Firestorm: Book III of the Wildfire Saga (59 page)

Cooper hesitated.
 
His finger tightened on the trigger.
 
Just a few more ounces of pressure and Reginald would die.

"Don't do it," said a rough voice to his left.
 

"Listen to Fergus.
 
Drop the gun.
 
You'll thank me later," suggested Reginald.

The radio in Cooper's ear squawked:
"Actual, Overwatch.
 
I got a bead on the tango to your 9 o'clock.
 
Say when…
"

A slow smile spread across Cooper's lips.
 
He dropped his rifle and raised his hands.
 
His eyes shifted to the servant, looking for the red dot that would signal Sparky's aim.
 
He watched it appear just over the man's right ear.

Reginald paused in his monologue.
 
"I'm sorry…"
 
He looked at the woman.
 
"Did I say something amusing?"

Cooper laughed.
 
"Now!"
 
He kept his eyes on the woman as Fergus' head exploded in a puff of vaporized blood, brain, and bone.
 
Cooper snapped his right arm out, blocking her gun.
 
He pulled hard and twisted, spinning her over his left hip.
 
The movement caused her to release the pistol and dumped her on the floor at the same time.
 

Cooper held the gun now and pointed it Reginald.
 
The arrogant terrorist ignored the weapon and watched Lady Brunner as she hit the floor in a pile of ruffled silks and German curses.

"Actual?"

Cooper activated his throat mic, eyes locked on Reginald.
 
"Clear.
 
Thanks for the assist."
 
He stooped and recovered his rifle, then slung it over his shoulder, keeping Lady Brun's pistol aimed at Reginald's chest.
 

"Hurry up—things are turning into a royal clusterfuck out here!"

"Copy.
 
Oscar Mike."

Reginald threw his head back and laughed.
 
"Good show!"
 
He wiped his eyes, glancing at Fergus' messy remains.
 
He peered up through the hole in the roof.
 
"A sniper…on my own roof…oh, that's rich!"
 
He glanced at Cooper as he helped the woman to her feet.

"Though I might ask you to apologize to Lady Brunner for treating her so…boorishly."

"Shut up—you're coming with me."

"Coop!
 
Let's go!
 
We gotta exfil."

Cooper activated his mic again.
 
"Copy that, I have the HVT plus one."

"This won't work, you know," offered Reginald.
 
He adjusted his shirt, flicking at his grime-stained sleeve.

"Shut up," Cooper repeated.

"
Enemy reinforcements approaching.
 
Our friends are getting pinned down—they're requesting air support…
" reported Sparky.

"Striker 2-1, Actual, Command.
 
Do you have the HVT?"

"Affirmative, Command."
 
Cooper glared at Reginald.
 
"Against the wall—now."

Reginald smirked.
 
"I shall do no such thing."

Lady Brunner laughed.
 
"Go ahead, shoot us."
 
The two of them looked at each other and laughed.

Something didn't fit.
 
Cooper glanced at the gun in his hand.
 
What the hell?
 
Is this thing even loaded?

"The look on your face is priceless," said Reginald.
 
"My house may be on fire, my staff…"
 
He looked down at Fergus. "Indisposed…my world in ruins…but you, my friend have positively made my day."

Cooper racked the slide on the pistol and saw it—the odd grip pattern just visible under his thumb.
 
"God damn fingerprint safety."

"
What's going on, Actual?
" asked Sparky.
 
"Get 'em out of there…"

"They're terribly safe, you know," said Lady Brunner.
 
She blinked demurely as Cooper tossed the useless pistol away.
 

"Striker 2-1, Actual, Command.
 
We have your position—EVAC in route, ETA in seven."

"Roger that, Command," Cooper said, watching Lady Brunner advance like a stalking cat.

Reginald closed in from the left.
 
Cooper took a step back, mindful of the hot flames consuming the huge table behind him.
 
His senses sharpened and he blocked the pain in his leg with a ruthless will.
 
Acrid smoke burned his nose, but he ignored it.
 
The firefight in the castle courtyard echoed through the Great Hall, but he didn't hear it.
 

Sparky advised him he was abandoning his position to help Charlie with Jax.
 
Charlie shouted he was on his way to help with Reginald, but Cooper didn't listen—too many voices clamored for his attention.
 
He pulled squawking earpiece from his ear and let it dangle by its curly cord.
 
The SAS, Command, his Team—they were all talking at once.

