The Payback (Team Zulu 2)

“Got a little distracted.” She tried to sit up and winced in pain. “Head hurts.”

Probably a concussion. My hands traveled over the bloody patches on her dress, looking for injuries. “Where else are you hurt? There’s blood all over you.”

Sage licked her dusty lips. “Not mine.” Her hand shook as she pointed at Maxim. “His.”

Holy shit. How hadn’t I noticed the long dagger going right through his meaty neck? Or the other stab wounds and his beat-up face.

Sage tried to rise. Instead, I picked her up and carried her out of the dark gallery. I used the flashlight on my phone to illuminate our path through the debris.

“I’m all right,” she said. “I can walk.”

I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’ve got no shoes. Let me get you out of here safely first.” I didn’t explain that a minute ago, I’d thought she was dead, and holding her in my arms gave me the reassurance I needed to get us out of here without murdering everyone on our way.

“Are you hurt?” Sage asked.

Of course she’d survive attempted murder and a bomb blast and still be concerned about me. I shook my head. “Not a single bullet hole.”

Her open relief made my chest tighten. “I was so worried about you,” she said.

“I’m hard to kill, baby. You know that.”

Lights flickered on, then stabilized as the emergency power kicked in. We were almost to the ballroom when guards ran toward us in the hallway. They took in Sage’s blood-covered state with concern. “The others!” I yelled in a frantic tone. “They’re trapped. Help them!” Right now, we were just two party guests evacuating a disaster zone. They rushed past us without questioning our story, but I doubted they’d believe Maxim had accidentally impaled his neck on a foot-long dagger, so we had to hustle.

In the Great Hall, terror-filled screams surrounded us as people scrambled for the exit. Following the panicked flow, we burst into the cool night air. We made a beeline for the trees.

Sage wriggled in my arms. “Put me down. I’m fine. You need your hands free in case we run into someone out here.”

With a frown, I did as she asked. Sage was right. I didn’t expect we’d come across anyone on our way to the rendezvous point, but I needed to be prepared. Plus, the lawn was soft underfoot, so Sage wouldn’t hurt her feet on the way. Assisted by a moonless sky, we hurried toward the perimeter wall using trees for cover.

“Where’s Dante?” Sage asked.

“I locked him and the governor inside the vault.”

“Nice.” She chuckled. “And the hard drive?”

I tapped the pocket of my suit jacket. “Got it.”

The silent mile-long walk seemed to take forever. Every rustling noise had Sage on high alert, but it was only squirrels and a roosting owl.

At the perimeter wall, we found Shep’s rope ladder. Sage scaled it first, and I heard Shep assist her on the other side.

“Jesus. Are you all right? What happened to you?” he asked.

“Went one-on-one with a sadistic ogre,” Sage replied. “And that’s not my blood.”

I joined them over the wall a moment later and collected the ladder. “Can’t say I’m sad Maxim is dead. Wish you’d have let me have a little fun with him first, though. Must you always take on the biggest guy in the room?”

Shep’s eyes bugged out. “You killed the Russian? Damn, girl.”

I snorted. “He looked like a worn-out voodoo doll once she’d finished with him.” I flashed Sage a proud smile. Later, I’d worry about what she must’ve gone through to finish Maxim. I had to remain focused until we were in the clear.

We got in the sedan and drove a mile through the woods along gravel tracks. Satisfied we’d put enough distance between us and the compound, we parked the car under the cover of trees.

Shep popped the trunk, and I pulled out two cases. My laptop and a drone. I plugged the hard drive into my computer and copied the files. While the transfer happened, I set up the drone.

Sirens approached.

“The compound is still locked down.” Shep tapped a tablet. “First responders are at the gate. SWAT team’s ETA is two minutes. No one gets in or out until we give back control of the gate or the SWAT guys blow it up.”