Chapter 37 Piston
PISTON
Kozlov’s property is surrounded by tall walls, and has guards at the gates but the wall is poorly guarded.
This isn't a fortress that we're trying to get into.
After finding an unwatched spot at the back, Beast makes a step with his clasped hands and helps launch Zero high enough to pull himself up on top of the wall.
Then he pulls me up as Beast gives me a hand the same way, and between the two of us, we manage to get Beast's bulk up with us after a couple of jumps. Like fucking ninjas.
We drop down into the yard on the other side, eyes open for danger. After a quick dash through the shadows, we press up against the side of the building. I'm not fucking built for stealth, but we don't have time to fight through every one of Kozlov's goons on the way.
Zero disappears around the corner, followed by a dull thump and a quiet grunt.
When we catch up, there's a guard on the ground.
He was guarding a door but the lock is a keypad and the guard didn't do us the favor of sharing the code before he was knocked out.
With the guard down, the corner we're at is blind, though, giving us a little space to work.
"Up again, just like the wall." Zero points up at the balcony above us.
We go through the moves again, hauling Beast over the railing last. On this level, there's a hot tub, a couple of sun chairs and a large parasol that's closed.
Glass doors lead into the main house. They're locked, but a quick chip into the frame with a knife, loosens it and we knock the glass loose.
The blare of an alarm tears through the air, an electronic shriek I'm sure they can hear at the fucking clubhouse.
"Well, fuck," Beast growls. Guess we should've expected it, but honestly, it makes me feel better. Sneaking around isn't my thing. Taking motherfuckers on head on, however? That's very much is.
I let go of the glass we detached, and it twists out of the frame to crash on the floor, shards scattering with a musical tinkle. "That's our doorbell. Let's go see if anyone's home." I jump through the opened door and lead the way into the house. From where we saw Sandra, it should be up this way.
The first guard we run into isn't ready.
He comes around the corner and walks right into me.
I grab his shirt with both hands and swing him into the wall.
He barely gets a yelp out before the back of his head smacks into it hard, he goes glass-eyed and when I let go, he slides down to collapse on the floor.
"Up the stairs." Zero points.
They go up in a wide spiral. We're halfway when a gunshot cracks above us and a bullet slams into the wall next to me. Zero's gun barks in return and the guard bounces off one of the pillars before he topples over the railing, dropping all the way down to the first floor, where he doesn't move.
"We don't have time for these fuckers," I say, unable to keep the snarl outta my voice. "They'll take Sandra and run, or they'll hurt her."
We spill out onto the top floor. I take a moment to orient myself. The room where we saw her has to be down the corridor to the left. Beast has come to the same conclusion. "This way."
A scream cuts through the night from our right, and I have no fucking doubt as to who it is. "Sandra!"
If she's hurt, Kozlov, the Bloodmoney gang and whoever else tries to stop us are going to have some very long, painful days ahead of them.
"Go," Zero snaps and we charge.