“As I’ll ever be.”
“Get out with SWAT, place yourself in the middle of them.”
Usually, I’d argue.
I’m in charge of this op, Chase told me as much, but I know he’s instructed them to protect me, and I’m going to refrain from being pig-headed and do what I’m told.
I do as I’m told, pulling my gun out and ensuring the safety is off.
I swarm the house with them, all the while my heart is racing so loud in my ears that I almost miss them announcing themselves.
The man in front kicks the door in, and I’m ushered inside.
I jump into action as if this is second nature, clearing rooms right along with the men, but where I fuck up is that I go down when they go up.
They probably haven’t realized they’ve lost me.
But now, it’s too late.
A hand comes over my mouth, and a gun presses to my temple as I’m pulled inside a closet and dragged through a panel that my captor then closes behind us.
“Quiet, or she dies,” the voice says.
Helms.
A shiver works through my body, and I try to keep my fear to myself as I breathe awkwardly into Helms’s hand.
“I’m surprised, Koen let his little toy out to play.” His lips graze my ear, and I fight back tears.
This was always a possibility, and I need to remain calm. That’s the only way I get out of this alive.
“Drop the gun,” he instructs, and I have no choice but to listen.
Helms kicks it away from me, and my throat thickens with worry.
I hear the men clear the closet and then reconvene in the living room.
“Well, she was with us before we went upstairs. She can’t just vanish! Check the entire house.”
“G, where you at?” I hear before the com is ripped from my ear and tossed to the ground.
Helms stomps on it. “You won’t be needing that any more, G.”
Fuck.
The chaos of the men searching for me only continues for a few more minutes before the house goes silent.
Helms waits another thirty minutes, which feels like an eternity, before he urges me forward with the gun now at my back.
“Move.”
If the men are outside the closet, they’ll shoot me to get to him, as they were instructed to do. I try to resign myself to my death before I step into the open space.
No one’s in the house when we exit the closet, to my utter terror.
Helms shoves me forward, leading me toward the basement with his gun at my spine.
“I didn’t think you’d come to me, but I guess both of you are stupid.”
