Page 93 of Red Zone Awakened

CHAPTER38

One of theMercer twins had Keiko.With her hair wrapped around his fist, he was dragging her from the terrace.

No!

Mace was on his feet and running before he could think.All he could see was Keiko.He had to get to her.Had to save her from the Mercers.He’d heard rumors about what they did to their captives.Rumors that turned his stomach.They liked to play with knives.Liked to cut and slice until there was nothing left of the person in front of them.

And now they had his woman.

Look out!the bat shouted in his head.

The warning came a beat too late.The second twin attacked from the side, hitting Mace with the force of a truck.They crashed to the hard, tiled floor, and something snapped in Mace’s side.His ribs were well and truly broken now.

He struggled to his feet and faced the twin before him.

While the other twin hauled Keiko toward the doors into the building.

Do something!he shouted at his bat.

Save mine,the bat agreed.

Mace didn’t know what help the bat could be, but it was his only backup.Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bat swoop at the twin holding Keiko.He didn’t see what happened next because a fist shot out of nowhere and caught his jaw.Damn.The Mercer guy knew how to punch.Mace shook his head to clear it before charging his attacker.His only thought, his only aim, was to eliminate the enemy and get to Keiko.

He rained blows on the Mercer twin, pouring his strength into each.The man dodged some and took others but remained on his feet.It seemed that no matter what Mace threw at him, he kept right on coming, taking his punishment in a way that made it clear he was used to it.

Mace kicked out, aiming for Mercer’s knee, hoping to break it and bring him down.The twin twisted away, taking the blow on his calf instead.An outraged screech drew their attention.The bat had clawed at the other brother, attempting to take out his eyes.Mace grinned at the sight of blood running down his face and swung back to strike the twin in front of him.The blow hit true.It caught Mercer on the jaw, sending him reeling backward.

Any other man would have fallen.Not this one.He charged.Mace fought back, but his focus was split, his attention drawn to the scuffle in the corner of the terrace.His bat had attacked again, clawing at Keiko’s captor’s face.Rivulets of blood ran down the other twin’s cheek as he swiped at the bat.This time, he didn’t miss.The bat spiraled through the air.

Are you okay?Mace shouted.

Save mate,came the weak reply.It was dazed but would live.

For a second, Mace felt the bat’s dizziness and weakness, and it was all the opening his opponent needed.Mercer took advantage of his disorientation, striking him with a roundhouse kick to the chest.It happened too fast to stop, and the force of the kick propelled his broken ribs straight into his lung.

Mercer may as well have stabbed him.It would have had the same effect.

Mace staggered back as he fought to breathe.

There was no space in his lungs for air.The blow had popped his lung like a balloon.Air had seeped into his diaphragm making his already compromised lung capacity even smaller.He was suffocating.On a terrace surrounded by air.

Mace pressed a hand to his side.The touch was enough to trigger a wave of pain that made him dizzy.Probably more of it internally too.

“Shit,” he muttered.“This isn’t how I was meant to go out.”

Because there was no denying it.That blow had been fatal.He was dying.

There was no way he could get the help he needed before it was too late.

The back of his knees struck the broken edge of the terrace wall, where his grenades had caused damage.His opponent watched him, waiting for Mace’s next move, knowing that one kick couldn’t fell a man his size.Not realizing that the kick had killed him.For one long, heavy second, Mace wondered why Mercer didn’t follow up, come in close to finish him off.

It wasn’t important.His opponent wasn’t important.All that mattered was Keiko.Was she safe?Had she gotten free?How would he save her now that he was dying?Now that he couldn’t even save himself.

His gaze sought her across the carnage on the terrace.The other Mercer twin had released his hold on her to wipe the blood from his face.Her eyes went wide when they connected with his, and her mouth fell open as if to call out to him.And then, he saw panic register on her face.Panic for him.Only Keiko would feel fear for him when she was the one in real danger.Because that Mercer twin was the only true predator on the terrace.And he’d chosen Keiko as his prey.

“Run,” he mouthed to her as he swayed against the crumbling wall.

It was getting harder to breathe now.Dizziness stole his sense of reality, and it seemed as though the world around him became weightless.Or perhaps it was him.He kept his eyes on the woman he loved.Yes, loved.And wasn’t that a kick in the ass?The day Mace finally fell in love was the day he died.