Page 84 of Breached

“West.” I signaled for him to toss me his phone so I could see what he was seeing. He slid it across the floor, and I snatched it up and moved the camera around on the Guardian.

“Cole, I see Bruno’s truck,” I said into the radio, “but three more trucks are coming in the west gate.” Where the fuck did they come from?

“Take them out. Just leave Bruno’s.” Cole’s tone confirmed he was just as finished as I was.

“Copy.” I tapped the targets on the screen and sent the fire drone to eliminate them.

I tipped my head back to rest it on the wall as I listened to the sweet victory of the thunder as the fire drone hunted.

“Paul.” John’s voice found its way to me, and I looked over and saw my best friend leaning heavily against the wall. He had his arm in a sling and bandages around his torso, but he looked a whole lot stronger than he had before. “Take it easy out there. Let’s make this the last time.”

I gave him a thumbs up, and I moved to grab the rest of my stuff.

The two men from The Peak came up behind him. “We’ve got the four men ready to go, sir.”

“Good,” Cole said as he joined us and looked me over. I had already peeled out of my wet shirt and exchanged it for a long-sleeved shirt and had tugged on a typical Eric Noah button-up over it. I had replaced my military boots with a pair of Timberlands and decided my cargo pants were fine. I’d worn them enough times in front of Bruno, so he shouldn’t suspect anything. I took my cap out of the bag, it would shade my face from any light, and the brim would create a curtain for my eyes from the rain. Then I pulled out the hated prosthetics and studied them. “No.” I shook my head. I couldn’t do it. I’d keep my distance—with the rain and the darkness, they shouldn’t make much difference.

“Bruno’s truck just passed the south gate,” Mike confirmed. “He’s got three men.”

“Copy,” Cole replied. “This is it, boys. Stay at your posts until they get inside and Paul gives you the signal.”

“Copy,” they both acknowledged. I tossed my bag behind the kitchen island and stood next to the back door. I saw the four men waiting for me. They had changed out of their uniforms.

“Go, Paul,” Cole said quietly, and I stepped outside to join the men, and we quickly made our way around the house to where we would intercept Bruno before he reached the house. The rain came down in heavy sheets, and I silently thanked Mother Nature once again for having our backs. I placed the call as soon as they came in view.

“Bruno, I see you.” I waved as I stepped out of the trees. I had my guys stay where they had cover.

“Hello, my friend. I see you. Are we ready?”

“My men have the place surrounded. What’s left of Blackstone are barricaded inside.”

“I don’t see any of your men.” Bruno sounded hesitant.

“Juan, Carlo, step out,” I yelled, and two of my guys showed themselves. “They are here, Bruno, ready for your order to breach!” I called with a hoot. “Let’s go!”

“The woman and the child are in there?” He still wanted reassurance.

“Yes, also her lover. My intel says they are upstairs with the child. They are probably going at it one last time.” I laughed.

The door of the truck immediately opened and Bruno stepped out. His men followed, guns drawn. Bruno looked toward me and glanced around. He had no idea the rest of the men he’d sent were now all dead behind the house, taken out by Guardian.

“All right, let’s do this.” He began to walk in my direction when suddenly, on cue, shots rang out from the house and hit the ground around us.

“Shit! Let’s breach now,” I yelled and spun around with a wild laugh and began to run toward the front door like a crazy man as bullets flew around me. Bruno’s men began to fire blindly at the windows of the house as they ran with me. I looked back to check for Bruno and was happy to see him running behind his men with a gun in each hand. The four guys I had held at the tree line brought up the rear. They had orders not to shoot any of Bruno’s men until they were told to. They were only to fire at imaginary targets, yell and make noise, basically adding to the momentum and confusion. We wanted Bruno and his men inside the house, where we could ambush them.

We ran up the steps, and I fired several shots at the lock on the door then kicked it open. I quickly stepped to one side as Bruno’s men filed in with their rifles high, some with flashlights attached, shooting wildly at the four masked men who were hunched over a map on the table.

“I’ve waited a lifetime for this.” Bruno laughed, raising his own two guns like he was in some kind of movie, and he pumped rounds of bullets into the men’s bodies. Blood sprayed up the walls, pooled at their feet, and down their arms. Finally, when the shooting stopped, Bruno flicked his wrists for his two men to pull off their masks. As they pointed some light at the bodies, I watched Bruno’s face and saw the shock at what was revealed—four of his own soldiers, mouths duct-taped and hands bound.

“What the fuck!” Bruno boomed.

Suddenly, Mike and Keith, from their perch up on the ridge, took out two of Bruno’s men.

Zip! Zip!

Then all hell broke loose as more bullets came through the window and took out two more men. Unable to see where the shots were coming from, the place erupted in gunfire. I grabbed Bruno and dragged him through to the next room.

“Stay down,” I screamed as I pushed his head down, still pretending to be Eric. I kept a hand pressed on his back as we stayed there in the dark until the shooting stopped.