar vests.
Blair managed to grab Gretta and pull her behind some cover before the entire room filled with bullets. Gretta returned a few trigger pulls — knocked some of those arseholes onto their backs. Not dead but definitely feeling the hits.
The men spread out, seemingly determined to box her and Gretta in. Maybe toss a grenade into the mix while they got Montgomery clear. Until someone started shooting from the other side of the doorway. Trapped those fuckers inside alongside Gretta and Blair.
Walker.
Blair knew it. Felt it.
He was giving her one last chance to get Montgomery before it all went up in smoke.
Blair yelled at her sister to cover her as she squeezed between the compressor and the wall, quickly making her way toward the doorway. The metal edges sliced a few lines along her ribs, but she kept shuffling, hoping she’d be able to flank the crew — pop out next to her bastard of a boss.
Corbin was already engaging the tangos, taking out anyone who presented even a hint of a target. And not the non-lethal hits they’d agreed to. Though, she couldn’t blame him or Walker. Not when Montgomery’s men were practically spraying the room with bullets every ten seconds.
All the more reason to snag Montgomery and end this.
Blair pushed past the last of the struts, barely clearing the final few feet, before crouching behind the bulging rear section of the machine. Montgomery was pressed against the wall on the far side of the room, two men guarding him as they blocked any possible shot. She couldn’t see Walker, but the steady stream of gunfire emanating from outside the room was all the proof she needed that he was there. Trying to save her arse, again.
She worked through how she’d reach Montgomery without getting filled full of lead, when Gretta plopped down beside her. Flecks of blood down one thigh, but otherwise unscathed. Her sister didn’t speak, just did a quick scan of the area, her gaze landing on Montgomery.
Gretta leaned in close. “The bastard’s mine.”
Blair grabbed Gretta’s arm, stopping her from jumping up. “Not this time. I need you to take out the guy on the right. I’ll get the bastard on the left. Then, you’ll have to cover me while I go over and tackle that bastard. See he doesn’t sneak his way out like a damn rat.”
Gretta frowned. “Blair…”
“You’re the better shot, yeah? And if anyone’s going to have to kill the director of freaking MI6, it should be the person who’s still technically an agent, don’t ya think?”
“Like I care.”
“I care. About you.” She knocked shoulders with Gretta. “One last time of looking out for you… For old time’s sake. Then, we’ll consider all debts paid.”
“You don’t owe…” Gretta sighed. “Fine. But you’d better not die on me, or I’ll march over there and shoot you in the arse, myself.”
“Deal. On three.”
Blair counted down, then they both stood, stepping out just enough to line up the two blokes still guarding Montgomery — take them both out. Then, Blair was running, out and over, diving across the open space, before springing up and bulldozing Montgomery to the floor. Just like she’d witnessed those men Walker watched on the tele do, while chasing that weirdly shaped ball across the field. She didn’t try reasoning with the bastard, just backhanded him with her Walther, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back slightly. Not quite out cold, but not conscious enough to fight back.
Montgomery’s men must have realized what Blair had done, because bullets were whizzing past her head a moment later, one catching her in the vest. Knocking the wind out of her. She fell onto her hip, trying to get her lungs to inflate, when Gretta came charging across the room, guns in both hands — the flashes from the muzzle fire lighting up the entire area.
She ducked down beside Blair, still firing, when a canister clicked across the room. It skirted past them, stopping dead center — right where the remaining tangos were gathered, trying to close in on her and Gretta.
Gretta inhaled, then threw herself over Blair, covering her ears a second before the flash bang exploded. Smoke poured out of the can, quickly filling the room as the sound reflected off every surface, ringing so loud Blair was sure her teeth were vibrating.
Were they dead?
Because she couldn’t move. Could barely breathe, each labored inhalation burning a line down her throat. Every muscle twitching from the sensory overload. She had just enough coordination to look up when a figure appeared out of the swirling smoke, his shirt covering his mouth and nose — rifle snugged against his shoulder. He fired off a few rounds, then bent over, doing something to Gretta before reaching for her.
Walker.
Blair didn’t need to see his face to know it was him — the shape of his shoulders, the way he touched her cheek, as if he was afraid he’d never see her, again.
