Chapter Nineteen
Tanya glanced over at the man sitting next to her in the car. Ryan. She’d heard the name mentioned a few times by Reece and her brother but didn’t know much about him other than that he worked at the security firm.
He’d made several calls but now sat quietly as she sped across town to the old warehouse district. He broke his silence to occasionally give out directions.
Tanya glanced at Kelly in the mirror. She hadn’t said much since demanding a gun of her own. Kelly had been acting more than a little strange tonight, but Tanya figured the truth about that would come out in the future. For now, she had to concentrate on saving the men in her life.
“So,” Tanya said. “How did you know that this was a setup?”
Ryan winced as he turned to look at her. “I was asking some questions,” he said. “Apparently I asked one too many.” He rolled down the window and breathed in the cool night air. “Couple nights ago, I’m following a lead on some info about some break-ins going to take place. Cop pulls me over. Not a normal patrolman. It’s this guy Dalton.”
Tanya frowned. Just the mention of the bastard made her want to start shooting things.
“He tells me to follow him. I do. Turns out the prick is working with the Los Malos. They tie me up and take turns beating on me.”
She could hear Kelly gasp from the back. “How did you get away?”
Ryan’s lips twitched, and for a moment. She wasn’t really sure they wanted to know.
“Took out the guy guarding me and got the keys. Unfortunately, not before catching myself on the fence. Could have been worse though. You showed up a couple minutes after I arrived at the building.”
Tanya wondered about the needle. “You going to be okay to do this?”
Ryan gave a full laugh now. “I’m looking forward to this,” he said. “I’ve got unfinished business with these pricks.”
The closer they got to the warehouse, the faster her heart hammered in her chest. She did have experience with a gun, but she wouldn’t say she was good with one. And she’d certainly never been in a situation where she needed to use one.
Tanya wasn’t sure what she’d be able to do, but she had to do something. This was Bryce and Reece they were talking about. She had to at least try for them.
She took the last turn and frowned at the closed chain-link fence down at the end of the road.
“It’s blocked,” she said.
Ryan turned and nodded. “Gun it,” he said firmly. “We’re going through.”
Her jaw dropped. “Through?”
“You wanna save your man and brother? Floor it.”
Tanya put the pedal to the floor.
* * *
Dalton let the two Los Malos pull him out of the way, his eyes fixed on Bryce as they did so.
Bryce had heard all he needed. They weren’t going to tell him any more, and he was tired of going back and forth with Dalton. He turned and shouted towards the ramp of the warehouse.
"You get all that?"
The Los Malos frowned, but the look on Dalton’s face showed that he understood the meaning. Bryce grinned at the other man.
Checkmate. Reece must have recorded more than enough for even the corrupt department to take seriously.
“Yup,” said someone above them.
All heads turned to where Reece sat in the crates above them all, his gun out.
They all stared at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move. Even the smug confidence Blitz wore on his face had disappeared.
A good thirty seconds passed before the room erupted in gunfire. Bryce did the only thing he could and jumped behind the metal barrels nearby.
Bullets rained down around him, and he knew it wouldn't be long before one pierced him. They had expected trouble, but this wasn't quite what they thought. Still, they had the evidence they needed no matter what.
Bryce could see Reece from his position. The younger man was slightly penned in despite having the elevation advantage over everyone. He couldn't escape the neither could Bryce.
Every once in a while, Bryce leaned around the barrel to squeeze off a couple rounds.
"Give up," Dalton shouted. "You know you're outmanned and outgunned."
Bryce opened his mouth to shout something back but stopped at the sound of a loud crash outside, followed by a squeal. The noise only grew louder until it was nearly breathing down their necks.
The warehouse door ripped open as a car came crashing in.
“What the fuck?”
He was not quite certain what had just happened but wasn't about to question the distraction.
More gunfire ripped through the room. He could only hope it was reinforcements. From his angle, it was hard to tell just who had come in and how many men he’d wounded before.
Bryce scanned the room to find Dalton. The other man would be looking for an escape, and there was no way in hell he was letting that happen.
Across the way, Bryce spotted him sneaking towards where Reece was near the back exit.
Bryce pulled out his gun aimed it at the other man. No way his partner was going down.
"Dalton!” Bryce shouted. “Don’t do this."
Dalton turned to look his way. They stared at one another. Neither moving as men shouted all around them. It was just a split second, but he had seen the look in his eyes. Dalton didn’t think he would fire, and Bryce knew the other man would.
He had to make a choice: let him go and risk Reece getting hurt or take the shot.
Without hesitation, he fired. Dalton’s look of surprise said it all as the bullet hit his shoulder.
Dalton swiveled his gun, but it was too late. Bryce had already fired a second shot just as he was getting off his first. Moments later Dalton fell. Blood blossomed on his chest.
Pain tore through Bryce’s leg as Dalton’s bullet ripped clean through. Bryce reached down and placed a hand over the gunshot on his leg.
Bryce was the next to fall. Too much blood. There had been so much pain, but now it all seemed to wash away as the room faded in and out.
He was surprised when soft fingers caressed his face as he lay on the ground bleeding.
"Can't you two idiots find something else to do besides shooting things?" said a familiar voice.
Bryce stared up at a teary-eyed Tanya. For a moment, he thought he might be dreaming. Like a last wish sort of thing before he drifted off.
"What are you doing here?" he croaked out.
Tanya ran a hand across his face and leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips.
"I'm here to save your ass," she whispered.
Bryce gave a chuckle. It really did sound like something she would say to him.
"Oh? lucky me I guess," he said. “At least I got to see you one last time.”
The world around him faded away as he slid into unconsciousness.