Page 82 of Hollow State

"That's an understatement," one of the other guards said.

Wynn's insides recoiled the second she heard the name Finch. Heat prickled across her skin. The center of her chest filled with fire, like she'd eaten all the spicy food and then someone poured hot sauce down her throat.

"We’d better check Pope's office, and if we can't clear this breach, we need to call him. And Finch," the guard with the phone said. "If we don't, heads will roll, especially with whatever that big meeting is tomorrow."

"I heard some foreign executives are coming to town," one of the guards said. "Something about a massive deal Finch has going, but it's all hush-hush."

"Everything around this place is like that," the other guard said. "I just collect my check and keep my fucking mouth closed."

"They're headed for Gideon's old office," Wynn whispered.

"I can kill the badge reader once, and that will look like a failed panel. It happens every once in a while," Gideon said. "But if I do it twice, that will really raise suspicion."

"Just keep the door locked," Coulter said. "We might not be able to avoid engaging these guards."

Scout eased her rifle up along the wall. "Five against eight? That's a fair fight."

Wynn peeked out from the alcove and watched as one of the guards swiped his badge across the access panel.

Nothing happened.

"Fucking thing never works right." He wiped the keycard on his pant leg and did it again, this time, slower. "That's not right." He took a step back and rested his hand on his weapon. "Dispatch, this is sector Alpha, was there any motion in the corridors on floor three? That blip in the breach looked like it came from Pope's office."

The door at the stairwell opened, and four more guards marched down the hallway.

Wynn glanced at Scout, who pointed at them, then Wynn, then to an office door across the hallway. Wynn nodded at the signal, which meant once Wynn had the opportunity, she needed to wedge herself in that door space across the hall.

Getting to that spot would be easy. Doing it undetected was the challenge.

"Gentlemen, we're going in," the guard said, waving a hand frantically at the other guards headed in his direction.

"It's locked out." He took a step back and raised his weapon.

"They’re gonna shoot their way in," Wynn whispered. She sucked in a deep breath, took a quick glance down the corridor. The time to go was now. She took off across the hallway.

Bang! Bang!

The frosted window shattered with the second round, smashing glass to the floor.

"We got ghosts," one guard yelled as he spun and pointed down the hallway.

Wynn pressed her back against the door, raised her rifle, and fired.

She put two rounds into the man who’d shot through the door. One into his shoulder and one into his thigh.

"Fuck." He dropped his weapon and fell to the floor, clutching his leg.

The other seven turned just as Coulter and Neve burst in from the staircase door, weapons drawn, bullets flying from the barrels like rockets, and casings dropping at their feet.

Scout fired from the alcove. She hit one of the guards in the hand, his weapon flinging from his fingertips and smashing into the wall. Scout's second shot nailed him between his eyes, and he just dropped.

Wynn blinked. The scene played out as if she were watching a movie at the theater rather than being part of the action. She glanced at her rifle as she pulled the trigger. She’d swear she’d seen the bullet as it left the barrel.

Lifting her gaze, she blew out a puff of air. Five of the eight guards were down.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Coulter and Neve continued to fire.