Covert Game (GhostWalkers #14)

The attack came from his left, but he’d known the soldier was there, waiting, hunched down in the brush. He’d felt his energy, a large mass that didn’t belong in the swamp. The man exploded into action, leaping toward Gino, hoping to overwhelm him with a blitz attack. He had both hands on his semiautomatic, swinging the weapon in front of him as he came at Gino, his face a mask of determination.

Gino hurled the knife on the move, not slowing his run, his stride exact. The snap of his wrist as he threw the blade added power. The knife was one of his favorites, perfectly balanced, and he hated to lose it, but he didn’t have time to retrieve it, not with Zara’s freedom hanging in the balance. He had a gut feeling that if Whitney couldn’t reacquire Zara, he would have her killed. He didn’t know why he felt that way, but his instincts were usually right.

Zeke, left my favorite knife in an asshole’s throat. Want it back if possible.

I’ll tell the cleaners.

Thanks.

He was coming up on another one. He timed his steps, veered to his right, throwing the knife underhanded, but using the same hard wrist action that always assured the blade would go in accurately, deep, and do the most damage. The big soldier took several steps and then went to his knees, shock spreading across his face.

Whitney’s men were armored under their skin. They didn’t last long. He used rejects from his GhostWalker program for the most part. The men couldn’t stand up psychologically to the enhancements. They went downhill fast. Whitney had changed up his experiments, moving into trying new things, like body armor. That had sped up the deterioration of his supersoldiers.

Found their nest Mordichai reported. Four waiting about one click from your position, Zeke. You’re heading toward them fast. Two spread out just ahead of the nest, two behind it. Gino, you’re clear. Draden took out the others.

Where one of the others might have joked about not leaving any behind for the rest to be in on the fun, Draden rarely said anything. He just got rid of the enemy and left their bodies where they fell.

Gino, you’re coming up on the two just in front of the nest. Draden’s taking out the two from behind. Malichai is with me and we’re going to take the four in the nest.

It’s too damn easy, Zeke said. Look for a vehicle. These are his sacrifices. Find the real threat.

The shots rang out over the swamp. Four in rapid succession. Mordichai didn’t have to report that they’d hit their targets, all of them knew they had. Gino nearly ran right into the first soldier waiting in ambush for him. He was hidden in a patch of elderberry bushes. He came up fast, reaching for Gino, determined to get his hands on him. Gino took several steps to the right, unable to get a good angle on the soldier.

It was useless to waste ammunition on him. Unless he managed to get a throat shot, there would be no putting him down. The soldiers were slow, but immensely strong. He felt the energy of the second soldier just before the bastard plowed into him. He hit with the force of a freight train, knocking Gino straight at the other soldier.

The first soldier caught him in a bear hug, squeezing hard, turning him so his partner could stab him with a knife. Gino used his feet, planting both boots’ soles hard into the oncoming soldier’s chest. He used his enhanced strength, driving the man away from him, hoping to crush through the armor plate, but knowing it wasn’t going to happen.

Using his speed and strength and the force, he continued his momentum, pushing off the soldier’s chest and flipping over him, wrenching his arms free as he did so. He landed on the soldier’s back, took his head in a firm grip and jerked. There was an audible crack. He landed behind the dead man and held him in place as a shield to take the barrage of bullets.

Simultaneously, over the head of the remaining soldier, he saw the silk of a spider web descending from the tree surrounding them. One of the thick gnarled branches glistened with silken strands, the anchor for the silky rope snaking down toward the soldier. It wasn’t alone. More lines were cast. Gino couldn’t help but admire the way Cayenne threw the silk. She was an expert at it.

The first looped around the soldier’s neck, never once touching his skin, so he had no idea he was in any kind of peril. The second dropped over the barrel of his semiautomatic at precisely the same time she pulled the first one tight. The silk, stronger than any steel, tightened around the enemy’s vulnerable throat and he was dragged upward, off his feet, as the second line stripped the gun from him.

Gino dropped the soldier he’d killed and turned toward the road. Are we clear? Thanks, Cayenne. Always admire the way you use that silk.

Whitney had never conceived that his creations, once out of the lab, might turn on him. Cayenne had been scheduled for termination. They’d always been afraid of her, but Trap had sprung her loose and now she was with the other GhostWalkers. In a fight, she was invaluable. Silent. Deadly. Just what they needed.

Don’t like this, Ezekiel said. Stay away from the car, Gino. I think …

The sound of an explosion rocked the night. Gino swore and turned back toward the sound. What the hell, Mordichai?

His heart accelerated with every step he took. Calm and cool deserted him completely. That hadn’t happened since he was a kid with his family falling all around him. He realized, in that moment, as he ran back toward the car, he’d already let Zara in. Somehow. Someway. That damned fast. She was in. She was his.

Has to be a drone. They fired from a mile or more out.

Find the fucking thing and get rid of it, he ordered. He leapt over a fallen, rotting tree trunk and stopped himself from bursting out onto the road.

The car was surrounded. The road was gone in front of the car, leaving a gaping hole where it had been. No one moved. The soldiers couldn’t get into the car, and Ezekiel wouldn’t hand Zara over to them.

“Zara, no one else has to get hurt,” one of the soldiers said. He glanced at his watch. “You don’t have much time before you make up your mind. The next round takes out the car and everyone inside it.”

Gino could tell by his voice the soldier meant exactly what he said. If he put a bullet in the man’s throat, killing him, it wouldn’t save them. That would be the signal to fire. Don’t let her get out. The second you do, they’ll blow the car.

They’re going to blow it anyway, Ezekiel said calmly. Her only chance is to go with them. You can recover her once she’s out of here.

You’re not disposable. The moment she’s out of the vehicle, they’ll blow the car. Gino shook his head. He had to resist sending another plea to Mordichai or Malichai to find the drone. The two were Ezekiel’s blood brothers. Rubin and Diego, both inside the vehicle, had been raised with them. If Mordichai or Malichai could find the drone and take it out, they would.

The window rolled partially down. “How do I know you won’t kill everyone in the car when I get out?” Zara asked.

Zeke, she can’t walk.

He’ll have to reach for her. Hold her. The other two we can take. The timing has to be just right.

“Whitney doesn’t want them dead. He wants you home. Alive. You can’t survive here. You know that. Come home, Zara.”

Gino willed her not to open the door. Once she was in the open, if they had a sniper, and most likely they did, she could be taken out at the first sign something was going wrong.

“She can’t walk,” Ezekiel said. “She was tortured and her feet messed up.”

The soldier’s body jerked, clearly reacting to that news. “Zara, did you give them any information?”

Gino frowned. Information? What information? She’d gone in to destroy their computers, wipe the drives clean so there was no chance of Cheng having data on the GhostWalkers. They didn’t need him selling the intelligence to the highest bidder. So, what information could Zara have that would make the soldier tense up like that?

“Of course not. I’m going to come with you, Damon, but if you hurt these men in any way, I won’t go with you. I’ve got a weapon and I’ll use it on myself. You know me, you know I will.”

Gino heard the resolve in her voice. This is fucking crazy, Zeke. Stop her.

It’s our only chance, Gino. They don’t know you and the others are out there.