But he knew his brother better than that. He even knew damn well how Ian had found him. All McKay-Taggart field operatives got what Ian liked to call the “lost puppy chip.” Case, Michael, and Hutch all had GPS enabled microchips implanted in their hands. Not that it had done Theo any good. McDonald had simply cut it out of him. But it had apparently led his oldest brother right to him.
“You’re going to thank me later,” Fain said as they rushed down the stairs. “We need this backup. You have zero idea what we’re going into.”
“Only because you’re the moron who couldn’t follow simple instructions to get the security cams up,” Case said between clenched teeth. He had to keep it together. It was a big building, but there were only a couple of entrances and exits. They could run, but they wouldn’t be able to hide in there forever.
He hit the lobby at a run and damn near knocked over a bigger, older version of himself. Like he’d thought, Ian didn’t ask for explanations. He looked at Case and his body went still.
“What do you need?”
That was his brother. He knew when the shit had hit the fan and he didn’t ask for explanations.
“Theo’s in the building across the road. He’s got Mia and Hutch. You should probably know we’re going to have to blast our way out and the building is very likely owned by a cartel.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lawless asked, his face going a nice shade of red. He turned with the group as they made their way out to the street.
“What’s wrong with Malone?” Liam asked, his voice cool and calm. “You’re walking stiff.”
“He got shot during the near kidnapping,” Lawless complained, proving that Fain was a tattletale.
“How many ways out of the building are there?” Ian ignored everything but Case.
“Three, but I’m going in the front.” He had to get to Mia.
“I’m going after my sister,” Lawless insisted. He was a tall, well-built man in his mid-thirties. He wore a suit, his golden hair slightly shaggy. “I can’t believe she’s involved in this.”
“Maybe you don’t know her the way I do then,” Case shot back as he crossed the street and started to make for the door. He pulled his SIG. There would be no playing around. He needed to get to her, to see that she was all right.
Theo. No. He needed to get her and save Theo.
“Subtlety,” Ian said, his voice a bark. “Keep that piece under cover until we need it. You do not want the Cartagena police involved. Malone, do you know where the exits are?”
“I do,” Michael said as they approached the building. “I can get to the back. There’s a loading dock there and a small door to the alley on the way.”
“Li, go with Malone. Alex?” Ian asked.
“I’ll take the door,” McKay said. “I wish we’d had time to set up comms.”
“Yeah, little brother and I are going to have a long talk about proper communication at the end of this,” Ian vowed. “It might end with my foot up his ass.”
His brother was truly a gifted communicator, but nothing mattered right now. Nothing except getting his people out of that fucking building safe and unharmed.
Getting Mia. He had to get Mia.
Theo. He couldn’t let Theo go.
“Calm yourself down or I’ll bench you,” Ian threatened even as they walked toward the door. “That goes for you, too, Lawless. Asshole who I don’t know but who will be vetted on a level you’ve never understood before?”
Fain looked at Ian. “I suppose that’s me. Yes, sir?”
“If you get my brother or my client killed I’m going to make you into a human centipede with the most disgusting, vile people I can possibly find and you’re going to be hooked up to the one who can’t control himself, if you know what I mean. I’m serious. I’ve got the logistics worked out and everything.”
“I will do my best, sir. Mr. Lawless, I’m going to need you to stay close to me and let the Taggarts do what they do best,” Fain said evenly.
What the Taggarts did best was kick some ass.
“I knew I should have come down the minute she started dodging my calls,” Lawless muttered.
“Excuse me.” The man who worked as the valet approached them. “This is a private party.”
Lawless didn’t miss a beat. He walked right up to the dude and punched him hard in the face, the sound thudding. The valet went down and Case’s appreciation for Mia’s brother went up.
“Is there anyone else I can punch?” Lawless asked. “That felt good.”
Ian reached under his jacket. “I’m afraid the rest of this is a firefight. You remember what I taught you?”
“I remember you punched me every time I got it wrong,” Lawless replied. “And yes, I remember how to use a gun. I know what to do and I know where to go if I need to run. I’ll get Mia and meet you.”
That rankled. “I’ll handle Mia.”
Lawless didn’t bother to look his way, keeping his eyes on Ian. “You deal with your brother and I’ll deal with my sister. After this is over, I assure you we’re going to have a long talk, Case. If anything happens to her, you won’t like what I have to say.”