“They’re not expecting company.” Denver straightened and shoved the tools back into his pocket.
True. Zara had been brilliant hiding the phone down her nightgown. Ryker waited until Denver opened the door, and then he glided into a mudroom with laundry facilities, his gun at the ready. He waited until Denver had joined him before crossing the room and opening another door to reveal a hallway lined with oil paintings.
The coziness of the place caught him unawares. He moved into the hall, following it to a large gathering room with a huge stone fireplace. He scouted the area and reached stairs leading up and down just as the other men did. Jory and Heath headed up, he and Denver moved down, and Matt stayed central to cover the stairs.
Ryker’s heart pounded, and he took several breaths to calm himself and focus. The place was way too quiet. He crept down the stairs and turned right at the bottom. A small conference room sat empty at the side while a hallway containing several doorways extended to the north. He hustled past the large table and reached the first door, nudging it open to an office smelling of cigar smoke and bourbon. Maps covered the far wall with pins stuck in different places.
He moved past the room while Denver stuck his head in, using his phone to take several pictures of the maps.
The next office was utilitarian with a couple of desks and phones.
He stilled and tuned in to the area. Nothing. No heartbeats, breaths, sounds. Where were Zara and Greg? Increasing his speed, he hustled for the next office and pushed open a door. Feminine desk, high-end furniture, and the smell of fancy and too sweet perfume. The scent instantly took him back to his teenaged years. “This is her office.” He strode inside and looked around quickly. Papers, files, and maps were organized perfectly on the desk. “You catalog the place and grab what you can,” he said, moving past Denver back toward the hallway. “I’ll keep looking.”
Denver drew up short. “Shit.”
Ryker turned toward the computer on the desk, noting a flashing red light. Heat slammed into his abdomen, and he looked up at the ceiling to see two barely discernible boxes. “Motion sensors.” He hustled into the hallway and ran for the stairs. “Matt? We’re compromised,” he whispered into his comm device before heading back and kicking the doors open to the last two offices.
The shouts of men echoed through the building.
He met Denver in the hallway, and they ran up the stairs to join Matt just as three men rushed in the front door. Matt instantly engaged one in hand-to-hand, and his moves were a work of art. The guy he’d been fighting was unconscious on the floor before Ryker could even jump into the fray.
“Holy shit,” Denver muttered.
Ryker nodded and leaped forward to take the next guy down.
Matt looked over his shoulder at Denver. “You want this one?” He pointed to a tall soldier circling him.
“Nah. Go ahead.” Denver turned toward the back of the building as men shouted from that direction. “I’ll go this way.”
Heath and Jory rushed in from the area by the mud room, leaped over the fallen guy, and followed Denver toward the sound of running boots in back.
Ryker took a hard punch to the face, and he smiled as he grabbed his attacker around the neck and tossed his ass to the floor. Ryker followed him down, punching his face. Blood sprayed. He leaned in. “I don’t want to kill you, so tell me where the woman and kid are.”
The guy blinked.
Ryker punched him in the nose, and cartilage cracked. The man screamed in pain.
“Where. Are. They?” Ryker asked. “Last chance or I slice your throat and move on to your buddy.”
“One of the outbuildings. I don’t know which one. They’re spaced fifty yards beyond the trees to the west and east,” the guy gasped through blood pouring from his nose.
“Thanks.” Ryker punched him in the jaw, and the guy slumped into unconsciousness. Then Ryker stood and nudged the guy onto his side so he didn’t choke to death. No reason to kill.
He glanced at Matt, who stood and wiped blood off his lip. “Outbuildings?”
Matt leaned to the side to glance out a window. “Three enemy here, three in kitchen…and it looks like fifteen or so running up the hill.” He frowned.
“What?” Ryker asked, quickly frisking the downed men for weapons. Two guns and four knives. He tossed a couple to Matt.
Matt shook his head. “These guys aren’t part of Madison’s original troops. Not even close.” He watched the men outside running through the storm. “Those don’t look like it either. All of these guys are Protect soldiers with minimal training.” He turned, his gaze hardening. “Let’s go find Zara and worry about Madison later.”
Ryker’s lungs seized. “Side door.” He turned and ran for the mudroom, Matt on his heels. They reached the storm. “You go east, and I’ll check the western trees,” Ryker ordered.