Chapter 2
TYLER
We’re so fucked.
Every time we take someone down, more appear out of thin air. We’re outnumbered, and I’ve lost sight of Gavin. My only hope is Keon got Kira to safety, and that Axel is almost here.
“Fuck,” I grunt when the asshole I’m fighting gets a cheap shot in to my kidney.
It’s enough to piss me off though, so I lift my foot, kicking him right in the gut, and he smashes through the window at the fire escape.
Shooting them is fucking useless with all the armor they’re wearing, but I can’t let him get the drop on me again.
I jump onto the fire escape while he’s still stunned, pulling my Glock.
I stick it under the helmet and pull the trigger before I rush back into the apartment, frantically searching for Gavin.
I race into the kitchen, and two guys have him pinned against the counter.
Gavin is struggling like hell, trying to get away.
I kick the one closest to me in the back of the knee, making his leg buckle.
It’s enough for Gavin to get an arm free, and he elbows him in the face.
I grab him and sling him off Gavin. “We need to move,” I pant.
“Good call,” Gavin grunts, grabbing his knife from his thigh holster to stab the guy right under the helmet. The guy slumps, and Gavin jerks his knife free. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Asshole.” At least he still has that sarcastic sense of humor. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m good. We need to find Keon and Kira.”
We run toward the front door, and I want to cry when it bursts open. When I see the familiar skull masks, I want to cry for a different reason. “Let’s go,” Axel barks.
“Do you have Keon and Kira?” I ask, pulling my AK back in front of me.
Axel lowers his gun slightly. “They aren’t with you? This whole place is about to collapse. They set fires above and below us.”
“We can’t leave without them,” Gavin responds. “Keon was bringing her out to you.”
“They weren’t out there when we pulled up, but this place is covered in unknowns.” Axel hands us two ear pieces, and we quickly slide them in. I’m not surprised that he knows we ran in here half-assed, and he probably tried to contact us. “Nolan, you there?”
“Yeah.”
“Does this place have cameras?”
“Just the entrance and downstairs fire exit. I’m searching the other buildings, but it doesn’t look like they have a clear view either. You guys need to leave. Authorities are on their way.”
“Can you access Keon’s tracker?” I ask.
“Yeah. Two seconds.” I listen to Nolan type, and grow more impatient by the second. “He’s blinking near you. To your left.”
We follow Axel into the hallway, and the rest of his team is standing there waiting. He jerks his head for us to follow and we search the apartment next door, still not finding him. “Nolan. I need more.”
“He’s right there. I don’t know the layout of the building,” Nolan responds, his voice shaking.
“There!” Gavin says, running toward the stairwell door. It’s the only place left for him to be. Gavin kicks it open and the smoke is overwhelming.
“He’s close!” Nolan exclaims. “You’re right on top of him.”
I join Gavin in the doorway, and see the fire quickly working its way up. Part of the roof has collapsed, and we have no access to the stairs. “Keon!” I call out, straining to hear. “Keon! Keon!” I hear coughing and call out again. “KEON!”
“Here,” he answers, and I almost wilt with relief. “I can’t move.”
Gavin and I exchange a quick look. I start digging through the rubble, ignoring Axel when he yells for me.
I slide down the rest of it, and almost lose my footing right into the fire before I grab the hand rail and pull myself back up.
I drop to my knees and look under the roof, spotting Keon in the far corner, trapped under a piece. “Is anything broken?”
Keon winces in pain. “I don’t think so, but it’s getting really hot under here.”
“Gavin! Help me move this.” I grab one end, and he grabs the other.
It takes all of our strength, but we finally get it up high enough to toss it over the handrail.
It hits the fire, which roars faster as I move the last couple of pieces and crouch beside Keon.
He has a huge gash on his forehead, but other than that, he looks like he’s in one piece. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Where’s Kira?” Gavin meets me at the bottom of the steps and we help Keon carefully to his feet. “I took two to the vest and lost sight of her.”
We help him to the top and lead him into Jason’s apartment. The fire escape is our only way out, and with the way he’s limping, I know it’s going to be hell trying to get him down. “We don’t know,” Gavin says softly.
“We’ll find her,” Axel responds.
“I know where she is,” Chelsea says through comms, and we all freeze. “She just messaged me, and it’s definitely her.”
Thank fuck. She probably tried to get us, but none of us brought our phones.
We help Keon onto the fire escape and he gingerly starts climbing down with Kai below him to catch him if he falls.
I’m halfway down the ladder before I freeze.
Kira didn’t have her phone either. “How do you know it’s Kira? ”
“I asked her something only she would know. She’s messaging from an encrypted number.” What the fuck?
I move as fast I can down the ladder, more worried than ever.
How the hell did she get ahold of an encrypted phone?
What the fuck is going on? My feet hit the asphalt and I turn toward Keon as he sways on his feet, and collapses in Kai’s arms. Kai lays him down, and I drop to my knees, ripping his mask off.
He’s completely pale and unconscious. Kai and I get to work on his vest, checking him over for injuries, while Axel barks orders at the rest of his team.
