Page 129 of Lion’s Den

“I want your word that you won’t touch Sedona or any of our friends.”

“You drive a hard bargain.” More staring by Simpson, then, “All right. If you give me Lyons, then I will leave the beautiful Miss Hart and your friends alone. Now, where is he?”

Cam smiled. “Quantico.”

“The FBI training academy?” The assassin spat out vile curses. “That was not part of our bargain, Mr. Sims.”

“You gave me your word, and I gave you honest information in return. It’s not my fault you don’t like the answer I gave you.”

Dario inched sideways during the exchange with Simpson, pretending to adjust his footing.

Isaac lowered his center of gravity, preparing to jump on Cam’s signal.

Simpson flicked his gaze toward the movement of the two men.

Almost time. Cam hoped Elliot and Owen were in place because this would go down with or without them in the next few seconds.

Cam stepped half a pace forward, drawing Simpson’s aim. “Put the weapon down and surrender, Simpson.”

Another bark of laughter. “Why should I? My assistants are in control.”

“You’re running out of time.”

“Are you insane? There are only six of you, and I have ten men with me.” A gust of wind kicked dust into Simpson’s eyes. He flinched for a fraction of a second.

Sedona moaned, drawing Simpson’s attention. The assassin automatically adjusted his aim.

Dario lunged from Simpson’s blind side at the same time as Isaac dove toward the killer. Dario went high, while Isaac went low.

David, Spencer, and Rhys drew their weapons and aimed at the crew Simpson had brought with him.

Elliot and Owen identified themselves as police officers, then said, “Drop your weapons, then put hands on your head,” Owen ordered Simpson’s remaining employees.

One move by Isaac, and the assassin’s weapon skittered across the rock, stopping near the cliff edge. Spencer kicked the weapon farther out of Simpson’s reach.

In seconds, Simpson was face down on the ground, arms pinned behind his back. He cursed them all and threatened Cam and Sedona.

Nice.

Now that the assassin was in custody, David helped his brothers search for weapons and restrained Simpson’s men.

“Did you hear that threat, David?”

“I not only heard it, I recorded it.”

“That’s worth another couple of charges, don’t you think?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

More loud, vicious curses from Simpson prompted Dario to bend down and stare directly into Simpson’s eyes. “If you say one more ugly word in Sedona’s hearing, I will gag you. Am I making myself clear?”

A staring contest went on for a minute before Simpson gave a slight nod.

Behind Owen and Elliot, another team arrived who were dressed in the standard uniform of Fortress Security, black from head to toe.

The one in charge of the new group turned to David with a raised eyebrow. “I thought you said you were outnumbered and outgunned. We broke speed records to get here only to find everything is under control. Care to explain that?”

David glanced at Cam and his teammates, then faced the stranger again. “My new Search and Rescue team turned the tide in our favor. Sorry to bring you out here for nothing, Josh.”