The air grew thick.
He aimed his pistol at Paige’s face, and her eyes bulged. “Ask one more time, and you’re going to meet her.”
Paige’s face turned red, and her jaw clenched. She trembled with anger.
“Hey, what the fuck, man!?” Silas said. “There’s no need for this.”
I exchanged a look with JD. I could take out the Squad Leader before he hurt Paige. Jack could neutralize the goon by the salon door. If Dex had any skill, he’d take out the goon across from him in the salon.
It was a risky gambit.
There might be casualties.
Adrenaline ran high. I gripped my rifle tight.
Squad Leader grabbed Paige’s arm, pulled her close, and put the gun to her temple, using her as a shield.
The text he got back from Rory likely instructed him to kill us all. But he wasn’t a dummy. He couldn’t just start shooting—the odds were high he might not make it out. Not with everyone armed to the gills.
“Everybody, drop your weapons, or she gets a bullet through the brain,” he shouted.
Paige was going to get a bullet through the brain either way if this situation didn’t turn around.
"I said, put your weapons down!" Squad Leader demanded.
"What are you doing?" Silas asked. "You got what you wanted."
"Rory doesn't want any witnesses to whatever was on that drive," I said. "We are all liabilities now."
"This is fucking bullshit! I want my money. I want you assholes to get off my boat." Silas stepped toward the squad leader.
Squad Leader pulled Paige around and aimed his pistol at Silas. It was a tactical mistake.
Paige had managed to pull a switchblade from her pocket. She pressed the button, and the blade sprang free. She jammed it into the squad leader's thigh and scampered away as he groaned and gritted his teeth. He clutched at the wound that spurted blood.
That was my opportunity.
In a flash, I shouldered the rifle and double-tapped the son-of-a-bitch.
My bullets drilled into his face, spewing crimson. He tumbled back and fell against the cabinets before he dropped to the deck.
The clatter of gunfire erupted.
Jack popped off two shots at the goon by the door.
By that time, I had the other goon lined up in my sights. He'd already put a bullet into Dex, which sent him staggering back into the bulkhead.
I squeezed the trigger, and the rifle hammered against my shoulder.
Smoke wafted from the barrel.
The scent of gunpowder flourished.
The copper minions of death drilled into his head and out the back of his skull, spewing his thoughts against the bulkhead. He collapsed, his weapon clattering away.
The deck pitched and rolled with the swells.
The goon JD had shot by the door had fallen to the deck. He managed to get off one last shot at Jack.
