Page 136 of Hard Rain

It appeared they were heading towards an exit, like they still thought they had one.

Did they seriously think they were going to just waltz out of the building? As if they hadn’t just abducted a federal marshal?

“Whip.” His name, barely more than a whisper, had him spinning around to find Axel.

“What took you so long?” he rasped.

Axel said nothing else as he stalked closer, like a panther hunting its prey.

He was already moving, and when Axel yanked him into his arms, Whip gripped him hard.

For one second, neither of them moved.

His eyes snagged on a man over Axel’s shoulder.

“Fierce?”

“Whip.”

Whip eased back from Axel and met his gaze. “Should I even ask?” His head tipped toward Fierce.

“He’s here to kill Charleston.”

“Orders from the top?” Whip’s gaze snapped to the assassin.

Fierce tipped his head. “As high as it goes.”

“Then why didn’t Boone get a phone call?” Whip frowned.

“He did. But it came a few minutes after you were abducted.”

“You could have led with that,” Axel grumbled, slinging one arm around his shoulders as if afraid to step away.

“You didn’t give me a chance.”

“Lies.” Axel rolled his eyes, pulled his arm free, and checked the clip on his weapon. “We still need intel from this guy.”

Fierce scowled.

Whip gave a half smile. “So that means no shooting him in the head until we find out locations.”

Fierce sighed long. “You two are a pain in the ass.”

“So we’ve been told,” Whip said.

Enough. They had Charleston to catch.

They moved as one, clearing the corridor with practiced precision.

When boots thundered down the corridor ahead, Whip lifted a hand.

They all stilled.

Knox rounded the corner with Alvarez and half a dozen SWAT operators at his back.

Whip lowered his weapon.

Knox’s shoulders visibly relaxed.