“Get up!”
Amjad raised his head. “You will regret this,” he snarled. “You and your men will—”
Dec grabbed the terrorist and hauled him to his feet. He punched him in the gut. Air exploded from Amjad’s lungs. It felt so good to hit the bastard that Dec drew back his fist and did it again.
“Declan,” Annie said, “don’t kill him. Let him live in fear of the justice he knows is coming.”
Dec took a long, hard breath. They could debate justice some other time. Right now, she had reminded him that his mission was to bring the terrorist in alive.
Sometimes, doing your duty was tough.
Danny handed him the roll of duct tape.
Dec tore off a long strip and wrapped it tightly around the terrorist’s mouth.
Aidan tossed him a handful of zip-ties.
Dec jerked Amjad’s hands behind his back and secured them.
The three unconscious terrorists had already been gagged and bound and left where they had fallen.
Dec pulled on his balaclava. Chay collected the weapons of the dead and injured terrorists.
“Okay,” Dec said. “All dressed up and ready to go. We’re out of here.”
“We leaving the three sleeping beauties?”
“Yeah. A little bonus for the Freedom Fighters.”
The reverse trip was quick and smooth.
Danny went first, checking the corridor, then signaling it was clear. Nick and Chay went next, holding Amjad between them. Then Alex. Then Annie. Then Aidan, with Dec last.
No problems to the service stairs. None to the basement. One last trip through the tunnel—Amjad balked and Alex had the pleasure of kicking him to get him moving.
They emerged into the clear night air at the mouth of the tunnel.
Then it was a fast jog to where the Black Hawk waited. Once they were on board, Dec dropped a hood over Amjad’s head and the big bird lifted into the sky.
The STUD One operatives grinned, pulled off their balaclavas and exchanged high fives.
“Piece of cake,” Nick said.
Annie was back to crying and laughing at the same time. “I love you all,” she said. “You’re all wonderful.”
“Don’t forget handsome,” Chay said.
“And brave,” Aidan added.
“And brilliant,” Danny said.
Dec laughed along with them. Then he took Annie in his arms. The other guys looked at each other, then looked away.
“That was some stunt you pulled, Princess,” Dec said softly.
She laughed. “Theater Workshop 101.”
“What?”