The sound of gunfire split the air again. Someone was having a firefight. He had to think it was Dean and the traitor, though the last thing he’d seen was another vehicle joining the apparent fray. He’d heard a crash and now the sound of gunfire made him think there were more than two people in that firefight. He heard the sound of several weapons firing. Was there more than one damn traitor? It was a scenario they hadn’t paid attention to.
“We have to get out of here,” he said, rolling off her. He prayed the damn roof held. “Are you all right? I didn’t mean to hit you quite so hard. I panicked a little.”
She turned over and got to her knees, blood on her palms and her clothes twisted and torn. Still, when he reached his hand out, she slid hers in and allowed herself to be pulled up. “You panicked when the crazy person tried to blow up the building we’re currently standing on. That’s totally unreasonable, Murdoch.”
At least she was staying calm. He ran his hands over her. “You sure you’re all right? I didn’t break anything?”
She stopped him, forcing him to look into her eyes. “I’m fine, Jesse. I’m good. A little scraped, but alive. Get your gun. We’re going to need it.”
He nodded. Now that he was sure she was good, he could calm down. Freaking out wouldn’t get them anywhere. There would be plenty of time for panic later. For now he let his training take over. He picked up the SIG and checked it out, flicking the safety off. “We have to get to the ground.”
“How bad is it?” She looked back toward the edge of the roof.
“You are not going over there to look.” He caught her hand again. It was too dangerous. He had no idea what kind of structural damage had been done.
“Ten and Ian were in the conference room. Oh, god, it’s toward the front of the building.” Her breath caught. “What happened to my brother?”
“He’s alive.” There was no other acceptable outcome. Before the bomb had gone off, he’d seen Dean on his phone. Dean was as smart and instinctive as an operative could be. He’d known something was up the minute that van moved in, and Tag would have hustled everyone to safety. He was fairly certain the front of Sanctum was blown all to hell, but he had to believe that Tag and Ten and Kai were safe. He couldn’t think anything less. Still, when he turned, the wall he’d just been standing at was gone, and about three feet that was formerly Sanctum now was a hole that led down to the street.
Their bedroom had to be gone. He could see rebar and smoldering ruins where their roof used to be.
He tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her. He could have lost her. They’d been standing right there. He’d been holding her and talking to her, trying to seduce her, and then someone was trying to kill him and about to take out her while they did it.
“We have to move.” The SIG was a happy weight in his free hand. It was going to be used for what it was meant for this afternoon. He would defend them with it and he would take down anyone who got in his way. “Stay close to me. You’re not carrying, are you?”
Her mouth turned down and her hand squeezed his. “No. I left my piece downstairs, damn it. I wasn’t thinking.”
She’d been emotional. He understood that now. “It’s all right. We’re going out the back, but we have to get downstairs first.”
“We have to find Ten.”
“No. This is one of those times that you obey me, Phoebe. This is one of those times that I’m in charge. I get you to safety and then I’ll go back and find Ten. It’s what I want. It’s what he wants—you safe. Come with me.”
She didn’t argue further as the gunfire increased. He led her toward the stairs. They were in the center of the building. They should still be somewhat solid. He hoped. Jesse opened the door and started down tentatively.
The door closed behind them and they were in the dark. The power had been knocked out by the blast.
Phoebe’s hand tensed in his. She was scared.
“Stay close. Baby, keep close to me. If we fall, I’ll go first and I’ll cushion you.”
“How about we don’t fall at all?” Her voice was solid in the gloom. That squeeze of her hand was suddenly reassuring.
They were a team. She would follow his lead and watch his back. He wasn’t dumb. She wouldn’t go quietly when the time came to leave her safely behind, but he liked that, too. She was fierce, his woman.
“Who the hell is out there? That’s more than two people firing,” she whispered as they started down the stairs. He could feel her fumbling with something and then there was a bright light illuminating the stairwell. “Flashlight app. I did have my phone.”