The bartender grunted and Wolfe growled, punching each other fiercely. They fought for the gun, and it triggered, spraying bullets toward the computers.
“No!” Raider bellowed just as a bullet hit Rex in the neck, spraying blood out the other side to cover the floor. The computer tech died instantly, pitching forward, his face planting on the hard concrete.
Wolfe hit the bartender in the gut, and the guy kicked Wolfe in the leg, sending him back.
Eddie partially turned and aimed, just as Wolfe secured the gun and fired, hitting Eddie. The mobster flew back and landed on a computer monitor, knocking it over the table to the floor, where it shattered.
Wolfe turned and hit the bartender over the head, knocking him out cold on the floor. “Get the box,” Wolfe ordered.
Jonny P pushed off Raider and partially lifted himself, his hands up.
Raider breathed out. Okay. He reached for the box just as Eddie came over the table and fired the gun. Red burst across Wolfe’s chest, his eyes widened, and he dropped.
“Wolfe!” Raider turned and jumped to his feet to reach his friend. The world halted, and panic overtook him. The room hazed.
“Stop,” Eddie ordered. “Jonny?”
Jonny shoved Raider to the side and leaned down to take the box. He flipped it over to read the bottom. “Made in China?”
“You’re fuckin’ kidding me,” Eddie muttered, blood flowing from a wound in his left shoulder.
Jonny slid open the compartment to reveal two AA batteries. “This is a remote control for some kind of toy.” He tried to hide it, but incredulity showed on the sharp angles of his face.
Raider coughed. Was Wolfe dead? He couldn’t be. His eyes were just closed for a minute as he sat against the far wall, his hands limp. Raider dragged his attention back to the mobsters. If he was going to help Wolfe, he had to get those guns. “It’s for a miniature Bumblebee Camaro. Thing drives like a dream.”
“I’m going to kill you.” Eddie pointed the gun at Raider’s head, right between the eyes.
Shit. This really hadn’t worked out. Raider’s shoulders settled, and his body relaxed. “Before you do, tell me about Treeson. You knew him as Albert Jones.”
Eddie blinked. “The narc? Ah, damn. He was yours? I had Jonny cut him apart piece by piece.”
Anger blew through Raider so quickly he almost stopped breathing. “Where’s his body?”
Eddie shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, since I’m going to kill you. But he’s in a vacant lot in the Deacon neighborhood. I’m building a bar there next year. Now. You ready to die?”
An image of Brigid, laughing at something he said, filtered across Raider’s vision. The perfect image to take with him into the afterworld. He tried to look for a way out, scanning the room, wanting somehow to see her again.
Eddie smiled, blood dripping from a cut in his lip. “Any last words?”
Raider focused. “Yeah. Never underestimate a wolf.”
Eddie began to turn, but it was too late. Wolfe lifted his powerful weapon and shot him dead center in the chest. Jonny P scrambled for the gun, but Wolfe fired again, hitting Jonny P in the temple. He went down without another sound.
“Shit.” Raider ran to Wolfe and skidded on his knees. “How bad you hurt?”
“Dunno.” Wolfe gingerly dropped the gun and let Raider lift his shirt.
Raider sucked in air. “Okay. Right shoulder, through and through. You’re going to be okay.” Yeah, but he was bleeding a lot. Raider yanked off his shirt. “Keep that against the wound.” Then he took the flash drive from his pocket and ran to the main computer, ignoring the dead tech beneath it. He drew out the paper Brigid had given him and quickly typed in the necessary commands, thankful the kid had still been logged on. The download only took a minute, but felt like hours. Finally, he released the USB. “Got it. Let’s go.”
“Okay.” Wolfe struggled to his feet, his hand over the bloody rag.
Raider’s phone buzzed, and he lifted it with one hand while propping his good shoulder beneath Wolfe’s to help him walk. “Got the info, boss. We’re on our way.”
“Good.” West sounded both pained and furious. “We have a problem.”
Of course they did. “What is it?”
“Brigid and Dana were taken an hour ago. Get here fast.” Raider jerked as Wolfe did the same, having heard Angus. Then, for the first time that crazy night, Raider finally felt fear.
