I led the way from the ship.Burn was directly behind me and Lacy was tucked in front of Orion and Mercer who brought up the rear.I hated having Lacy out here with us, but I’d made her as safe as possible.I could only hope that it was enough.
Moving slowly, carefully, we finally made it across town to the hangar.The air pulsed with loud, raucous music and even louder bangs of metal-on-metal.
I raised my hand to signal a stop.We were only fifty feet from the main door.The double doors didn’t appear locked and would probably be easy to breach, but the recon from earlier indicated that there was another door, less used, to our right.The primary entrance would likely have more eyes on it, so we’d decided to try the other door.
Keeping Lacy by my side, I used hand signals to direct my team to their positions around the secondary entrance.
Orion was responsible for the breach.Quiet was best, but he’d use brute force if needed.Mercer would provide backup for him.Burn was stationed slightly farther away, so she could take care of anyone or anything that got past Mercer.I’d protect Lacy until it was safe to enter.
Flashing my fingers, I counted down.Three.Two.One.
Orion put his hand on the doorknob.
I tensed, ready for action.All my senses were on alert and I was terrifyingly aware of Lacy behind me.If things went to shit, the only thing I was concerned with was getting her to safety.That single-minded focus should have concerned me, but I didn’t have time right now to consider what it meant.
When Orion turned the handle, it squeaked.A tiny sound that nevertheless held us all motionless.He pulled and metal scraped on metal.My breath nearly stopped.
He paused and we all waited.
And waited.
And waited.
When nothing happened, Orion tugged on the handle and the door pulled free.
Orion paused, one hand on the door handle, the other holding his weapon, while the team slipped into position behind him.
Mercer nodded and Orion eased the door open all the way.The light was brighter and the noise was louder, but nothing else seemed to be happening.
“Step in just enough to look around and then report back.”I didn’t want to stand here silhouetted by the open door for very long.We needed to be either in or out.
“Roger.”Orion handed the edge of the door to Mercer, then hefted his weapon.He disappeared from view.
Orion was back in the space of a few heartbeats.“About what we expected.I counted three guys and they’re pretty heads down over whatever they’re working on.They’ll be easy to take down.Biggest obstacles are the piles of junk and parts.Might be people I can’t see behind them.They could make a hell of a racket if we get tangled up in them.”
“Thoughts?”I asked the team.
Used to making fast decisions in stressful situations, we quickly decided that it was a go.
Orion, back on point, stepped through the doorway again, with Mercer and Burn close on his heels.
“Stay behind me,” I told Lacy.“We don’t know what we’re facing.”
She nodded.
I stepped through the door with sure, steady steps.I was all that stood between the bad guys and Lacy.
Snap out of it.I couldn’t allow my concern for her to be the very thing that put her in danger.
Orion directed us to our positions with a series of hand signals.I circled to the right, angling my body between the room and Lacy.I pointed to a place for her to stand that would keep her in the shadows and out of the line of fire.
My target was crouched in front of a piece of machinery that looked like it belonged in the engine room.Lacy could probably tell me what it was and what it did, but that wasn’t why we were here.
Steps light, unhurried, I approached my target.I raised my weapon and, with one smooth motion, brought the butt down on the back of his head.He collapsed to the ground and hit his toolbox.It rattled, sounding like a bomb going off.I pivoted on the balls of my feet, checking to see if the noise had attracted any attention.
Nothing.
I turned back to the downed bad guy, intending to tie him up, but Lacy had already taken care of it.His wrists and ankles were tied with a complicated series of knots.I gave them an experimental tug.They held and seemed secure.“Nice work,” I said with a nod of approval.
