Relentless

Now as they turned a final corner and headed down the straight passage for the more open area of the elevators, Ben pretended to sip his coffee all while peeking up at the mirror set in the corner. “This tastes awful.”

He spied the person immediately. With his nondescript expression, black clothing and bulge in his unseasonable jacket, the man was very similar to the guys who had been following and attacking Jocelyn.

They were all cut from the same pattern. Probably because whoever hired them bought their services at the same place.

Finding a mercenary for hire was far too easy, especially in this area, so close to Washington, D.C., where many disenchanted law-enforcement and military types lurked. Some of these guys did solid work, protection and security, but not the group coming after Jocelyn.

“I didn’t promise you good coffee.” Her voice still rang out sunny and strong.

That was good. He needed her calm and temporarily oblivious to the danger swallowing up the air around them. The sooner the guy behind them knew he’d been spotted, the sooner he would attack. Ben wanted to stall. He needed time to maneuver them into a less public position.

But Ben had to warn her. Give her a second to prepare for what he knew from experience could go haywire. “I need you to do something for me.”

Must have been his voice, maybe the softer tone, that grabbed her attention, because she stared up at him. “Okay.”

“This is easy.”

Her smile faded as the seconds ticked past. “Name it and I’ll try.”

“No, no. Keep smiling and don’t change your steps.”

Her hand tightened on the cup, threatening to pop the lid off. “What’s happening?”

“Probably nothing.” Something. Oh, definitely something. When she started to turn around and look behind them, Ben touched her elbow. “No.”

Coffee dripped down the side of her cup, running over her hand. The steam rose but she didn’t even flinch. “Level with me. This is bad, right?”

“We’re going to be very careful.” He scanned the area up ahead. A few people milled around by the elevator. That meant he had to protect Jocelyn and take care of the civilians. Not an easy task when he had heaven knew how many weapons pointed at him right now and a two-hundred-pound bruiser to wrestle.

He studied the exits. Elevator banks on both sides and an emergency stairwell just beyond. Then he looked at the double swinging doors to the hallways of innocent people on the other side. No way could he lure the guy that way. Far too many chances for casualties and a low percentage of success.

“Want to tell me what’s going on?” Her voice shook as she asked the question.

He thought about downplaying the adrenaline rushing through him but his heart hammered too hard for this to be a coincidence. “I think we’re being followed.”

He slowed them down, letting the four people hovering by the elevator get on and the doors close behind them before they reached that point. That took a few potential victims out of the way but left his biggest concern vulnerable. Jocelyn. He had to shove her out of the way and hope his shot hit.

One more test first.

They hesitated at the elevator doors. Handing her his coffee, he pushed the button. Stepping on there with the assassin guaranteed death. A confined space and no way out. Bullets would fly and the chances of not being hit were slim, if not impossible.

The man came up behind them. Close enough to violate their space but not right on top of them. He didn’t shift or say anything. He stared straight ahead.

Ben kept his body between hers and the other man. When he saw the guy put his hand in his pocket and his gaze slide to the security camera above the elevator doors, Ben knew their time was up.

Pushing Jocelyn to the side, he moved her away from the elevator right as the bell dinged. Coffee splashed and the man grunted.

They’d gotten two steps closer to the stairwell when the man pivoted and followed them. No guessing now. He had the gun out and his arm rose.

Ben turned but Jocelyn was faster. She whipped around and launched both cups of coffee right at the guy. Looked as if she aimed for his head.

The liquid arced through the air. The guy threw up his hand but the hot coffee hit him dead in the face, splashing over his body and streaming to the floor.

The man closed his eyes as drips hung from his hair and leaked into his eyes. He swore loud enough to send security running.

Ben didn’t wait for a better time. “Move, Jocelyn.”

He gave the order as he kicked the emergency door open and with a shoulder rammed into the guy’s back shoved him through. The attacker spun and his gun dropped.

A ping rang out as the bullet left the chamber. The weapon bounced down the steps to the next landing as a woman screamed a few flights up.