Chapter Thirty-Five
“N o fucking way,” Justice snarled.
“It makes sense,” he countered, trying to interrupt the ongoing storm.
“No.” The man’s jaw ticked when a muscle bunched.
Fisher took the man’s hand and led him away from the audience that was gathering.
When they rounded the corner down the long hallway, Fisher shoved Justice against the wall and crowded in close. The man’s hand went to the back of his head, fingers carded into the hair at his nape, but he’d tied it back earlier so the band stopped his searching fingers. He tipped his head back and gazed up into Justice’s face.
“I go in with Azrael, who takes the focus off of me when we get to the bunker, and I take down Tanis after he gets the door opened.”
“What if you’re cuffed?” Justice snarled.
“I’ve gotten out of them.”
“What if it’s zip ties behind your back?” The stubborn tilt of the man’s chin let him know this might take a while and time was not something they had.
“I’m small enough to step through my arms.” He smoothed both palms over Justice’s massive chest. “You trust me, don’t you?”
“Of course.” The man frowned and jerked him closer. “It’s others I don’t trust.”
“I’ll have Crow with me.”
“That does not make me any happier.”
“Why?” he laughed.
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
“He does not,” Fisher snorted and pulled the man’s head down.
“He better not,” Justice said and kissed his mouth.
It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was a possessive one, and Fisher’s stomach did flip-flops.
“We can do this.” His heart was in his throat. He’d never felt this way before about another human being and now that he had, he was going to try and hold onto it come hell or high water. “I have you to come back to.”
That didn’t seem to register at first and then Justice’s eyes glittered and he was held tightly again before being placed a few inches away.
“How are you going to let us know when to breach?” Justice grumbled, looking like a little kid.
“Crow will take me and Az in and when Tanis takes us to the bunker, Crow will alert you.”
“That’s the plan,” Crow said from a few feet down the hallway.
Justice rounded on the guy. “How are you going to know when the bunker door is opened when you can’t even get close?”
“I’ll take out Garrett and whomever else is in my way,” Crow said and there was no mistaking the promise in the man’s tone.
Viper came around the corner with Stone and Justice released a sigh that signaled his internal war was over. Oh, the man didn’t like it, but he wasn’t going to object.
Fisher smiled up at Justice. “Let’s get this done.”
“Then barbecue at my place?” Justice reluctantly smiled back.
“I’m in,” Fisher teased.
“I’m down for some barbecue,” one of Crow’s men said, rubbing his hands together.
“Wait until you see the spread he has,” Fisher said to those gathering around as he jerked his thumb at Justice. “It will definitely fit everybody here.”
And before Justice could do more than grumble about wanting alone time with him, plans were made.
Viper then told them to clean up, get some rest, and that they would head out at dusk.
“I’d let you carry a weapon concealed, but Garrett is going to want to pat you both down,” Crow said as he pulled up to a posh country estate located one hour and twenty minutes from Ventura.
Not only was Stone bringing every available member of Erebus with him, but Savage and Thane would be on site. Dave had called Real and the Genesis commander was on his way, bringing with him the men he had available.
Azrael was adamant that Real not be told of his involvement and because the youth was legally an adult, they left that up to Stone to handle.
As was his way, Stone didn’t let in on his thoughts. However, the man pulled one of the thinnest bulletproof vests ever made over Azrael’s head. The vest resembled a casual t-shirt and Stone tucked the boy into a dark pullover to cover it all up.
“Be smart,” Stone told the Azrael. “Keep your mouth shut and play along.”
“And then I can shoot him?” Azrael asked.
“Get him to open that bunker door and you can shoot him twice,” Stone promised, and the men standing around smiled when Azrael did a fist pump.
Fisher drew Azrael aside just before they loaded up.
“What?”
He looked into the boy’s bright eyes.
“You need to be prepared. Tanis is worse than Solomon…so he might…reach for you,” he said, placing his hands on Azrael’s shoulders.
A hardened look that shouldn’t have been there filled the eighteen-year-old’s face.
“I know and I can take it. I’ll wait until we get in the bunker and then I’ll end him.”
The words sounded so much like someone else that Fisher had to smirk.
“You’ve been listening to Real.”
Azrael flashed him a cute smile and blushed. “All the time.”
“If anything goes sideways, you stay behind me and you get down. You hear me?” Fisher said and waited for the boy to nod before he released his grip.
Now, faced with the rolling iron gates of Tanis’ estate, Fisher wondered if he’d made the right decision bringing Azrael along.
Fisher moved his hands within the confines of the zip ties that Crow had placed on both him and Azrael. This way, Crow said it put their hands in front, and hopefully nobody would change it.
Floodlights illuminated the gated area, guard shack, and the front of the building that served as a home and facility. Tanis had moved up since the last place Fisher had seen the man live in. It didn’t matter how much money the dick had, he wouldn’t be around much longer to spend it.
Crow eased through the gates and drove down the long driveway.
Several armed guards didn’t step into the light, but Fisher knew they were there. The gleam of weapons here and there signaled that Tanis wasn’t taking any chances with his fortress.
Crow parked and shut off the engine.
“Here we go,” the soldier said when three hulking guards stepped up to the vehicle.
There was no going back now.