Chapter 47

FORTY-SEVEN

It’s been a while since I saw the base, months in fact, but so much has changed since then that it feels like a lifetime ago. When I first came here, I was an angry, lost little girl, and now I’m a scarred, hard woman protecting the men she loves. I’m part of a family, a unit, and I’m fighting for something much bigger than petty revenge.

I am fighting for love.

They don’t know that we are here this time. Dimitri knows the layout, as well as every trap and alarm in the bunker. Although there is only one way in, we have ways of getting around without being seen. Last time, Jonas happily showed me traps and tricks, but now we are sneaking in.

One last mission together.

One against our very own military.

This won’t be like breaking into my father’s place. They had soldiers there, sure, but this place is meant to be a fortress, and the soldiers here are active duty and waiting for a fight.

We park as far away as we can so the cameras don’t see us beforehand. When we are close enough, Dimitri loops the footage so the alarms don’t sound, causing them to go into lockdown. In the darkness, wearing matching black outfits, we share a grin. Adrenaline pumps through me, along with excitement.

I was made for this, and as much as I hate it, it couldn’t be more obvious as we effortlessly weave through the many booby traps. We avoid the barn, knowing it’s the most heavily guarded area. The scrapyard looks even more abandoned and maze-like in the dark. Jonas points out any areas that are rigged with bombs and sensors and we avoid them, luckily knowing the path through without even making a noise. We simply hop over the landmines and hope they haven’t set anymore. Jonas assures me they wouldn’t have because before they came along, apparently their security was shit. The guys helped them upgrade it, which works in our favour now.

Once we’re through the hill, we head up the sharp incline, which is open ground, to the bunker. We don’t spot any guards here, but to be sure, we stay low to the ground. No words are exchanged, since all of us know our roles and how important this is. At the top, I crouch and wait, knowing Dimitri is going to manually open the bunker so we don’t alert anyone. I scan our surroundings, watching our backs.

Once we reach the elevator that takes us down, Dimitri pops open a panel as we crouch and protect his back, the night giving us good coverage. We work silently and in a moment, the doors open and we drop to the platform. Unlike last time, there’s no escort waiting, and we rush off. We need to find the general before they find us. We want answers, and we want him to understand.

Guns up, we sweep the corridors. Dimitri turned the cameras off, and Jonas plants the EMP while we protect him. We see some soldiers ahead, so we duck into the side rooms and wait for them to pass. My breathing is calm and even as Nico presses against my back. I feel his hardness, even through his suit, and try to focus as desire builds within me.

“Behave,” I mutter with a grin.

“Clear,” Dimitri murmurs, and I open the door, moving left as Nico moves right, walking backwards to watch our backs. The general should be sleeping at this time, but when we reach the stairs to his room, Dimitri halts us.

“He’s in his office. Looks like he fell asleep there. Change of plan.”

His office is through the base’s hub, but we have no choice. We head that way instead and find a few bored, tired soldiers monitoring the screens, even as they loop.

In the glass office up top, the general reclines back in his chair, his mouth open on a snore. “Target acquired,” I murmur. “Five bogies, backs to the door. Unprepared,” I report as I move backwards and press my back to the wall.

“Ideas?” Louis asks.

“Three of us sneak in and knock them out.” I shrug. “Easy and silent.”

Louis frowns, clearly not liking it, but he nods. “Nova, Nico, you’re with me. D, you’re on cameras. Jonas, watch our backs. Isaac, make sure he doesn’t kill anyone.”

“Ah, man,” Jonas mutters, but we are already moving.

Louis counts down, and when his fist clenches, Nico rips the door open and we move in quickly and silently, sliding behind some desks as one guy turns to look. The door is shut once more and he frowns, searching the room before looking back at the cameras. I point to the two huddled together on the left, playing cards. Nico nods to the middle one, and Louis gestures to the two on the right. I move into position as they do the same.

Once we are all in place, I count down, and on one, I surge into action, stepping behind my two targets and trusting them to do the same. I slam two injections into their necks as they start to turn. “What?” one mumbles before the drug takes hold, and then they slump.

I glance over to see the others were quickly taken care of as well and grin. It’s good having a doctor who has access to sedatives on staff. These soldiers should be out cold for a while. The doors open, and the others join us. Isaac and Jonas instantly bar it as we head to the general’s office.

We file in and take up our positions. I sit in the opposite chair, lifting my feet and kicking the general’s off the desk. They fall with a thump and he windmills his arms to keep his balance as he wakes. His eyes widen when he sees me, and I wave.

“What the fuck is the meaning of this?” he snarls, and when he sees all of us, he looks for his men, all of whom are sleeping. “Why didn’t you tell us that you were here?”

