Submission Impossible (Masters & Mercenaries Reloaded 1)

Kyle cared about MaeBe. How would he feel if she died in that parking lot and he could have answered that phone?

They needed to buy some time. Despite the fact that Jessica Layne had dampened cell phone reception, surely they’d triggered an alarm or the Michael person would find the edge of the cell bubble and make a call.

“They have MaeBe,” she said, turning the laptop around. “I think they know we’re here.”

Kyle moved in, watching the laptop with no expression in his eyes, and then he swiped his finger across his phone’s screen. “Hello?”

Hutch cursed under his breath and grabbed his boots, shoving them on his feet.

“Hello, Kyle. If that is your real name,” a feminine voice said. “I should have known you were too good to be true. I thought I only had to worry about you talking to Noelle about my plans. But after tonight, I wonder if you don’t have another agenda entirely. I think you’ll find I have your bitch. I will trade her for another bitch, but if I don’t see you down here soon with Noelle LaVigne, I’m going to kill this one.”

“I don’t have Noelle,” Kyle replied, his tone bland. “But I have information that can help you.”

“Then come out here,” Jessica replied. “Now, or the girl dies.”

The line went dead.

“You can’t go out there. She’ll figure out you’re lying.” Hutch was on his feet again. “I’m going for the security office. I’m going to reset everything and call the cops. You’ve got to know she’s going to move as quickly as she can. She has to. We need to slow her down.”

“And then MaeBe dies and Jessica tosses her body and she still gets away,” Kyle said between clenched teeth. “I’ll tell her I know where Noelle is. I’ll negotiate to take her there. You call in anyone you can get. Take the gun. They won’t let me keep it anyway. If they take me and MaeBe…”

Hutch stood in front of him, his shoulders slumping. “Then we’ll find you.”

“Tell Jessica you know what Madison left for me. That’s what she’s looking for. It’s in my locker. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I think it’s data of some kind. Take them to the Genedyne building and it’s in my locker in a magnetic security case at the top.” Noelle didn’t want to leave him with nothing. Her heart was pounding at the thought of Kyle going out there with no protection at all.

“Noelle, are you sure?” Hutch asked.

She nodded. “I’m not giving up MaeBe’s life to make mine easier. We can get Jessica some other way.” She looked to Kyle. “I figured out where it is a couple of minutes ago. Or where I’m pretty sure it is. I could go with you. I trust Hutch to save me.”

“Fuck, no,” Hutch began.

Kyle put a hand on her shoulder. “I promise we’ll get her. Thank you, Noelle. But I’m going alone.” He moved to the door. “Hutch, if anything happens to me, tell my mother I love her. And tell them all I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do this,” Hutch said. “I can figure this out.”

Kyle shook his head. “There are some things not even the smartest people can stop. I’m afraid this is one of them. If I die, save MaeBe. Please. Tell her… Fuck, don’t tell her anything.”

Kyle disappeared from view.

“I’m going to take the light. Turn on yours,” Hutch ordered. “The control room is on the first floor. I’m going to get the lights back on. There’s a monitor down there, so I should be able to see what’s happening. You keep this one and don’t come out of hiding until you see it’s safe. I love you, Noelle.”

And then he was gone, taking the light with him. He was gone in the shadows and she was alone.

The light from the laptop helped her find her cell and get her flashlight app on. She stared at the monitor for a few tense moments. Her hands were shaking as she watched the door open, Kyle appearing with his hands up.

Before he could even start to talk, one of Jessica’s men rushed him.

One shot and Kyle went down. He hit his knees and then slumped to the pavement as the man who’d shot him moved around his body and caught the door before it closed.

Jessica walked by Kyle, making sure her designer shoes didn’t touch the blood that was starting to pool. Even for a murder the woman wore five-inch heels and expensive clothing.

Noelle couldn’t hear MaeBe’s cries, but she could see the way the woman started to crawl toward Kyle, her bound hands coming out to reach for him.

For Kyle. Kyle had been shot in the chest and he was down. Was he dead? Oh god, he looked like he was dead. Hutch was out there and Jessica was in the building. She’d gotten in the building.