Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 125248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Copy,” Mara replied.
“South wing agents, move to gate four and provide assistance,” God directed. “Bishop and Cruz, keep Starlight’s route locked. Nobody drift.”
Cassidy listened as the calls came back clean and fast, his rebuilt team shifting with disciplined efficiency.
He was waiting for the south wing to give the all-good sign when a black van slammed through the front barricade hard enough to fold the metal inward with a piercing scream.
The impact rolled across the lot as the few people mingling around shouted and ducked for cover.
The truck lurched over the broken barrier, clipped the security booth, and stopped at an angle with steam and smoke rushing from the crushed hood.
Cassidy moved before the driver’s door opened.
“Cover Starlight!”
The driver came out with a handgun and started firing into the scattering guards.
Three men went down near the barricade.
Screams detonated across the lot.
“Shots fired,” God barked over comms. “Active threat. North service gate. Weapons free on confirmed threat.”
Bishop and Cruz closed around Xander.
Three more of his guards swarmed in and covered Wyatt and the two actresses, moving them aggressively behind the wardrobe trailer.
Cassidy grabbed Xander by the back of his jacket. “Move.”
Xander’s face was pale, but his body obeyed. He ducked when Cassidy forced him down, stayed low as bullets cracked across the lot.
“Trailers,” Cassidy ordered.
Tech’s voice was elevated but clear. “Route Alpha compromised. Moving to hard cover. Slade, east side alternate.”
“Copy,” Slade answered.
“Cameras cycling. The driver seems to be knocked out, but I got two bogies moving west. Three more taking cover behind the northeast side of the building. Be advised, five suspects.”
Cassidy’s blood turned cold.
The crash was a distraction. The real attackers were making their way to the trailers while most of his agents had flocked to the South gates.
A second attacker in dark coveralls emerged from between two production trucks and fired towards them, making Bishop and Cruz duck for cover. A third cut along the trailer row with a duffle over one shoulder, moving low and fast.
“Third on trailer row,” Cassidy snapped. “Intercept.”
A round hit the side of the trailer ten feet ahead, punching into the metal with a flat, ugly crack.
Xander flinched.
Cassidy wrapped an arm over him and drove him forward. Pain blew hot through his shoulder, but he ignored it.
Steele came up from the blind side, silent and brutal, fired one clean shot, and the attacker folded beside the trailer. “Suspect down.”
They bypassed Xander’s trailer and went inside the one designated for wardrobe. Cruz yanked the door open.
Cassidy pushed Xander inside.
“Get down, all the way.”
Xander dropped to the floor as another burst of rounds hammered the outer wall. Cassidy covered him with as much of his body as he could.
Xander breathed hard and terrified beneath him.
“I’m not gonna let anything happen to you,” Cassidy said against the back of his head.
“I know.”
“Breathe.”
Bullets cut through the trailer again.
Xander’s entire body tensed, but he didn’t scream.
“Starlight secured in trailer. Taking rounds from north exterior,” he reported with his chin tucked near Xander’s temple.
“Suspect down,” Kellan said.
“Suspect down,” God called next.
“That’s three,” Free updated.
Cassidy hoped they were able to leave one of those bastards alive.
“Trailer-row threat closing in, Morrison. Twenty yards,” Free said calmly.
Cassidy had his hand closed around his weapon as he shifted his weight and took aim at the door.
“No,” Xander whispered.
Cassidy looked down. “You stay with me,” Xander said.
He pressed his body lower over Xander as another shot ripped through the trailer wall above them.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
God
The entire time God had been in LA, he’d obeyed the rules the police captain had set for him and his men.
They hadn’t done any investigating, pursuing, or overstepped on the detectives working Xander’s case.
He’d stood down and stayed within the perimeters of their assignment, but this was an active threat, and they had a right to defend themselves.
God moved.
“Day, with me. Ruxs, Green, west flank. Free, lock every gate. We’re not letting these motherfuckers get away this time.”
“Already done,” Free answered. “LAPD’s been notified. First unit’s ETA is four minutes.”
“Where are the others, Free?” Tech asked.
“Two bodies moving against the north studio wall.”
God cut across the lot with Day on his left, both weapons drawn, badges visible.
“Police! Get down! Get down!”
A few members from the custodial crew hit the pavement. The driver at the south barricade raised his weapon toward a wounded guard trying to crawl behind the broken booth and God fired.
The driver went down hard beside the crushed truck and didn’t get back up.
“Driver threat down,” Day called. “South side secured.”
God didn’t stop moving.
Another shooter fired from behind a grip truck as two crewmen ran towards the locked gates.
“Green!” Ruxs barked.
“I see him.”
The attacker fired toward them and Green returned fire, his shots hitting inches from the man’s head, forcing him back.
“Police! That was a warning!” Green roared. “Drop the weapon!”
The attacker answered with more bullets.
Ruxs came around from the side and fired once, hitting him in the right shoulder. The man jerked, stumbled, still trying to raise his rifle.