From the air, the warehouse looked entirely unremarkable, practically indistinguishable from the fifteen others within a few blocks’ radius, which was probably the point. The gray gravel parking lots over yellow-beige dirt did not vary, nor did the corrugated steel roofs that reflected the late morning sunlight.
Arthur and Casimir stepped out of the first helicopter after Maxence, aiming their handguns at the dirt and gravel in front of their feet. The prop wash from the helicopter blades fanned dirt toward Maxence, stinging his cheeks.
Casimir said, “We’re going to look pretty stupid if we go in brandishing guns just to retrieve your phone, but here we go.”
The second helicopter landed farther down in the parking lot, skidding in like a skier snowplowing to a stop. Four men streamed out of that helicopter and crouched as they ran toward Casimir, Arthur, and Maxence.
Twist jogged to a stop beside Arthur.
Maxence asked him, “You’re sure this is the right location?”
Twist said, “This is where the signal is coming from, and I’m still tracking it. Your phone is in there. I don’t know about anything else.”
Maxence nodded, and the seven men fanned out as they hurried toward the warehouse, guns clenched in their hands.
A bearded man peered at them from around the edge of the open commercial-sized garage door. He shouted something back into the warehouse as he yanked a gun out of the back of his pants and aimed toward them.
Beside Maxence, Arthur shouted,“Gun!”and dropped to the ground, his weapon still trained on the guy who’d spotted them.
Maxence threw himself sideways as the other men did the same, bringing his weapon to bear in the direction of the gaping garage door.
A gunshot blasted from inside the warehouse.
A bullet whizzed past Max’s ear.
The seven of them scattered, diving for the sides of the open door.
Arthur crouched beside Max on one side of the cavernous garage door. “They don’t think we’re here for a misplaced mobile phone, either.”
The helicopter pilots slammed the doors on the choppers, and the aircraft rose into the air and tilted as they sped away.
Damn.Max hoped Arthur could recall them.
Casimir and Twist pressed themselves against the wall on the other side of the open garage door. Caz’s brows were lowered, and his mouth pressed in a grim line. Twist’s electric blue eyes were bright with adrenaline, his dark hair whipping around his head as he checked their surroundings for attackers.
Micah, Logan, and Blaze stood behind them, scanning the parking lot and environs for movement.
More gunshots blasted. Bullets buzzed from the entrance.
Casimir turned back to the guys behind him and said, “I think there were six of them with guns. Maybe a few other guys, too, without weapons.”
“And seven of us with guns,” Twist said. “I like our odds.”
Arthur shook his head. “Frontal assaults get everyone killed. It’s better to infiltrate, not charge them. Is there any other way into this place?”
Maxence pointed to the side and whispered to Arthur. “I’ll go around this way. If I can find another door, I’ll sneak in and look for Dree.”
“Good man. We’ll keep them busy here.” Arthur dropped to the ground and belly-crawled to peer around the edge of the garage door.
Twist did likewise on the other side of the opening.
Behind Casimir, Micah and the others motioned toward the far corner, indicating they would go around the warehouse in the other direction.
Arthur shot two rounds into the warehouse as Maxence picked his way around the corner, trying to be quiet.
More gunshots. Inside, a man screamed.
The sun was nearly directly overhead, and only wispy winter clouds trailed in front of it. Maxence’s shadow pooled around his feet, crawling over the gravel like a dark cloud.
