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“Baby. Talk to me.” I’ve got to help her keep her head. If she’s talking, then she’s not focusing on the what-ifs.
“I’m supposed to tell you that you have to open the servers. They—”
Her words are cut off by a scream, and I grip the phone so tight I’m surprised it doesn’t crack. “Jay!” I yell into the phone, not caring how loud I am. I’m losing it. I’m so close to the edge of my control that it’s starting to break.
“I’m on it,” McCoy says, using his satellite laptop to open up the servers and drop the security to our entire system.
“I’m here,” she sobs, and another piece of my heart breaks off. How much more of this can I take? “You have to open the servers. They want to delete things.”
I take a breath and run a hand down my face. I’ll take as much of this as I can if it means getting her back to me. She’s my whole goddamn world, and I won’t have it ripped from my hands.
“Okay, baby. I’ll do it.” I look over to McCoy, and he nods at me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Her words are like a balm to my soul, and I know that I will save her. I will get her back in my arms, and I will make everyone who dared to touch her pay for what they’ve done.
“I’m going to kill all of them.” My voice is strong and calm.
“Jordan.” The fear in her voice is rising, and I need to calm her down.
“Listen to me, little bird. I’m coming for you.”
I hear a click, and the phone line goes dead. I look over at McCoy, and he shows me the screen.
“It’s done,” he says. “I ran the program to take the server down in case they check, but they’ll be back up before they can get in there. And by that time, we’ll be long gone.”
“Yeah, we’ve got a problem,” I hear Grant say over the com. “Evil short guy just wired the house with explosives.”
“Fuck,” Paige says, and we all agree.
Shit just got real.
“All right, new plan,” Ryan says. “Jordan and McCoy, you guys ghost to the front porch and wait. Sheppard and Grant, on my signal, you guys go in the back and light the place up. Take out Stein and the evil short guy if you’ve got a clean shot. Then I want Jordan and McCoy going in hot. We clear?”
“Clear,” we all agree, and I nod to McCoy.
“Paige and I will clear the explosive switches if we can, but don’t bet on it. We’re doing this fast, so in and out. Grab the girls and get them the fuck out. Nobody gets to be a hero. You hear me, Chen?”
“I hear you,” I agree and tighten my grip on my gun.
“Everybody in position,” Ryan says, and we make our move.
McCoy and I crouch down low and move silently across the shadows of the tree and onto the porch. I can feel the sweat trickle down my back as adrenaline thumps in my ears. Every sense I have is heightened, and I hold my Glock with both hands, ready to fire.
There’s no sound made as we get in position by the front door and wait. I watch Ryan and Paige out of the corner of my eye as they move on the edge of the woods and to the side of the house. The two of them know the most about explosives, and I pray that they can take care of it before they go off.
Murmured voices come from inside the cabin, and I swear I hear a sob from Jay. But I don’t let myself focus on that. Not when she’s within my grasp.
“In three, two, one…” Ryan’s voice commands over the com, and we wait, ready to go into action. “Move.”
Reaching up, I grab the knob of the front door and swing it open, just as I hear the back door being kicked in. Shots ring out as I rush in and see Jay on the floor with Stein on top of her. I don’t think of anything but Jay, and I rush at Stein, full-body tackling him to the ground. He’s under me, and I sit up lightning-quick and punch him hard three times before he’s unconscious.
Turning around, I see Jay against the couch, huddled up and in shock. She blinks a few times before she realizes it’s me, and then we are both moving toward one another.
“Oh my God, Jordan,” she sobs, and I pull her into my arms and look around for Summer.
She’s already in Sheppard’s arms and out the door, and I stand up with Jay to follow them.
Looking behind me, I see the short guy is lying on the floor with a bullet between his eyes, but I can’t say for sure who did it. I don’t remember shooting my gun, but I see it lying next to him. I reach down and grab it, tucking it into my holster while holding Jay close.
