Page 50 of Red Zone Awakened

CHAPTER20

Red Zone Warriors surveillance vehicle

Four blocks from CommTECH’s research facility

Houston, Northern Territory

Sandi closedher cell phone with a snap.“The Mercer brothers have arrived.”

Striker tore his eyes from Freedom’s latest broadcast.He hoped to hell that Keiko hadn’t seen her friend die live on TV.That kind of thing could destroy a person, and she’d need all of her wits about her to get out of that building alive.

“Did you hear me?”Sandi asked, her eyes flicking to the screens.“CommTECH’s heads of security are here.”

“Jus’ what we need.”He pinched the bridge of his nose.They were working blind, with no idea if Mace was even still alive.He glanced at the screens showing the area around the building.“Enforcement’s gathering an army.”

“They’re going to storm the building,” Sandi said.

Friday clutched his arm.“We can’t let them do that.”

“I don’ think we can stop them.”Even now that more of his team had turned up, they were still desperately outnumbered.Eighteen Red Team Warriors against what looked like the Northern Territory’s entire Enforcement personnel—those weren’t good odds.

“Stopping Enforcement from getting into the building is the least of our problems,” Hunter said.“They’ve got the place completely surrounded.There are no gaps for Mace to slip through.Whichever way he comes out, Enforcement will be waiting to pick him up.”

“Maybe we can’t stop them from going into the building,” Gray said, “but we could thin the crowd waiting outside some.”

Striker looked at his teammate.“What are you thinking?”

Gray looked disconnected—bored, even—but his answer was sharp.“Right now, the research facility is Enforcement’s only focus.If other CommTECH buildings were attacked, we’d lose some of the force to other sites.It would create gaps around the building, giving Mace a better chance of getting out.”

“We can’t attack another CommTECH building.”Friday was outraged.“We can’t put people’s lives at risk just to get Mace out.”

“He wasn’t talking about endangering any more civilians,bébé,” Striker said.“Were you, Gray?”

The man shrugged.“I was thinking more along the lines of some strategically placed charges.Big bangs that will attract a lot of attention but cause minimal damage.”

Striker nodded and covered the few short feet to Hunter’s desk.“How many more CommTECH buildings are there in Houston?”

Hunter already had the information on-screen.“Six major ones.”

Striker eyed his team.“Pair up.Make some noise.Gray, you coordinate.Keep Hunter in the loop.”

Gray nodded, and the team dispersed.

Striker watched with longing as they ran out the door.“I should be out there with them.”

“You can’t.”Friday stroked his back.“You’d endanger them just by showing your face.”

He hated that she was right.Ever since he’d escaped in Bolivia, leaving CommTECH’s head of security dead behind him, Miriam had been desperate to get hold of him.It hadn’t helped that his animal had been caught on security cameras, raising questions the team didn’t want answered.

“It ain’t right,” he said.He was hiding, staying safe, while his team took risks.If ever there was a downside of being on Enforcement’s most-wanted list, it was that.

“I know.”She rested her forehead against his back.“I want to ask you if everything’s going to be okay, and I want you to tell me it will.Stupid, isn’t it?You can’t give me that assurance.Nobody can.”

“I can tell you this,bébé.In all the time I’ve known him, there ain’t never been a hard spot Mace couldn’t get out of.This time won’t be no different.”

“I hope you’re right,” Friday murmured.“He drives me crazy, but he’s family, and I want him home.”

“Me too,” Striker said.“Me too.”