Alex saw everything he needed to see in that split second.

The door opened and the sight that greeted him nearly stole his breath.

Cam on the floor, a gun pointed at her chest. Necco was holding it, and Rudolph, a guy from his unit, had his hand locked over the kid’s. Sarge was there, orchestrating it all.

Alex didn’t think twice.

He reacted.

He raised Nate’s gun and aimed, hitting Rudolph squarely in the leg. The man dropped his hand from the gun Necco was holding and clutched his calf as he fell to his knees. The other gun, the one he’d held on Necco, clattered to the floor, skittering toward Sarge.

Alex pointed his weapon at Sarge just as Cam lunged for the loose one.

Sarge acted fast, yanking her hair and slamming her head into the cement floor just as his other hand closed over the weapon in Cam’s hand. He managed to squeeze off a shot and Alex ducked.

“So this is how it’s gonna be,” Sarge said, his chest heaving up and down. “It will be my pleasure to kill you. All of you.”

He raised his gun, aiming it at Alex. A shot rang out and Alex dropped to the floor. He army-crawled to a position of relative cover, behind a support beam.

His heart was pounding hard and fast, determination sparking a deep-seated anger within him.

Fuck Sarge. He wasn’t getting away with it this time.

And like hell Alex would let him hurt Cam any more than he already had.

A bullet bounced off the beam and Alex flinched. Bile surged in his throat. If he stepped out and exposed himself, his life could be over.

But Cam…

She was lying vulnerable on the floor. If he didn’t come out and play soon, Sarge would no doubt use her to draw him out.

He wasn’t going to let that happen.

He burst out from behind the pillar and Sarge was waiting, his gun still locked on Alex’s position. His eyes glinted as he squeezed the trigger.

But Alex was faster.

Angrier.

He fired a series of shots, hitting the man squarely in the chest. Blood blossomed on Sarge’s shirt and he stared down in awe, as if he couldn’t quite believe he’d been hit.

Alex kept the gun steady, ready to fire another shot.

Sarge swayed on his feet, his eyes wide, his mouth gaping. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest, the gun hanging limply in his hand.

Alex sprinted toward him. He grabbed the gun just as Sarge crumpled to his side.

“It didn’t have to be this way,” Sarge rasped.

Alex stared down at the man. Blood gurgled from his mouth, leaked from his nose.

“I know,” Alex agreed.

Sarge gasped for breath and Alex just stared at him, watching as the blood pooled on the cement floor. The man looked like a fish, his mouth wide, his eyes bulging until finally, his jaw slackened and his eyes dulled. His neck went limp and his gaze shifted, unblinking as his stare turned lifeless.

Alex felt no remorse, no regret.

Instead, a wave of calm washed over him.

It was over.

This part of his story was over.

This part of Cam’s story, too.

Cam.

He whirled around, his eyes locking on her. She was on her knees, holding the gun Sarge had tried to wrench from her hand. She looked like a warrior, fearless, and his heart swelled at the sight of her.

She was fearless.

She was a warrior.

His warrior.