"Considering the trouble you've given us, you should get nothing." Dimitri's voice hardened. "But I'm a reasonable man. If you've been truthful about the amount, there is plenty to go around. I'll transfer your share into your wallet right after you give me the password."
Vince's shoulders relaxed visibly. "Yeah. Yeah, okay, Dimitri. That's fair."
The poor bastard actually believes him.
Shane didn't care what happened to Vince Romano. Once he had April free and clear, Dimitri and Vince could kill each other for all he gave a damn.
Shane started to lower the purse to the ground when another voice came over Dimitri's radio, sounding urgent. Dimitri frowned.
At the same time, Moose's surprised voice. "Anyone else hear that?"
"Shit." "Yeah." "Affirmative."
"Direction?" Moose.
"North by northwest." Lion.
That's when Shane heard it. His SWCC training screamed at him before his conscious brain caught up. A vibration that wasn't the storm.
"Spooky, I think we've got incoming, over," Pup said.
"I hear it." Her voice was ice. "Positions, now!"
Dimitri's face went pale. He drew his gun. "Helicopter," he breathed. "That mudak—he sent a fucking helicopter."
Shane watched as Dimitri and Gina locked eyes and an entire conversation passed between them. They'd both set up for hostiles along the roads. Both knew Konstantin would send enough firepower to kill everyone in this barn. Dimitri's crew. Watchdog. April. Vince. No witnesses. Their only hope was that he wanted the purse enough not to just firebomb the whole fucking barn from the air.
One second. That's all it took.
Gina gave a sharp nod.
Temporary truce.
The world exploded into chaos.
The helo was on them. Shane heard the helicopter come in fast and low, rotors churning the rain into horizontal sheets, and swoop over the barn. The roar drowned out everything—thunder, rain, voices. Wind and spray battered the barn's tin roof.
Shane spun around. The barn's roll-up door faced the clearing where the helicopter hovered, rotors screaming, twenty feet off the ground. The side door opened.
Men in black tactical gear jumped—fast-roping down through the rain. Five of them. Professional. Armed. Moving like they'd done this a thousand times.
"K-Team on site, five tangos, engaging!" Charlie's voice, sharp and controlled.
K-Team. Konstantin's cleanup crew.
Dimitri's weapon shifted—not toward Shane and Gina, but toward the door where Konstantin's men were advancing.
Shane was already moving. He dropped the purse, lunged for April just as gunfire erupted.
Outside, Dimitri's men were already firing on Konstantin's crew. Muzzle flashes lit up the clearing like strobe lights. One of Konstantin's men hit the ground, brought his weapon up, firedinto the barn. Bullets punched through corrugated metal. The electric lantern exploded in a shower of glass.
Shane tackled April and rolled, his arms protecting her head. In a flash, his knife was out and her hands were free. His body shielded hers as they rushed toward the corner behind a workbench.
"Stay low." He pulled his Sig.
April nodded. She pressed into him, breathing fast but controlled as they watched the room.
Good girl. Stay with me.
