As if Brick were hers.
“No matter what...just come back.”
He kissed her temple.“Nothing’s keeping me away.Sit tight.We’ll lock the door.Don’t open it for anyone.”
If the circumstances weren’t so outrageous, she’d have laughed.But she couldn’t do anything but mourn his warmth as he slid from her arms and out of the SUV.
She watched as he skulked across the parking garage, his AR-15 slung across his body.He hopped over the short cement wall and headed east, falling into step with the other two formidable men.A little bit of the tension in her shoulders eased.
Please, God.Bring home my boy—both of them.
***
Brick moved acrossthe alleyway behind the parking garage.The sun was low on the horizon, but they still had plenty of time before dark.Logic would insist they wait.Instinct won.Bray had been gone too long, and if they didn’t find him soon, who knew how bad things could get?
He stomped across the asphalt, his steps in sync with Taschen’s and Zain’s.His thighs radiated with energy.Urgency pushed him to lead the group as they approached the apartment building.
Marching into gang territory locked and loaded was a shoot-out waiting to happen.
“I see you ladies comin’ up,” Ghost said in his ear.Ghost’s job was to man the cameras.As soon as he saw them cross the security footage, it’d be lights out for surveillance.“I suggest you enter the east door, closest to you.Apartment113 is only four doors down on your right.”
“Got it.”Brick reached for the door handle and pulled it open—not much security here.
Zain pressed his back to the exterior wall.“You two head in.I’ll come in through the balcony.”
Brick gave a brisk nod.They didn’t know how many gang members they were up against, so having Zain as backup was a good plan.
“Oh, shit man!”someone cried from the parking lot.
“Fuck,” Taschen spat.
Brick pivoted and aimed his AR-15.He didn’t shout or utter a threat.No need, because the man darted into his car and peeled away.
“Better move quick,” Taschen said.“He could be calling his buddies inside.”
Brick grunted, opened the door again, and entered the cold cement stairwell.With his weapon aimed in front of him, he skirted around the staircase.He paused to glance upward, then advanced on the door that led to the hallway.
Taschen’s footsteps moved softly behind him, offering him silent confirmation to keep moving at the same pace.He cracked open the door a few inches and surveyed the empty hall.Voices sounded from the paper-thin units, but no one wandered.
Taschen’s foot caught the lip of the door and held it open.Brick sailed through.He moved swiftly down the hall, his booted footfalls cushioned by the threadbare carpet.Bitter cigarette smoke and the pungent odor of marijuana hung in the air.
He closed in on apartment113.His pulse thundered against his eardrums.Static crackled softly in the earpiece.He listened for sounds from inside.Only the drone of a sports announcer on TV reached his ears.
There was no good way to do this.Best to just catch everyone off guard.He took a step back and then stomped his foot against the thin wooden door.
The hinges gave way and the wood flew open, sending shards skittering across the floor.Four men staggered up from a couch and an armchair.Three withdrew weapons and ducked behind the furniture, and one darted for the balcony and leapt over the railing.
“Hands up!”Brick boomed.
Crack!Crack!
He dodged into the kitchen off the entry way.The bullets smacked off drywall.Taschen knelt beside him and returned fire.Sweat broke out on Brick’s brow.Where the hell was Bray?They needed to contain the exchange of gunshots ASAP.
He tightened his grip on the rifle and signaled to Taschen he was going in.Taschen nodded and held his fire.
Brick peeked around the wall.No one moved but hushed cries sounded, telling him Taschen had hit one of the guys.He looked at the balcony.Zain stealthily climbed over the railing and moved through the open glass door to approach the men from behind.
Brick smirked and sidled around the kitchen wall.
