“Go. We’ve got her,” Rachel assured him.
Without looking back, Kieran and Ian secured the door behind them. As they grabbed weapons from the armory next door, Kieran received updates and gave orders, and Cassie’s brothers fanned out to take defensive positions. Scans of the area showed two four-man teams.
Kieran and Ian hit the back door shoulder to shoulder.BOOM. An enormous explosion rocked the grounds, and flames erupted from the pool house. Both took off at full speed. Martin, Tucker, and Eric, coughing hard, met them partway up the path, all bearing evidence of shrapnel battering them. Rain soaked their sooty, bloodstained clothing.
Blood dripped from Martin’s hairline. “Rocket-propelled grenade. Hit the corner of the house. Fire-suppression system kicked in,” he choked out.
Baroosh!A second massive explosion shook the ground.
“Shit, the gases in the OR.” Tucker held his arm across his face, turning from the flash.
Kieran tossed each man an automatic weapon and night-vision goggles. “Looks like a rocket came from the water.” Macho Man took Sean and Frank in pursuit on the Saturn.
“Christian, Caleb, and Noah, split up to join our people. According to the cameras, we have eight extra signatures.” Kieran was in full combat mode.
“I think I flushed her feeding tube right, but it was fast.” Ian’s eyes never stopped searching for danger.
Martin wiped away blood from his face, his eyes scanning side to side. "Farmer, let me stop the bleeding—and then we’ll take care of Cassie,” Eric said.
“Guys, check on Monique too,” Kieran said.
“Don’t worry,” Eric called back at him.
Ratatatatat!Driving rain and wind pelted them as automatic weapon fire erupted in the distance.
“Man down. Man down. We are engaging,” Caleb said over the com.
Vroom! Flash. Bam. A second rocket hit thirty-five feet from where Kieran and Ian stood. Ian tackled Kieran to the ground behind a cement planter as fiery shrapnel burned Ian’s side.
“Anybody hit?” Martin called out as he ran back toward them. “Genius? Hornet?”
“I’m good,” Kieran, call sign Genius, answered.
“I’m fine,” Ian, known as Hornet, said. He used the planter to pull himself to his feet. “Move!” The automatic weapons were coming closer.
* * *
The shelter was equipped with a satellite communication room, a separate ventilation system, food, and a living room bordered with bunk beds. Cassie shook with anger as Knight sat on her feet. “This is because of me.”
Monique hugged her. “Cassie, listen to me. Everything is going to be fine, doll. Anger isn’t going to help you or them.”
“This is what they do,” Luke said.
“You don’t understand. If anyone gets hurt, it’s my fault,” Cassie whispered. Ellen brought her a cup of chamomile tea, which she pushed away. Rachel slipped beside her.
Sam helped Monique fire up the communication system to watch the live feed with Luke. She froze when the pool house came into view. The whole corner holding Cassie’s room and the OR was missing, and the remainder of the building was engulfed in flames. Monique notified all the Chase Group division heads of the attack.
The door to the room opened, and Tucker stepped inside. Cassie cried out, “Tuck, are you okay?” before trying to stand. Rachel pulled her back.
“You’re scaring her to death.” Ellen grabbed clean towels, pushing Tucker into the bathroom and handing him a fresh pair of pants and a T-shirt.
Once he cleaned up, he positioned himself to block Cassie from getting up. “Just a little soot, darlin’.”
“Soot. Like hell—you’re covered in cuts.” She ran her tiny hands over him. “Tuck!” He refused to move while checking the feeding tube.
Monique and Luke watched groupings of green tracers lighting up. When two of them didn’t move, Luke’s expression was grim. They observed orange figures appear to freeze and lie down. The front gate reported that local fire and law enforcement were approaching.
Noah’s voice came over the feed, “Team 1 clear. Three targets neutralized. Six Tango Uniform,” which was slang for “toes-up—deceased.” “All units report?”
