Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Could she get his gun? Why did her hands have to shake so much? She needed to be stronger than this.
“I tell him the doctor wants me to take you back to your room,” she explained as they started down the hall.
“Stop them!” Huisman shouted behind them. “Stop those bitches.”
They probably would have if the gunfire hadn’t started.
Textbook Ian Taggart. Distract. Cause confusion. Use it to take out everyone in your path.
Unfortunately, she had to find Lou.
Milena pulled her into another of the labs. “We should hide.”
She squeezed the younger woman’s hand. “Do. Hide in here, but I have to get to my friend. Where would they take her?”
“She was working in lab four. It’s a mechanical lab. She’s been sleeping in there, too. That is where they will go. You should stay,” Milena implored.
Kenzie shook her head. “Can’t, but you stay here and keep your head down. If you see a big blond dude, he’s one of the good guys.”
And then Kenzie was off. She slipped back into the hallway, steadier on her feet this time.
She wished she had those damn nanites now since she was trying to save the world in a hospital gown. Her ass was on full damn display as she raced across the hall. There was no sign of Huisman now. He’d likely retreated to deal with the hole in his neck. Or to get Lou.
She had to get Lou first. He would have a plan, and if he got out of here with Lou, it would all be for naught.
Kenzie was nearly thrown to the ground when the castle walls shook again. Someone was having fun with explosives.
And smoke grenades. The hall filled with gray smoke, threatening to choke her, but she clung to the wall, forcing her way through even as guards ran past her.
Up ahead she heard volleys of gunfire and shouts. Where was the lab? Was it the last one on the left?
Her chest ached. A sharp pain that had her putting her hand there, trying to calm down.
And then it felt like time slowed. The smoke cleared and the most beautiful man in the world stepped into her line of sight.
Ben. Ben was here. He was big and glorious and alive and here.
She could kind of hear music. Oh, she knew it was all in her head, but it swelled and the world went soft and cinematic.
He shouted something, but it didn’t matter because he was here.
And so was her sister.
“Hey, dumbass. Where’s Lou?” Kala offered up a warning volley of gunfire that sent the remaining guards running.
“We think she’s in lab four,” Kenzie managed to get out.
“You got her?” Kala asked.
Ben nodded and pulled a SIG from his belt, handing it to Kenzie. He touched his earpiece. “TJ, she’s in lab four. Kala is en route. I’ve got the package and I’m heading to the extraction point.”
She knew what he would truly want. “Huisman is back there. I injured him, and I think he’s in the med lab. He was bleeding but it wasn’t fatal.”
Ben simply leaned over and picked her up. “Watch our back, baby.”
He started walking.
She saw TJ rush by as Ben turned right and started for what she suspected was the loading dock.
Damn. TJ had taken out a lot of guards. He’d torn through them and didn’t look like he had a scratch.
“Huisman is back there,” Kenzie shouted.
“Your sister can handle him.” Her father was suddenly jogging by. “Tris busted the security system, so all the doors are unlocked.”
Cooper was somewhere in there, too. She heard him shouting orders.
“There’s a friendly in one of the labs. A girl who helped me.”
Her dad waved to let her know he would take care of it.
“Ben, he’s back there and he’s wounded,” Kenzie explained.
“I don’t care. I came here for you.” Ben kept moving.
He didn’t miss a step when Kenzie aimed and fired at the guard who was about to take them out.
“Ben, he’s here. I don’t want to be the reason you miss this chance. I can walk.” She could crawl, maybe.
“Not a chance,” Ben replied. “On our left.”
Kenzie took that guy out with a head shot. “Ben…”
“Kenzie, I love you. I’m not leaving you.”
All around her everything was chaos, but those words cut through it all. “You don’t have to say it.”
“I love you. Baby, I promise I will do a deep grovel when we get out of this. Trust me. I know what is expected, and I’ve signed off on the plan. Kala and Tash gave me explicit instructions, including dates and timelines, and I’m pretty sure I signed some legal paperwork we will have to deal with later. I am going to be the best groveler, but if maybe you could…”
“I love you, too, Ben.” She wouldn’t make him grovel. Much. Right now all that mattered was that he was here and he was choosing her.