He didn’t waste time staring at her, simply helped Gretta up, shuffling her over to Corbin, before lifting Blair to her feet. He leaned her against the wall, Corbin laying down some cover fire, in case any of the other men were starting to recover enough to fight back, while Walker heaved Montgomery up and over his shoulders, fireman style. Then, Walker was wrapping one arm around Blair’s waist — dragging her out of the room.
Corbin stayed at their six, bridging most of Gretta’s weight as he covered their retreat, keeping any remaining forces back. Walker weaved his way through the corridors, ducking beneath some metal beams — what looked like grenade damage or something equally explosive. Montgomery was starting to come around, moaning and twitching as Walker ushered them down one of the adjoining tunnels, then over to a large door. He didn’t pause, just hit the door while still moving, crashing it open then stepping out into the night.
Leland came rushing over, grabbing Montgomery off Walker’s shoulders and placing him on his feet. “Looks like you might be one of the good guys after all, Walker. Thanks. I’ll take him from here.”
Montgomery stumbled against Leland, practically foaming at the mouth before lunging at Blair. “You bitch.”
Walker grabbed the man by the shirt, pulling him in close. “That’s right, asshole. Give me a reason to put you down, because all I need is a hint of moral high ground.”
Leland yanked the guy away, shoving him back a few steps. “Thinking you’re safer with us, chum.”
Montgomery tried to shake off Leland, nearly falling to one knee before the other man had him corralled. “There’s no escape for you Hughes. Or your sister. McClaren’s still out there, and if you think I’m persistent, you haven’t seen anything. He’ll hunt you down until his dying breath. You’ll burn for this. I promise you, you’ll burn.”
Leland shook his head, pulling Montgomery toward a waiting ambulance, as he yelled for a group of men to guard the doorway. They didn’t enter the tunnels, forming a tactical position at the threshold.
Walker held Blair close, arching a brow as he leaned down — gave her a chaste kiss. “You back with me?”
She tried to punch him in the arm — failed — then settled for leaning against him. Allowing him to support most of her weight. “Barely. Are you daft? Chucking that flash bang when Gretta and I were sitting, right there.”
“Yeah, along with those other assholes who were about to take you out.”
“We had it under control. But thanks, anyway, I suppose.”
She nodded toward Leland. “Why isn’t Leland going inside? Rounding up the rest of the blokes? I’m sure most of them need a trip to the surgery. And while we’re at it, where the hell was he? I thought he was swooping in with a hoard of Interpol agents to save the day.”
“Montgomery had some of his men rig the place with Semtex. Colton found it when he was trailing the men who’d branched off. I guess they were setting up some kind of failsafe. Colton said the whole lot has advanced wiring, with timers and sensors. He didn’t want to mess with it, so Leland’s called in the bomb squad. He couldn’t chance coming in after us. He’ll send in his men along with some medics once it’s clear.”
“They rigged the place to blow? Bloody hell. What…” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Montgomery’s a monster.”
“A caged one because you caught him, sweetheart.”
“We caught him. I definitely can’t take all the credit.” She reached up, smoothed her thumb along his jaw. “If you hadn’t come through that door when you did…”
Walker smiled, and her heart did that funny beating thing, again. Too fast or too slow. Maybe both. “You would have still taken the bastard down. No question.”
“That’s sweet of you to say…”
“It’s the truth. You’re incredible. Which reminds me… Leland wants us to hang around long enough to give some statements. Go over a preliminary debrief. Then, we can head back to your place, if that’s okay. He said it’ll likely be a couple of days before we can return to Montana.”
Walker paused, swallowing as if was hard to get the next few words out. “If that’s what you want?”
“How about we focus on getting all this legal stuff over, then we can talk once we’re back at my flat, yeah?”
He nodded, not seemingly as happy as she’d hoped, but not upset. Probably because she hadn’t confirmed she wanted to go back. Which she did. She just wanted to tell him when he’d know she was sincere, without the aftermath of the mission weighing on their shoulders. When she was sure there wouldn’t be any fallout from what had just happened — if she’d have to agree to stay on with MI6 in order to secure his freedom. A price she’d willing pay.
But mostly, she wanted to look him in the eyes when she had absolutely nothing to lose and tell him she loved him.