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“Man, these guys really don’t like each other,” I muttered to Ivan.
He chuckled, rocking back on his heels. “Yes, I thought this might be good touch.”
I shook my head in confusion. “You thought what would be a good touch?”
“My dear, I orchestrated this whole…thing. I call Allsebrook and the Frenchman.”
Now, I was really fucking confused. “Why would you call all of them? You’re going to start a war!”
“It is point,” he shrugged. “Watch and learn.”
“Ivan—” I hissed, but he was already walking into the fray.
“Gentleman, there are three eggs. I’m sure we can come to some kind of arrangement.”
“Yes, you hand them over as promised,” the Russian hissed.
“They belong to me!” Allsebrook shouted.
“My family created the eggs. They should be returned to us!”
They all converged on each other, yelling and screaming as they waved their weapons in the air. I backed up a step, only to feel something hard pressed into my back. Slowly, I turned and saw Allesbrook’s men nudging me forward. There was nowhere for me to go. I had no way out, and this was all Ivan’s doing. Some sick game that he liked to play because he hadn’t had enough fun lately. What had he said? It had been two weeks since he killed anyone. And now he planned on getting us all shot.
“I’ll take that,” one of the men said, reaching for the bag.
I jerked it out of his grasp, only to have another hand grab the strap. I found myself being torn between the three interested parties, all of them clawing to get their hands on the bag. And the whole time, Ivan laughed as he watched chaos unfold.
“Ivan!” I shouted. But it didn’t matter what the plan was. That had gone out the window a long time ago. I only had one course of action, and that was to set the real plan in motion. I slid my hand into my pocket and fumbled for the receiver as I swung the bag and clocked one of the men in the jaw.
I hit the button and ducked just as an explosion rocked the building. The men around me scattered, all of them taking cover as shrapnel flew through the air and the building started to crumble just twenty yards from me. That was perhaps a little too close, but there was no other way. I took the bag and ran, only to be tackled from behind. I hit the ground hard, my chin snapping against the floor painfully. I felt blood ooze from my chin, but fought off the wave of nausea and rolled over, kicking the man in the chest who was trying to pry the bag from my fingers.
He fell backward just as another man approached. I was quickly running out of time and space to fight this battle. I pulled a knife from my boot and flung it at the next man who approached, hitting him in the shoulder as I hoped. I rolled and grabbed my weapon from my holster, but never got a chance to fire. A bullet pierced my shoulder just as I spun. The force of the bullet knocked me back a step and I lost my grip on my gun. It clattered to the ground, right at the feet of the Russian who was about to attack me.
I took a deep breath, hoping this all went off without a hitch. I pulled my left arm back and swung the bag with all my might. The man snatched the bag before I could release it, and then kicked me in the chest, sending me spiraling backward. The force of the blow knocked the wind from my lungs, leaving me gasping for air.
I rolled to the side just in time to watch the man open the bag and release the second egg. The world exploded again, only this time, I never saw the aftermath.
24
NICHOLAS
“We have to move!” I shouted, already running for the building.
I could feel Fox on my six, running just as hard as I was. The first explosion was our signal, and it worried me more than I wanted to let on. The plan was risky at best, but I knew there was no talking Raven out of it. We were too far away to get to her. I had to trust that Ivan had her covered until we could get there.
From what I heard, she walked into more than she bargained for. Cash was trying to hold me back, to let it all play out and not lose our one chance of ending this. There’s no way he would have allowed Eva to go through with such a risky plan when baddies showed up out of the blue, threatening the entire plan.
The sound of gunfire wrenched through the air, but I didn’t slow. I didn’t care if it was directed at me or the men behind me. I had to get to Raven. There was no other option.
I was just about to the door when a second explosion rocked the building, followed quickly by a larger, more devastating one that I hadn’t been expecting. I was thrown backward from the blast, knocked into Fox as flames licked the building.
I jerked upright, staring in horror at the wreckage inside. “No!” I shouted, jumping to my feet.
I tried to run inside but Fox grabbed me from behind, wrapping his arms around me and preventing me from rushing in there. I fought him tooth and nail, tearing his hands from me just as another set of arms wrapped around me and dragged me further away.
“Raven!” I shouted, my throat raw from the fury in my shouts. With every set of hands that held me down, I fought even harder to break free. There was still a chance I could get to her. She might not be dead yet, but she would be if I didn’t get to her soon.
With one final scream, I ripped my body from the claws holding me back and ran flat out for the door. I almost made it, too. But something hard came down on my head.
