Rage (Benson Security 3)

THEY’D COME IN THROUGH THE stupid tunnel his grandfather had insisted on digging. The tunnel he’d fought with the local council about because it came out on council-owned land beside the road. The tunnel that was recorded in council documents and was easy enough to find. The tunnel Callum should have filled the minute he’d moved in.

Callum aimed his gun steadily at the arsehole threatening his family, his finger on the trigger. The only thing stopping him from pulling it was the fact that his gun was inches from Jack’s head. And the other guy in the room was pointing his weapon at Isobel.

“Well, if it isn’t the famous Callum McKay,” the arsehole near Jack sneered. “There’s a lot of talk about you in Kintyre. They say you eat children for breakfast.”

“No, I only eat wannabe mercenaries who threaten my family.”

Callum saw Jack’s eyes go wide. He’d deal with the boy later. Explain that he meant every word. They were his family. Jack was his son. Sophie was his daughter. And Isobel was definitely his woman. He wouldn’t accept anything else.

“This wannabe mercenary is going to put a bullet in your kneecap for pissing him off.”

Callum almost laughed. His knees were made of carbon and titanium. For the first time since an IED took his legs, Callum was grateful for the replacement.

“You’ll be dead before you try,” he said.

A flicker of movement drew his eye, and he caught sight of Jack’s fingers slowly curling around the stun gun on the floor beside him. A million thoughts ran through Callum’s head, but only one mattered. He had a chance to save his family. To get them all out of there alive.

“You think I should have Arno shoot the woman first?” the arsehole said. “Or the kid? At least it would shut her the fuck up.”

Callum heard Isobel trying to calm Sophie. It was a wasted effort; both mother and child were far too traumatised for it to work.

Jack shifted the stun gun, gently touching it to the gunman’s leg. Nobody except Callum was looking at the boy. Nobody saw what he did. Callum caught Jack’s eye and nodded. The boy nodded back.

Callum felt resolve settle within him, the calm before the battle.

“Go ahead, take your best shot,” he told the guy with the gun. “See if you can hit me before I hit you.”

“Callum!” Isobel screamed.

“Fucking SAS think they’re the kings of the world.” The guy swung his gun towards Callum and pulled the trigger.

It all happened at once. The gunman shot at his leg. He felt the impact of the bullet hitting the metal, but all it did was shake his balance. Callum aimed at the guy pointing his gun at Isobel. He had one shot. One chance to take him out. And he took it. He hit Arno in the centre of his forehead and watched him fall. There was the unmistakable sound of electricity sizzling as Jack dealt with the other guy. The gunman spasmed and hit the floor hard. Callum turned his gun on the electrocuted man and pulled the trigger. Targets down.

“Callum!” Isobel’s scream went right through him. “J

ack, honey, look at me. Callum, help him!”

Callum came to his knees beside Jack, lifting his shirt to look at the damage. The knife wound was deep and bleeding profusely.

Ryan ran into the room and stopped dead. “What do you need?”

“Medical kit, kitchen.”

Ryan ran, while Callum applied pressure to the wound. “What blood type is he?”

Isobel’s eyes were glazed, showing signs of shock. Sophie was busy weeping into her mother, but she wasn’t screaming anymore.

“Isobel, blood type?”

“O—he’s O positive.”

“Good, that’s good.”

Ryan rushed back into the room, kicked the dead guy out of the way and knelt beside Callum. “What we got?”

“Knife wound to the abdomen. He’s lost a lot of blood. We need to transfuse. Who’s O positive?”

Ryan, Megan and Elle all said, “I am,” at the same time.