Briggs didn’t budge, and she damn sure couldn’t see around him.
“I don’t think so, buddy.” Briggs lifted his gun and aimed it at the intruder. Briggs shook his head. “It’s your move, asshole. What’s it going to be?”
Lydia had never been held at gunpoint. Maybe she should have had Rick teach her how to shoot, even though she wasn’t going to need it here. She stood from her crouch and stepped to the side of Briggs; holding her hands up in the air.
“What the hell are you doing?” Briggs asked. “Get back behind me, now!”
The squatty, muscular man with the mustache smiled and moved his gun to point at her. “I don’t think so, doll. You stay right where you are.”
Lydia tilted her head to the side. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Mr. Moustache laughed and glanced at Briggs. “She can’t be serious.”
Briggs grinned. “Dead serious, and I suggest you listen to her.”
The muscular man raised his brow and shook his head. “I don’t think so. Now drop it, or she’s dead.”
The leaves started to stir on the wet ground, several dancing in the air around them. Briggs mumbled to himself. “This isn’t going to be pretty.”
She could feel the electricity thrumming to life in her veins. The wind picked up, and her hair flew in front of her face. Lydia stepped in front of Briggs as she focused on Moustache. She knew what she needed to do. It was going to drain her if it didn’t kill her, but she’d had enough. Enough of the threats and waiting around. She was going to take care of this asshole and go after Rick herself. “I warned you.”
The man lifted from the ground and hovered in midair. The gun in his hand was torn away by an invisible force and went flying through the air and landed in a cluster of bushes. “Maybe next time you’ll listen to me.”
Briggs put his hand on her arm and yanked it back. “Let me handle it.”
Lydia concentrated on the man before her, never releasing her invisible hold.
Briggs walked to stand behind the man floating in front of her. “He can take us to Thompson. You need to put him down.”
Lydia shook her head. “What if he doesn’t?”
The muscle man turned his head to look between both of them, his eyes wide with terror.
“He will, or you can blow him up from the inside out.”
“Wait. Wait.” The hovering man’s voice quivered. “There’s no need to do that.” His head snapped to meet Briggs’ gaze. “I’ll take you to where they’re holding him. Just don’t blow me up.”
Lydia wanted to laugh. She didn’t think she could blow anyone up. She’d just planned to throw him against a tree trunk and knock him out, but Briggs’ idea had merit. She already knew she wasn’t going to wait. Why not have a guide?
Lydia shrugged. “You even think about screwing us, and you’re a dead man.”
With her final words, she let the guy drop on his ass in front of her. He quickly scurried to his feet, and Briggs put his hand on the guy’s shoulder. “You got a name? I like to keep a record of all of her kills.”
The guy’s eyes widened even farther. “Man, why do you need that? She said she wouldn’t kill me if I took you to that guy.”
Briggs grabbed the man’s arm and shoved him. “We aren’t there yet.”
The man stumbled and started to walk. “My name is Micah.” He held his hands up in front of him as he walked. “I said I’d take you there, but I can’t promise we won’t get shot along the way.”
Micah stumbled as he glanced back at her. “Unless you can stop bullets, we’re screwed.” He turned forward again. “They won’t care that you’ve got me as a hostage. Hell, they’ll kill me too.”
Lydia lifted her thermos and downed the rest of her coffee. She was going to need all of her strength for these assholes. Heck, Briggs might just have to carry her out. “You have another way in, without being seen?” Lydia asked.
Micah remained silent as if pondering her question. “On the other side of the building. There’s another way in, away from all the fighting.”
Lydia recapped her thermos. “Then I guess that’s our only option.”
Briggs grabbed Micah’s arm and pulled him to a stop. “How do we get there without being seen?”
Micah nodded to his left. “Through the trees, but let me warn you, there are others like me waiting for you.”
Lydia nodded. “I’ll take my chances.” Lydia gave Micah a mental shove. “Double time.”