Duncan came around the far side of the building with his weapon drawn and raised. Behind him, the other four agents did the same. They spread out, each slowly approaching Wes from a slightly different angle.
“Don’t come any closer,” Wes hollered, becoming more agitated, shifting on his feet. His hand twitched and I zeroed in, watching to see if his finger started to squeeze the trigger. “I mean it. Stay where you are.”
They listened, stopping shy of their target by about twenty-five yards. There was too much distance between them to stop a bullet.
“Last warning,” Duncan boomed. “Drop your fucking weapon, asshole.”
“Go ahead and shoot, but I’ll take one of them down with me.”
“Shit. Suicide by cop,” Waverly muttered.
I saw the moment Wes made his choice. So did Waverly. We both reacted, but I was quicker. I shoved her out of the way just as he pulled the trigger. Between my momentum and the impact from the bullet, I hit the pavement hard, my head bouncing off the unforgiving surface. Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that.
Four separate shots rang out, each one echoed around in my already pounding skull like a ping-pong ball. Breathing was a struggle and my chest felt like it was on fire. I couldn’t move; I didn’t dare.
“Finn!” Waverly screamed. Then she was on her hands and knees, leaning over me. “Where are you hit?”
I opened my mouth, but only a pain-filled groan came out.
“Get an ambulance.” She was near hystericswhen she grabbed the middle of my shirt and ripped it straight down the middle. My vision blurred when I moved my head to look for the wound. Just before everything went black, I could’ve sworn I heard her say, “Thank fuck.”
13FURIOUS
Waverly
I was losing my fucking mind. Finn hadn’t woken back up since he passed out. The ambulance driver wouldn’t go faster. Then they shoved me in a tiny-ass waiting room to…wait. Fuck. That. I needed answers and I needed them now.
“Sit down and stop pacing. You’re making me nauseous.”
“Nobody asked you to be here, Shayne.”
“Someone has to control your crazy ass.” She shrugged.
“He’s been unconscious for like an hour. You’d be acting the same way.”
“It’s been more like twenty minutes, drama queen, but yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Agent Mitchell?” A young nurse wearing peach scrubs stood in the doorway.
“That’s me.” I hurried toward her.
“While the doctor reviews the CAT scan results, I can take you to Mr. O’Lachlan’s room.”
“Did he wake up yet?”
“No, I’m sorry. He’s got a pretty nasty bump on the back of his head. It might take a little while.”
“It’s already been too long.”
“Way.” Shayne knocked into my shoulder as we followed the nurse down the hall. “Be nice to the nurse. She knows where they keep the good coffee.”
“Is it too late to ask for Duncan?”
“Haha.”
“Where is he anyway?”
“Sorting out the shitshow.”
