Daniel

“Faster, Deek,” I growled as I geared up. Even in the monkey suit, I had been carrying, but now that we were going all-in, I shucked the suit jacket and replaced it with a bulletproof vest. A few more guns and other toys, and I was feeling more myself.

"You wanna drive this thing?"

"Maybe I should," I growled.

"Calm yourselves, ladies," Scott admonished. 

"You got eyes in the building yet?" I asked.

"That's a negative. Looks like it's the only place on campus without peepers."

I would have liked the intel, but no matter. I was getting Miranda out if it was the last thing I did. I was too good for it to be my last, though. Punk ass perverts were going down.

"How we going in?" Deek asked. "On the ground, or straight in?"

The armored vehicle could take it. "I vote straight in."

Caz agreed, and Scott, for once, said nothing.

"The calvary is a'comin'!" Deek shouted. 

We skid around the corner of the baseball field and then skid around another corner, taking the hill that led to the maintenance building. 

"Balls to the walls!" Scott yelled as we picked up speed, aiming for the middle roll up door. I grabbed one of the many "oh shit" bars screwed into the van walls and ceiling. "Hang on to your hats, boys! 

I really hoped there wasn't anything parked just behind the door.

And then with a giant screech and crash, we were in. I was busting out of the back of the van before we'd stopped moving, gun fire suddenly erupting, focused on the van. Caz had been right on my heels and we split, each taking a side of the door, carefully aiming and taking out flash after flash of gunfire hidden in the dark recesses of the building. My focus was on the white SUV parked on my side. It shook a little, as if someone were moving inside it. And then the far door opened and I saw a mess of blond hair hit the pavement. If those mother fuckers hurt Miranda...

I didn't stop firing, but I picked up the pace. The van had finally settled into a silent stop, bullets pinging off the bulletproof windshield and sides.

Miranda was moving, and I sent a silent prayer of thanks up to anyone who was listening. I had a clear view of her now. Her hands and feet were bound, but she was inchworming determinedly away from the vehicle. A moment later, the driver's door opened and boots hit the ground, and my bullet hit the ugly mug who'd dared to take my woman. I ran to her, swapping out my magazine, then keeping one hand trained on the vehicle as I picked her up with one arm.

"You okay?"

"Oh, just the best," Miranda said. At least her humor was intact.

"I'm going to get you out of here," I promised, backing away from the vehicle, sweeping the area. The sound of gun shots had slowed, but I could hear at least one last remaining pop pop in the far corner opposite us. Caz would take care of him in no time. 

"There's one more guy in the SUV," Miranda said, thankfully not protesting the fireman's carry I'd thrown her in. I didn't have time to deal with her ropes.

"Gun?"

"No idea. He hit me with some kind of knock out spray, though."

Ah, so ugly mug hadn't deserved all my ire. I lowered Miranda to the ground, keeping my eyes on the SUV. "Keep scooting back to the wall. I'm going to take care of him."

I approached the SUV swiftly and cautiously, swinging around to the open door. The man inside desperately fired a few wild shots. I ducked away, waited until I heard the click of an empty chamber, then swung back to the door and fired. Right between the eyes. 

Silence had fallen, but I didn't let my guard down yet. "Clear!" I shouted.

"Clear!" Caz called from his side. Then Deek, popping up from inside the van.

I turned around to attend to Miranda but pulled up short. Somehow, Irving had snuck in while I wasn't looking. I don't know if he had come in behind us or from a side door, or maybe he had already been there, but he had an arm around Miranda's throat and a gun to her head.

"Don't make any sudden moves, tough guy," he warned. "What's going to happen is that I'm going to leave this building with my lovely companion, and if you and she are very good, you'll see each other again. Is that clear?"

Yeah, fuck that shit. I lifted my arm, my finger already on the trigger, but Irving beat me to it. In slow motion, he turned the gun on me, he fired, and the bullet tunneled toward me.