“We wanted to have this conversation privately.” Louis shrugs, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Ah, don’t press that button, sir. I would hate to have to break your hand.”

“He will,” I say helpfully. “Or I will.”

The general moves his hand from the emergency button, crossing his arms as he glares at us. “Where’s the research?” he demands, still thinking he’s in charge.

The fool.

“Not with us,” Louis answers. “We want to know why you want it. Before you snap or answer in anger, know that your life depends on how you answer, general, and we will know if you are lying. After all, we were created to be the best.”

“It is none of your business. It’s a matter of national security.” He huffs. “Now hand over the research. It belongs to the government.”

“Do you plan to use it?” I demand, leaning forward. “Think carefully.”

“All research will be contained and tested to ensure its safety.” He narrows his eyes. “It’s better that we use it than some other country. Think of the lives we could save in battle. Dr. Davis went about it wrong, but we can do better—”

“Who else is helping you with it?”

“No one so far. I will present it to the ruling body for testing. You must understand. After all, look at you—”

I lift my gun and blow out his brains before looking at Louis. “No one will ever use that research. This ends with him.” Standing, I put my gun away as the alarms blare.

“Fuck, I thought you said no killing. Why did she get to?” Jonas whines just as soldiers burst through the door, and I grin as Louis shakes his head but holds up his hands.

“Do as I say and we’ll make it out of this alive,” he says.

I grin at him. “Where’s the fun in that?” I hold my hands up anyway as soldiers surge into the office. We are ordered to kneel and then handcuffed and led into the room below. A half-dressed man storms into the room. I remember him from our first time here. He’s second-in-command, I believe, but I leave the talking to Louis since I tend to shoot first.

“Who the fuck killed the general, and how the fuck did they get in here?” He turns his glare on us. “Answers!” he barks.

Yup, military all the way through.

“We have intelligence that the general was working with Dr. Davis on the banned experimental program to expand the human brain. We were simply doing as we were ordered and executing the mission.” Louis is a good liar.

“Do you have proof? You just cannot go around assassinating generals!” he roars.

“We had proof, yes, and we did our mission. Are you going back on your terms now? We did as ordered.”

“Dr. Davis?” he asks, his arms crossed. It’s clear his general hasn’t kept him in the loop.

“Dead.”

“The research?”

We all try not to stiffen at that, but it’s just genuine curiosity on his part.

“Dead and burned with his body,” Louis replies. “It’s all gone. The mission is done.”

“Fucking hell. This is a clusterfuck. I want these idiots fired” —he points at the drugged men— “and anyone on the perimeter brought up on charges. You six, get the fuck out of my sight. The general might have wanted to work with you, but I sure as shit did not, and when they come around asking questions, I will not protect you. Get out of here now.”

“We are free to go?” Louis queries, making damn sure.

“Yes, go before I change my mind. If the general was involved, then you did as ordered. It doesn’t mean I fucking like it, but we keep our deals. You’re hired mercs, though, and nothing else. Go.” Our hands are unlocked, and we are shoved to our feet.

Before we can get into any more trouble, Nico grabs me, and Louis grabs Jonas, and they drag us out. Soldiers escort us up top, where I breathe in the fresh air of the night as sunlight streaks through the sky.

“I guess we didn’t need the EMP,” I remark.

“Nah, I’ll set it off just for fun.” Jonas giggles.

Dimitri groans. “Oh, God, get us out of here before we are arrested and thrown into a dark cell somewhere.”

The soldiers escort us down the hill just as we see a troop doing early-morning drills and exercises. I guess they didn’t hear the alarms, or they have been given the all-clear.

When we get closer, it’s clear they are on weapons training, with open crates holding grenades and rocket launchers.

We stop to watch them, but when I glance over, Jonas has a rocket launcher on his shoulder and is pointing it at the drilling soldiers.

“Jonas!” I snap.

He glances between me and the men behind me and pouts. “But they said I could play with it.”

I groan. “They didn’t mean to shoot them.”

“Well, then they should have said that.” Pulling the launcher down off his shoulder, he drops it back into the box, still pouting, and stomps away. “I never get to kill anyone anymore.”

Wincing at the soldiers who are unsure whether to shoot or laugh, I follow Jonas, and we reach the car in ten minutes. Once there, our escort disappears back up the hill.

We just got away with espionage and murder, but the research is safe and so are we.

When we reach the car, I look over at Louis. “Now what?” I ask.

Before I can react, he grabs the back of my head, yanks me over, and slams his lips to mine. Groaning into the kiss, I return it as the others whistle and cheer, and when he pulls away, he says, “Now, baby? We plan the rest of our lives.”