“How many?” Valkyrie asked.
“Nine I can count clean,” Miami said. “Could be more hugging the van. Add to that whoever’s left breathing in that lobby and anyone else they’ve got scattered around.“
“We’re on the move,” Blackjack voice suddenly said.
I mentally counted the rounds I’d just spent, subtracting for the two bodies.
Vladimir stepped out into our line of sight then, dragging Roman’s wife even closer. He still kept her partially between us and his center mass, but he didn’t cower. His eyes were bright. Almost excited.
“Devil’s Aces,” he called out. The accent thickenedhis words, made them feel oily. “I was told Roman might send dogs. I see he sent his wolves instead.”
“Let her go,” I shouted. I raised my gun, careful to keep my stance wide enough that I could pivot if the cartel member popped around the corner again. “Now!”
“You’re not in a position to make demands,” he said calmly. His pistol came up. Not at us—at the side of Roman’s wife’s ribs. Her breath hitched.
“Pretty sure I am,” I said. “A man like Tesauro isn’t going to be happy if you kill her before he gets to use her. That’s the whole point of this, yeah? To make Roman watch. To get something out of this.”
His eyes flickered. Just for a second.
Then he smiled.
“Tesauro Vincino is… flexible,” he said. “He and Isabella like improvisation. They like spectacle. If the best we get is his wife dying here instead of in some controlled environment…” He shrugged. “Then we still end with a good show. If I can take a few Devils with her, I think he’ll clap.”
Behind him, Gianna’s jaw clenched. Her eyes went briefly to her mother, then to Vladimir’s weapon. Then to us.
“Valkyrie,” I murmured under my breath. “Two o’clock, behind the front desk. Suit with a pistol. Three o’clock, shotgun behind that column near the window. Vlad in center. Wife and daughter still in play. Miami, you seeing anything else?”
“Yes,” Miami said, voice going sharp. “Boardwalk cams just lit up again. I’ve got movement. The guys from the street side are splitting. Four headed your way down a side corridor, using the service entrance like they know the blueprints. The rest are repositioning toward the boards.
Shots cracked then from the front desk. Concrete chipped near my face.
Miami went to speak but I didn’t hear it. The cartel member popped his head and gun out again. I leaned just far enough to send two rounds his way. One gouged the column. The other caught his shoulder. He screamed, and the shotgun dropped as he reeled back.
Valkyrie’s voice cut across the chaos.
“Vladimir,” she called. “If you kill either of those women, Roman will make sure you’re alive for every second of what happens to you next. You really want that to be the story?”
His gaze slid to her.
“You must be the Viper,” he said. “Liberty’s war dog. We read up on you.”
“Good. I hope you read the part where I don’t bluff,” she said. “Let them go. Surrender to us, maybe you get to breathe long enough to see what Tesauro does when he no longer has a use for you.”
A muscle twitched in his cheek.
He was smarter than the Serpents. That was the problem. You could see the calculating behind his eyes, running through scenario after scenario, deciding which way to jump.
He shifted his grip on the wife.
“I can’t surrender to you,” he said slowly, “I’d lose all leverage then. I’d be putting my throat in your hands, and I know you’ll just throw me back to Roman. I think I much rather prefer this.”
He tightened his arm around Roman’s wife and started to move, her body between him and our line of fire. He took one glance at Gianna who stepped out and moved behind him. One of those looks of “If you don’t comply and follow, I shoot her in the head.”
The remaining suited gunman by the front desk popped up and started firing again, giving him cover fire. The cartel member, clutching his arm, grabbed the dropped shotgun with his other hand and began to drag it toward a column.
“Jersey,” Miami said in my ear, voice clipped. “Street side team is about to breach. Four cartel and Vincino just hit the inner corridor. They’re going to try to flank you. Boardwalk side, I’m seeing a couple of civilians walking past who just realized something is going on. They’re backing away, but we’re about to have sirens coming from all directions if they call it in. You need to move this party along.”
No shit.
