I continue until she's shaking, her breathing ragged, her skin marked and beautiful. Then I stop. Set down the flogger. Release her wrists first, then her ankles. When I lower her arms, shesways into me. I catch her, support her full weight against my chest.
"We're done here. Time to go home."
She nods against my shoulder, trusting me to handle the exit.
My phone buzzes as we're entering the parking garage. Text from one of my security team:
Movement on the perimeter. Possible hostile.
I pull Simone closer, scanning the garage. My team has taken positions near the vehicle, weapons ready but concealed. Everything looks clear but the hair on the back of my neck is standing up.
"Into the vehicle. Now."
She doesn't question it, just moves fast. I cover her approach to the armored SUV, every sense on high alert. She's inside with the doors locked when I hear the first shot.
The round punches through the windshield of the following vehicle. It's a suppressed weapon, elevated position. It's a sniper.
"Down!" I move, pull my weapon, scan for the shooter's position. My team scatters, takes cover, returns suppressing fire toward the elevated parking structure across the street.
I key my comms. "Hostile sniper, elevated position, northwest corner. All units converge."
More rounds impact near the vehicles. Calculated spacing, pinning us down rather than killing. Fontaine's buying time to escape, not trying for a confirmed kill.
My team advances on his position with tactical precision. I stay with the vehicle, weapon up, covering Simone. Through the windshield I can see her pressed low in the seat, following protocols exactly.
"Suspect mobile, heading north through the warehouse district," one of my operators reports. "In pursuit."
"Don't lose him." I maintain position until the rest of my team secures the immediate area. Only then do I get into the vehicle.
Simone's pale but controlled. "That was him."
"Yeah. Elevated position, suppressed weapon, calculated setup. He was waiting for us to leave." I start the engine, following the tactical pursuit at a distance. "But he missed. Vehicle positioning minimized his exposure. He didn't get a clean shot."
"Where is he now?"
"Running. My team's in pursuit." I navigate through streets, following updates on the radio. "He's heading deeper into the warehouse district. Dead-end streets abandoned buildings. He's making a mistake."
Within minutes, the pursuit narrows. Fontaine's cornered in an abandoned warehouse, multiple units surrounding the location. I pull up at the perimeter, kill the engine.
"Stay in the vehicle. Lock the doors. Don't move until I come back for you."
"Luc—"
"No negotiation. Derek stays with you. I'm ending this." I lean across, kiss her hard and fast. "Lock the doors."
I exit the vehicle, motion Derek over. "Stay with her. Weapon ready. Anyone approaches who isn't me or Remy, you put them down."
"Yes, sir."
I move to join the tactical team converging on Fontaine's location, weapon drawn. Remy's already there, coordinating with Andy and FBI tactical. NOPD has the perimeter secured.
"He's inside," Remy says. "Upper floor, barricaded. Armed and ready to go down fighting."
I check my weapon and scan the building. The windows are dark, no movement visible. Fontaine's cornered, which makes him more dangerous. Cornered operators fight dirty.
I move toward the breach point, tactical team falling into position around me. Fontaine killed Julien. He tried to kill Simone.
Time to end this.
