Talon (Uncompromising #1)(61)

“Copy, but if they start to move before we can get into position, we’ll hold till they clear out then go in for her. Otherwise, give us ninety seconds to get into position. You’re good to go once we have them all on the ground. We’ll rendezvous at the Ocean Center west parking lot.”

I nodded but André had already disappeared into the shadows. I watched the bikers for any signs that they were getting ready to leave. The dumb fucks were so busy smoking and hazing each other that they didn’t see the dark figure with an AR-15 streak across the parking lot and take up a position behind them.

Twenty seconds later, André and his two men surrounded the bikers from three sides. André’s voice carried across the lot. “Arms up, not a sound.” He nudged one of the bikers in the shoulder with the muzzle of his rifle who’d reached for his gun. “Drop to your knees, hands behind your head, now. Face down!”

Five grown men dropped to the ground and I moved.

I cleared the retaining wall and sprinted across the lot. Ten seconds later I tapped on the window that was chest height and shoved down the nagging feeling that this was going too easy. When it started to slide open, I pushed it the rest of the way open and Siren’s stricken face appeared.

No time to reassure her, I reached in. “C’mon, c’mon, swing a leg over, I gotcha.”

Without a word, she threw her knee onto the sill and started to hoist herself up.

My heart fucking hammering, I got a hold of her waist and the door to the bedroom flew open.

Siren froze.

“What the fuck?” Randy reached behind him.

I didn’t hesitate. I yanked Siren to the ground, palmed my 9mm and fired at Randy.

Blood spread across his left shoulder as his right arm came up and he started firing.

I dropped below the sill, yanked Siren’s bag off her arm and slung it over my shoulder. “Dumpster, run.” I reached up and was emptying my clip into the bedroom before she’d even taken her first step. “Cover,” I yelled at André as I reloaded.

Then all hell broke loose.

LCs poured out of the apartment complex from all directions, blindly shooting. Three of the bikers on the ground in front of André and his men rolled to their backs and started firing. André gave the signal to retreat but they were taking fire from too many directions to do anything but sweep the lot with gunfire as they fell behind the retaining wall.

With most of the LCs’ backs to me as they came out of the building, I grabbed my second piece and took aim.

“No,” André bellowed. “Go!”

I was a sitting duck and my only cover was the fact that none of them had seen me yet. I didn’t hesitate, I ran after Siren.

Bullets whizzed past my head, hammering into the Dumpster. Reaching back, blindly firing, I’d made it almost to the other side of the lot when the impact hit my right arm. Burning heat seared into my flesh and pain shot up my arm into my neck. Wetness spreading across my bicep, I didn’t break stride until I rounded the Dumpster. The sight of Siren crouched in a ball with her hands over her ears was my last straw. I unleashed my rage.

With the stench of garbage and two walls of steel as my cover, I stood up and fucking unloaded both my guns. Dropping to reload, I holstered one gun and grabbed Siren’s hand. “You hit?”

She didn’t respond.

“Siren,” I barked.

“N-no,” she stuttered.

“Let’s go.” I grabbed my helmet and pulled her up.

Her body shaking, she stumbled to her feet.

“Stay in a crouch,” I warned, giving her the helmet. I holstered my guns, swung a leg over and waited as she climbed on behind me and smashed the helmet over her head. I handed her the bag. “Sling it over your shoulder. Can you shoot?”

She put the visor up. “Wh-what?”

“A gun. Can you shoot?” I started the bike.

“Yes.”

“Good.” I grabbed her hand, brought it to my vest and showed her fingers where the barrel of the piece holstered on my chest was. “The safety’s off. Use it if I tell you. Got it?”

“Okay.”

“Hold on.” Ignoring the stabbing pain in my right bicep and smell of burnt flesh, I fired up the bike as blood dripped down my arm.

Siren wrapped her arms around my stomach. Adrenaline pumping, I gave the bike too much gas, spun a one-eighty and ripped through the gears. Three blocks later, we were doing seventy in a thirty-five zone.

I wove in a maze pattern through the city streets until I was sure we weren’t being followed then I turned onto the street where we were supposed to meet up. Checking to my left, I didn’t see the truck pull up on our right until it was too late. Unable to safely swerve with Siren on the back, I hit the gas. The truck sped up and Siren didn’t hesitate. She pulled the gun from my chest holster, her arm shot out and she fired three rounds.