He was not taking the blame for that one. “I stashed her someplace safe. I have to assume this is all about that announcement.”
Fain rolled his eyes. “Like Malone would let that happen. We need to be more worried about not putting a bullet in the plane and figuring out how to land this sucker. Autopilot will get us to Colombia, but it can’t land the plane. We need the pilot alive. How good are you with knives? I found a set back in what looks like a gourmet kitchen. Why couldn’t Drew Lawless keep an armory?”
“Couldn’t use them anyway. And I’m good with knives. You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Only if you’re thinking I’ll take out the flight attendant and you can maim but not kill the pilot.”
Good. Then they were on the same page. “I’ll do my best, but now we have to deal with the fact that they have Mia.”
Fain nodded. “Agreed. Malone was special ops?”
“SEAL trained. He won’t panic.”
“And the geek?”
“Worked on a CIA team. He’ll be fine. Hutch knows when to shoot and when to duck. This would be a time when he’ll duck.” And hopefully jump on Mia and give her some cover.
Fain reached into his coat and pulled out a knife. “Take this one. Don’t miss, man. I’ll take the flight attendant out first and then you go to work. Be careful because once they see us, they’ll get twitchy with the trigger.”
He nodded, taking the knife. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. He would need to hit the guy in the arm, whichever arm held the gun. Michael would figure out what was happening and get to the pilot, ensuring he didn’t get to off himself. “If you do have to fire, go for the chest or the gut. The bullet should lodge there and not hit anything vital.”
To the plane. It would likely kill the person, but he wasn’t concerned about that. He needed to ensure that this plane made it to Colombia so he could properly discipline his brand new sub. She was going to find out exactly what he’d meant by stay where he’d put her. He would tie her up and then she couldn’t run off and throw herself into danger.
Fain nodded. “We move slowly. They’ve got to be watching the hall.”
Case wasn’t so sure. “Maybe not. They might be watching Mia. God only knows what she’ll do. Wait for it and then take your shot. I’ll move in behind you and take out my guy. She’ll do something outrageous and that will be our chance.”
“How do you know that for sure?”
“Because she’s Mia. It’s what she does. Be careful. If you harm her, there’s going to be hell to pay,” Case promised, his adrenaline already on the rise.
“I suppose that’s your job, Taggart.” Fain moved to the lead position, his knife at the ready.
Case followed, walking as silently as he could. Just let her live through this. It was a mantra in his head. Life had been so much easier before. Before he’d met Big Tag. When he’d kind of thought he was Big Tag. All he’d had to worry about was Theo, and Theo just wanted to do his job and have some fun.
BTD, he’d never nearly had a panic attack because the woman he was casually fucking offered herself up to kidnappers. BTD, he’d never had to worry about dying himself and leaving his nephew and nieces down another uncle. BTD, he hadn’t worried about dying at all because he’d been a weapon and weapons didn’t have fucking feelings.
Life was easier. He was wrong though. Those things hadn’t happened because Theo died. They’d happened because Theo had finally gotten to live the way he’d always wanted to. He’d gotten to be surrounded by family, to be a part of something bigger than himself.
Why hadn’t he died instead of Theo? No one would have missed him.
Fuck. He had to shove that shit deep.
He shifted the gun to his left hand. He was still an excellent shot with it, but the knife throw would require his dominant hand.
“I don’t know where he went,” Mia was saying. “We had a fight and he walked out. And I don’t know where your guy is. Do you think he’s trying to find Case?”
Mia did a very good dumb blonde when she wanted to.
The curtain had been pulled but he could hear everything that was going on. Fain moved to the left of the door, flattening his back. He gestured for Case to take the right.
“He was supposed to bring you back here,” a deep voice said.
Case had a small strip of a view where the curtain didn’t meet the wall. He could see the left side of the room, including Mia’s luscious backside. It was going to get so very red so very soon.
“I didn’t see him,” Mia said. “I was getting ready to give myself a facial when you interrupted. Have you ever heard of the mile-high facial? It’s supposed to be the very best. It opens your pores in ways you just can’t do on the ground.”
He had to bite back a laugh. Yeah, she’d been about to get a facial and it would have been phenomenal.
Fain was frowning as though he didn’t get the joke.