Abernathy caught up with her. “Two guards inside the front entrance.”
“We’ve got it. Stunners on full.” She crouched at the door, gave Peabody the nod. “Go now! Take the doors! Now!”
She went in low, took the guard on the right down. Peabody and McNab shot streams together to take the second.
And all hell broke loose as cops poured in every door. She heard shots fired, wasn’t surprised, and kept going.
She saw Lowenbaum take out an armed guard, an Interpol agent and Jenkinson yet one more amid the screams and rushing feet.
“This is the police! Hands up, stay where you are.”
She knocked down the woman who swung a studded evening bag as she ran, shrieking, then dodged the fist of a man who came behind her. And came up with her left in an uppercut that took him out.
She saw a woman faint, a man dive for cover as streams flew. She felt one ping off her helmet, and kept going.
Because she saw Magdelana run toward one of the side rooms.
It took her time to follow. She cuffed a man on the floor, and keptgoing. Disarmed another, sucked up his rabbit punch to her ribs before she restrained him.
She used the grapple to disengage her recorder.
When she broke in, Magdelana stood, bashing a chair against the glass exterior door. She’d managed a couple of cracks.
“You’re going to want to put that down, put your hands up, turn around, and get down on your knees.”
Magdelana turned, her face full of fury and fear. “Let me go. Let me go now, or I’ll ruin him.”
Her breath heaved, but her eyes stayed hard as the diamonds she wore.
“I’ll destroy him, you, and everything he’s built. You know I can. You know I will.”
“No, you won’t, because whatever you think you can do? It won’t touch him. And I’ll stuff it down your throat until you choke. Hands up, and on your goddamn knees.”
“I know things about him you don’t.”
“No, you don’t. He’s a hell of a lot smarter than you. I bet that burns. Now, one more time, hands up, on your knees, or I’ll put you on them. Just give me a reason.”
She heaved the chair and charged.
Eve sidestepped the chair. She could’ve stunned her, had just enough time, just enough room. But…
“How about an encore?”
Putting all she had into it, Eve punched her, a sharp left jab to the face. And watched Magdelana’s eyes roll back as she went down.
“Okay, McNab had a point. That was fun.” She let out a breath. “You’re done now. You’re mine now.”
After reengaging her recorder, Eve restrained her, adding another zip tie to secure her to the leg of the sofa.
She stood a moment, just one indulgent moment. Then Eve went back to help clean up the rest.
Chapter Twenty-Two
In the end, they had 112 individuals restrained, some receiving medical attention from stuns and other minor injuries. She’d personally used more than half the zip ties on her belt and both pairs of handcuffs she’d brought with her.
Since she’d come out of it with a handful of bruises, she counted it a very good trade.
She counted five officers—three of hers, two of Abernathy’s—under medical for minor injuries, so yes, a good trade.
