Jax turned, pointed, and fired at the keypad. Metal and keys rocketed out. The doors snicked. “Stay behind me.”
Penelope yanked a gun from Tace’s hip and jumped up. “Hurry. They’ll kill Marcus.”
Jax stopped cold. “Marcus?”
Penelope shoved by him and ran for the door, ripping it open. “There are only two men in the cells. We have to save them.”
Sami felt Tace’s pulse. Steady but not exactly strong. Yet she took her gun and followed Jax. Tace would be okay. He had to be.
“Marcus?” Jax launched himself into motion and shoved Penelope behind him, entering the long corridor, already firing. “Sami—hack the cell doors.”
She nodded and turned back for the computers, going to town on the nearest one. A quick schematic brought up the cell door configuration, and she hurriedly found the codes. “Are you sure?” she yelled at Jax’s retreating back.
“Yes,” he bellowed in return.
She typed in the code to open the doors. Then, with a quick glance at Tace, she hustled after Jax and stopped short.
Three men faced them with guns—two soldiers in blue and the doctor.
“We seem to be at a standstill,” Dr. Ramirez said. “Sami. How good to see you again.”
“Leave and you live, Dr. Ramirez,” Penelope said, her voice shaking. God, he was still such a monster. Sami’s legs went weak.
“Not a chance,” Ramirez said. “There are more soldiers behind me.”
A metal cell door was shoved open, and then all hell broke loose. A prisoner barreled out, and Ramirez turned to fire at him.
“No!” Penelope yelled, jumping in front of the guy. A bullet hit her bare shoulder, and blood sprayed.
The roar that came from the man filled the hallway and sent chills down Sami’s back. She fired at Ramirez, who jumped behind the already-firing soldiers. Blood burst from Ramirez’s white coat, and he stumbled behind the soldiers, fumbling for the door behind him.
The guy from the cell reached Penelope as she fell but didn’t touch her.
“Marcus?” Jax’s voice shook, and his gun lowered.
Sami fired at one of the soldiers, and he went down, his eyes wide in death. The other soldier turned and disappeared behind the doors with Ramirez.
Sami scanned the corridor. “We have to hurry. They’re just getting backup.” She looked at Marcus. Was it really Jax’s brother?
The guy was the same size as Jax, with brownish green eyes, similar jaw structure, and the same nose. His chest was bare with raw cuts everywhere bleeding freely. A shadow covered his jaw, and anguish his face. “Penny?” he croaked, looking at the fallen doctor, not seeming to have heard Jax.
“Marcus.” Jax seemed frozen or in shock. His mouth dropped open, and his gun hand lowered.
“Jax!” Penelope shoved to her feet, her shoulder aching. “We have to run.”
Running footsteps echoed from the other side of the doors.
A metal cell door opened, and another prisoner, this one with bandages across his shoulders, ran out and straight into Sami. Pain lanced down her arm, and she fell hard.
He grabbed her gun and backed up. Blood matted his blond hair, and scratches covered his blistered face. He appeared to be about forty, and the expression in his eyes was haunted to the point of madness.
“Wait. George. Stop,” Penelope whispered, reaching out to him.
Marcus tried to step in front of her and fell to his knees. Blood poured off him to coat the cement floor.
George looked around with wild brown eyes. Scars marred his body where it was not bandaged. He lifted the gun to his chin.
“No!” Penelope yelled.
