Christine Feehan - Deadly Game

He dropped to the floor and lay flat, waiting for a return, but there was only the sound of the dying and the frightened cries of the techs wanting out but unable to gather the courage to move again. He took a careful look around, using his enhanced night vision. A man was down several feet to his left, gun still in hand, a pool of blood spreading under him. Ken leapt up and sprinted for the stairs, leaping over fallen men, ignoring their cries for help.

He jumped halfway up the stairs, ran up the rest, and burst out into the first-level hallway.

Down! Down!

Mari's frantic cry had him diving for the floor, rolling as close to a doorway as possible while his gun was out and tracking. A barrage of bullets kept him rolling, the sound deafening in the narrow confines of the corridor. He managed to crawl into an open door and scramble up the side of the wall to position his body directly over the door. The jacket tore as his muscles bulged, holding his weight spread-eagled across the entryway. He could see where a bullet had pierced the material, leaving a hole through the fabric.

They're coming in. Standard two-man drill. Watch yourself . There was fear in her voice.

You all right, honey ? He was calm, soothing. This was what he lived for. She may as well know it. He'd been born a warrior, and anyone stupid enough to come after him simply had a death wish.

I've got a knife. Idiot didn't do a righteous search. Signal when you're clear.

He ignored the anxiety in her voice, keeping his tone the same calm note. You'll know. How many guards have you got on you ?

Two. I can take them out; just make sure you get your two . Mari's tone matched his now. calm and sure and filled with confidence.

The two soldiers emptied their guns into the door and walls of the room before slamming new clips in and kicking open what was left of the door. It splintered and broke from the hinges, and the two came into the room, back to back, spraying bullets in a semicircle to cover every inch of the room.

Now, Mari.

Ken leapt from the ceiling, palming his gun and shooting the closest soldier from midair. He landed in a crouch and shot the second one up close. He ripped the tech jacket off of him, though he disliked the white color for surfacing in the dark. You clear, baby ? He peered around the corner.

One guard lay at Mart's feet, obviously dead. The other man fought with her for the knife. Ken saw the man's shoulder twist and he punched Mart twice, going for the throat. She managed to turn her body enough for him to miss his target, but the blows rocked her. She didn't drop the knife. Ken came up behind the guard and used his own knife, shoving the blade to the hilt into the man's kidney. He slammed the flat of his hand against the guard's head, driving him away and down, and reached out to pull Mart to him.

He did a quick appraisal, making certain she wasn't bleeding as they turned to jog down the hall. "They're going to hit us with everything they have," he said. "He isn't going to want you to get away."

"He won't kill me," Man said with absolute confidence. "He thinks I controlled Sean and planted the suggestion that we'd had sex."

Ken shot her a glance even as he continued to scan the hall. It's too easy, Jack. He's up to something . "He figured that out?"

"Not much gets passed Whitney. He didn't let the guards kill Sean either. He told them not to, and that means he'll send Sean after me."

"I'm counting on it," Ken said, keeping his shields firmly in place. The last thing she needed to do was feel the raw violence swirling around in his brain. He wanted to take Sean apart one piece at a time and had every intention of doing so.

"But he'll do everything he can to kill you," Mart said. "I want to cover you. You lead and I'll drop back."

Ken pointed ahead of him. "We do it the way I've always done it. We have help waiting. Just head for the helicopter. We'll get you out." As he handed her more clips, he touched her mind, not wanting insubordination in the middle of what he knew was going to be a hell of a firefight.

Mart planned to give herself up if it came down to his life or her freedom-and she wanted freedom now that she'd had a taste of it. But she was determined he wouldn't be captured and tormented by Peter Whitney. The woman could tear out his heart if he was stupid enough to let her. Ken paused, keeping to the left of the door, holding her to him. His lips brushed the back of her head.

No matter what happens, Jack, swear to me, you tell the team we get her out. I don't care if you have to hit her over the head and take her out unconscious. She's not playing the heroine and saving my ass at the cost of hers.

Jack's amusement was soothing balm on a sore wound. Oh, you got it bad, bro. That woman has you tied up in knots. Get the hell out here and let's go. We're not leaving anyone behind .

Ken believed in few things, but he believed in his brother. He gave Mari the location of the helicopter. "Run. Let the team provide covering fire. You keep going and I'll be right on your heels."

We're coming out , he warned his team.

You've got enemies scattered in a loose semicircle , Jack warned. Mitch is trying for the bluff, but he isn't going to make it . There was a moment of silence and then a rifle shot. Oh darn, he slipped back and isn't moving .

Mari took off, sprinting with the blurring speed of an enhanced soldier. Ken keeping pace right behind her. She didn't run straight, but zigzagged, trying to find cover where there was little to find. Gunfire erupted all around them, but they kept running. Ken trusting Jack and the others to keep the enemy pinned.

Incoming.

Down, Mari, hit the ground . Ken leapt forward to tackle her. driving her down even as he warned her, sheltering her body with his. Angry bees stung his back and legs, but he sprawled over Mari, striving with his arms to cover her head and keep her safe from the small, deadly missiles the mini-bomb was ejecting.

Jack swore in his head, the curses long and eloquent. Nails. They put nails in the damn thing. You look like a fuckin' porcupine. Can you run ?

I have to. I can do it. Just don't let them throw one of those again . He hurt like a son of a bitch, but he wasn't about to get shot-or captured. He rose, his back and calf muscles screaming at him. Mari obviously felt the pain in his mind, because she kept trying to turn, to see him, but he pushed her firmly forward again.

He put the pain out of his mind. Compartmentalizing was a useful tool, and Ken and Jack had learned it early in life. He ran flat-out, the nails in his body not slowing him down. Several shooters including Neil and Logan closing in on either side of them and dropping to one knee-systematically picked off the enemy.

Mari made it to the helicopter and caught Martin's hand, allowing him to jerk her inside. Ken leapt in and caught the rifle thrown at him, picking it out of the air with one hand, swinging it to his shoulder, and dropping to cover his brother as he came out of the foliage. He heard Mari's gasp as she saw the nails in his body, but his concentration was on the enemy and covering Jack's butt.

Jack came out into the open, firing steadily. Ken caught sight of a soldier tracking his twin and he squeezed the trigger. The man went down, and Ken immediately swept the area looking for others. One rose up right in front of Jack, shooting too fast. Ken saw Jack stagger.

Drop . Even as Ken gave the order, he pulled the trigger. Jack hit the ground and the soldier fell almost on top of him. How bad you hurt ?

Just clipped me, took a little bit of muscle, but I'll live . Jack was already up and covering ground fast, looking just as lethal as ever in spite of the blood on his right arm.