“Wait!” Cole calls out before we can peel the vest off of him. He gently rolls Keon to his side, and there’s blood pouring from under his vest.
“He said he was fine,” I respond, panic clear in my voice.
“Adrenaline does funny things,” Kai replies, “and the vest was probably helping to stop the bleeding.” Kai fastens it and tightens it back up. “He needs a hospital.”
“Sean and I will take him,” Cole says. “You guys stay here for Kira.”
“Ari and Jason too,” I say quietly, rubbing my hand across Keon’s sweaty forehead. “Take care of him.”
“You know we will,” Cole says softly. A van comes screeching to a halt in the alley, and Sean jumps out. “Kai, help me get him inside.”
Sean jerks the door open, and they gently set him inside. Sean climbs into the back with Keon, and Cole jogs to the driver side. Kai slams the door shut, bangs on the side, and Cole takes off with a screech of tires. A hand lands on my shoulder and I jump, turning to face Gavin.
“He’ll be fine,” he says with more conviction than I feel, but I nod anyway.
“Let’s go get Kira.”
“You motherfucker,” I growl, trying to rush Professor North as Axel puts a hand in the center of my chest to stop me. “What the fuck is going on?”
Chelsea messaged Kira with a meeting spot as soon as the van carrying Keon disappeared. What we didn’t expect was coming face to face with this asshole. “Where is she?” Gavin demands, looking as pissed as I feel.
Professor North nods at a guy in tactical gear who opens the back door to an SUV. Kira steps out and, with a cry, runs into my arms. Gavin and I surround her, breathing her in, thankful that she’s alive. “I’m okay,” she whispers. “You need to listen to him. He knows where Ari is.”
I jerk back. “He probably knows because he took him.”
Kira shakes her head, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Ari’s dad has him.”
“What?!” Axel barks, making Kira jump out of her skin. Holy shit this isn’t good. Axel turns to Professor North with narrowed eyes. “Start fucking talking.”
“My name is Tivon Askari. I’m the leader of Israel’s version of the Saviors. We’ve been watching Aharon for months, because we knew he would make a move.”
“Who the fuck is Aharon?” I ask.
“The director of Mossad,” Kira answers. “Ari’s dad.”
“If you knew what was happening, why didn’t you stop it?” Gavin demands, his voice showing how pissed he is.
“I could only bring so many soldiers with me. It’s different there than it is here. I’ve shown Kira proof, and we’re ready to move when you are.”
“I think the fuck not,” I argue, but Axel holds a hand up to stop me.
“Why the hell would we take you with us?”
“Because I know these people.” How did I miss that fucking accent?
Or better yet, how did he hide it so well?
He looks nothing like the mild mannered Professor anymore, he looks every bit the trained agent that he is.
Even his fucking demeanor is different. “I have the video feed pulled up in the van, but we need a plan.”
Axel gives us a warning look to stay put and follows Tivon to the van with Kai trailing close behind them. While Axel and Tivon talk in hushed voices, I pull Kira against me again. “Are you okay? What the fuck happened?”
“He saved me,” she admits. “I got separated from Keon, and one of the other guys was dragging me away when Tivon showed up.” Kira gasps and pulls away. “Keon?”
I swallow and cup her cheeks. “We got him out, but something pierced through the vest. Cole and Sean took him to the hospital, and we’re waiting for an update.”
“It’s my fault!” Kira cries. “I was so scared of the fire, and he was distracted trying to get me out.”
“None of this is your fault, Baby girl.” Gavin pulls her from my arms and leads her over to the curb.
He sits down, pulling her into his lap. I sit beside them, and grab her thigh for comfort.
“Keon did what any of us would have done. All we can do now is wait for them to tell us he’s fine. Keon’s tough.”
“What about the bullets?”
“Straight to the vest,” I assure her.
“I can’t lose him,” Kira whispers, tears pouring down her face, “or Ari, or Jason. We need to bring them home.”
“And we will,” Axel announces, walking to us. “He’s coming with us.”
As much as I want to argue, I trust Axel and if he believes Tivon, I’m going to have to try to believe him too.
“Let’s go,” Kira says, jumping to her feet, but Axel is already shaking his head.
“You’re going to the house with Chelsea and Nolan. You don’t need to be anywhere near this.”
Kira opens her mouth to argue, so I grab her hand. “He’s right, Little warrior. We’ve put you in enough danger.”
“Plus,” Axel adds, “your brother should be landing soon.”
I watch all the color drain from Kira’s face. “You called Kane?”
“I didn’t have a choice. You got in trouble under our watch, and I’d never keep that from him.” Axel’s eyes swing between me and Gavin. “Have fun explaining this one.”
Axel walks off without a word, and I have half the mind to grab Kira and fucking run. I’m not scared of many people, but Kane doesn’t strike me as someone who’s going to stop to ask questions.
It might not matter if we find Ari and Jason, or if Keon comes out of surgery okay.
Because we’re all fucking dead anyway.