He turned on the landing, heading for the rooms. She looked up and down the passage as she cautiously followed. No guards. Dilaver must have left some of the men at thekafenas. Either that or Hawk had hurt enough of them to send them to the hospital. She hoped so.
The man slowed down as he reached the end of the passage. He knocked at the door. Amber pulled on the gas mask, then raised both her hands, taking aim.
“Untie his hands,” Dilaver ordered. “Perhaps writing is easier right now, hmm? If you cooperate and draw this weapon you’re after, Hawk, I’ll make the end a little quicker.”
Hawk took several deep breaths as the wave of pain subsided. Dilaver must have thought he had been trying to reply. Someone came up behind him and he felt the bonds that imprisoned his hands loosening. The same person pushed him hard and he fell out of the chair onto his knees. He heard laughter around him.
“He doesn’t act so cool now, boss.”
“He’s still cute, though.”
Someone kicked Hawk’s ribs. He doubled over.
“Let’s fuck him in the ass. Always thought he was a homo, the way he stayed away from the girls.”
“I say he’s still too pretty. We’ll have to remedy that.”
“Now, now, men, didn’t you hear me tell Hawk that I’ll make it quick if he helped me out?” Dilaver asked. “Come on, Hawk. They’re getting restless here. Better get up and do some drawing.”
Hawk pushed up with one hand, trying to sit up. If he could get the other man to kick him again, he could go for the weapon strapped at the man’s side. It was time to end this bullshit. If he had to go, he preferred it to be in a blaze of bullets. At least he would be sending a few more of them straight to hell. A knock at the door and Dilaver turned to answer. Hawk stared up at his attacker, Sanu, and gave him the finger.
Everything seemed to happen all at once. Sanu came after him amid the jeers of those watching. Hawk somehow managed to dodge the kick aimed at him. He grabbed the off-balance man by the balls. At the same time, he registered a shout of surprise and gunshots coming from somewhere as he pulled the weapon from the howling man’s holster. He pulled Sanu forward, using him as a shield. Someone shot out the main light.
Smoke. Jesus. Hawk recognized the instant and distinct burn of CS gas. During boot camp and SEAL training, they were required to sit in a room as it filled with tear gas and count to twenty slowly before they were allowed to strap on the gas masks by their sides. It was to help them to stay calm. Many first-timers gagged and panicked at the first fiery taste of the gas, forgetting to put on their masks as they rushed for the exits with closed eyes. It had taken Hawk two tries before he was able to sit calmly and count.
More shots. Total darkness. Everyone was yelling and scrambling, screaming for the exit. Hawk stretched out on the ground and began to crawl toward the general direction of the door. Someone at the entrance was picking off the running men one by one. Whoever it was must have a mask on. He had an idea who that might be. His eyes were hurting more and more as the gas started to waft downward. He squeezed them shut. Holding his breath, he continued his painful belly-crawl.
He wasn’t going to make it. He was going to be trampled before reaching the doorway.
Suddenly the glare from a flashlight hit his eyes, blinding him even more. Something slid onto his nose. Then a familiar weight came over his face. Gas mask. He reached up to hold it in place. Forcing his eyes open, he found everything had changed from darkness to another familiar sight. He had been fitted with infrared night goggles, too. Not that he could see much when his eyes felt as if they had been scratched raw.
But he didn’t need any urging. A familiar shadow stood over him. Leaned down. Hands urging him to get up. Unable to explain that he was still tied, he started to paddle hard with his arms toward the door. His rescuer pulled him by his shirt, hurrying him. He heard it tear as he tried to keep up.
At last he was out of that room and the passage light was still on. He heard the slam of the door behind him. Then his legs were freed. Knives were wonderful things.
He heaved himself up with the help of the wall. He staggered from the pain. He waved away the helping hand and started to run. He smacked into a wall. Still stinging from the gas assault, he couldn’t see very well. Besides, he wasn’t the one leading here. For once he had to depend on someone other than his SEAL brothers to take over. He turned to the small figure beside him. She took his hand.
19
Hawk coughed, or tried to. His lungs stillburned like hell. Another thing to include in his new list of things to dislike—climbing stairs after being kicked in the ribs. They were heading to his room. He was very glad they were getting as far away from the gas as possible. He didn’t think he could have taken another whiff of that without throwing up.
He saw the open duffel bag strapped over Amber’s back and reached in it. Ah, more familiar things. The woman had weapons out the kazoo. He loved this woman.
They met with a few hostiles as they climbed the stairs. Blocking Amber’s body with his, Hawk shot out the lights with the Uzi. The firefights were short, but they were losing more time. With the surprise element gone, he could hear the sound of more people rushing up the stairs.
Amber reached into her belt and pulled out something. “Here,” she said.
Grenades. He managed a grin. The woman was something else. He pulled the pins and dropped them down the stairwell. The blast shook the building.
Hawk turned to Amber. “Problem taken care of,” he said.
They reached his room. She pushed the gas mask off over the top of her head, then pulled off the small goggles. Hawk did the same, taking in the two dead bodies in his now-messy room. She pointed to her back, indicating that he should return the Uzi to the duffel bag.
“Are you all right?”
Hawk grinned. “What took you so long?”
“Oh my God, Hawk.” He couldn’t see her face, but her voice cracked with emotion. “Your face…your teeth are red. Are you in a lot of pain?”
