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She ran, her bare feet slapping on the tile stairs. I heard her at the door to the harem, where there were no guards. Because they were outside? Because there were only two at a time? I had no idea. I only knew she wasn't stopped.
That the others would be awake and probably dressed I had no doubt. There was a fear when someone was taken. It put everyone else on alert.
It took long enough for me to hear her knocking and then realizing she couldn't get the door open and neither could they. I heard her shout to get away from the door, and then she shot it, apparently well, because it took one shot and I heard her saying, "Now. We're going now. Come on. Leave everything!"
As if Mia and Nikki wouldn't.
Then their footsteps coming back.
I was afraid the shot fired would bring the other security. I didn't care. I had Bevington. No one had a job if Bevington died. He was our ticket out.
The other girls stopped partway down the stairs, mouths open, then moved before either Lettie or I could shout at them to get moving again.
"There are guns in his office," Lettie said. I wouldn't have thought of that.
Mia darted in while Nikki stood looking confused, came back out and handed Nikki a gun. "Safety's off so only point it at someone you want to shoot. Then you just pull the trigger."
Nikki nodded, looking dazed, and promptly asked in a normal voice, "Why aren't we shooting the motherfucker?"
"Because I'd rather see him in prison," Lettie said before I could. "Wouldn't you? He'll lose his shit being locked up."
"And buggered," Mia said, and laughed. "Front door locked?"
"Here," I said, and threw her the deadbolt key. "Look out for outside security."
She did, standing as well back from the door as Theo had after I'd clocked him with it. I felt bad about that now. On the plus side, he'd played his undercover cards well. I'd just thought he wasn't as inhuman as Chad.
The four of us took turns looking out and checking for security before motioning everyone to get up. Hands still behind heads.
"Let me help him up," Joseph said to me, motioning at his boss. He had the gall to sound angry like I was doing a terrible and unfair thing.
"Touch him and I'll shoot you in the knee," I said and he backed off. I watched without compassion as Bevington pushed himself up from the floor..
We made a procession, stepping out, Mia and Nikki first, their guns pointed at nothing and keeping it that way, and me and Lettie herding the three captives. I had no idea what I'd do once we cleared the porch. Lettie seemed to be figuring out as much of this as I was, if not more.
Turned out I didn't have to know what to do next.
We got clear of the porch and the yard lit with floodlights from law enforcement vehicles, from jeeps with bugeyes and from powerful mag lights. There was only one second of disconnect before I knew the lights were from backup for me, not for Bevington. Because the lights hadn't come on when Theo and Chad brought me here. There were no outside motion activated flood lights.
These lights were activated by people in vehicles, people who had come for us.
"Don't move!" someone shouted.
Someone else shouted, "That's her!"
And I'd know Cole's voice anywhere.
What I wanted to do was shout to him to stay where he was. Safe.
What I did do was fall as a bullet hit my shoulder, just before the outside security was taken down.