Cooper had seven minutes before their ride showed up.
 
Seven minutes alone with the man who'd orchestrated a global nightmare—the man who was most responsible for Brenda's death.

Charlie's muted voice shouted something about being close, barely audible now that the bone phone had been removed.
 
Cooper frowned.
 

Got to make this fast.

A tremendous crash sent everyone in the room sprawling.
 
Cooper glanced behind him and watched as the rear wall of the Great Hall collapsed under crumbling stone and shuddering ceiling timbers.
 
Fire and ash spewed from the new hole in the wall and within seconds, the beams and timbers were alight.
 

Cooper frowned.
 
The fire would race up those timbers and catch the roof in a few moments.
 
He got to his feet and prepared his attack.

Lady Brunner took one step forward and paused, backing up as she saw the look on Cooper's face.
 
She glanced sideways at Reginald, held up both her hands and smiled.
 
"You wouldn't hit a woman, would you?"
 

Cooper's eyes darted between Reginald and Lady Brunner as a third form appeared behind them.
 
13 stepped through the smoke wearing what had probably been a very expensive—and revealing—halter top dress once.
 
Her face was smeared with blood and soot.
 
Blood stained the dress on her left side just below the ribs all the way to the floor.
 
She sported a nasty-looking wound to the inside of her left arm as well.
   
13 looked like she’d just left a hell of a fight.
 
She deliberately moved through the sparks and smoke as if the room wasn't on fire, her eyes locked on Lady Brunner, her lips compressed into a thin line.
 

"No, he wouldn't.
 
But
I
would," she said in her lightly accented English.

Lady Brunner turned to the new threat and met a fist square in the face.
 
Cooper heard her delicate, shapely nose crack.
 
Lady Brunner screamed as she crumpled to the floor.
 
Before 13 could land another hit, the Austrian lashed out with her feet and almost toppled 13 to the ground.
 
13 cursed and lunged, landing a flurry of punches.

"Looks like it's just you and me, old boy," Reginald said, that sickly grin back in his face.
 
He unbuttoned his cuffs and calmly rolled his sleeves up, revealing well-sculpted forearms.

Cooper ignored the formalities and rushed him.
 
The move was unexpected, judging from the look on Reginald's face as the two of them collided.
 
Cooper pushed Reginald backward and slammed him against the wall.

Reginald's knee flew up and connected with Cooper's stomach.
 
He staggered back—it didn't hurt much, but it was enough to make him lose his grip on Reginald's shirt.
 
Without stopping, Reginald dropped to a low crouch and spun his leg around, forcing Cooper to hop back or be knocked off his feet.

"Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?" growled Cooper.
 

Reginald jumped to his feet and produced a knife from the waistband at his back.
 
It wasn't long, but the blade flashed a dangerous gleam in the firelight.
 
Reginald flipped the blade around into a dagger position and curled the four-inch blade along his forearm.
 
He held his arm up in a defensive posture and smiled.
 

"I don't know who you work for, but before this goes any further, I want to make you an offer."

Cooper raised his fists in front of his face and moved forward.
 
"Not interested."
 

Reginald lashed out with the knife, forcing Cooper back as the blade hissed past his face.
 
He slapped Reginald's arm away and tried to hit him on the back swing, but Reginald was too fast and slipped away.
 

He spun around, taking a quick glance at Lady Brunner and 13, still struggling on the floor.
 
Those soulless eyes came back to Cooper as he danced out into open space like a boxer.
 

"I think you may want to hear the terms of my offer," he said.

Cooper estimated he had less than four minutes before the extraction helo arrived.
 
If Charlie was as good as his word—and he was—he'd be arriving on scene any second.
 

He had to move fast.
 
Cooper pulled his 8-inch dive knife from its sheath on his chest and smiled as Reginald blinked several times.
 
He glanced at the far doors, his snapping back to Cooper's blade.
 

"You have nothing I want except your life, bub," Cooper said.

Reginald blinked again and rolled his shoulders.
 
"Really?
 
How's $2 billion sound?"

Cooper paused, he felt slightly dizzy.
 
He didn’t know if it was because of blood loss or shock that the man who’d orchestrated Brenda’s death could possibly think he’d want to join forces.

Reginald smiled.
 
"Got your attention, did it?
 
It's an awful lot of zeros.
 
Whatever pittance your government pays you, I will make it look like pocket change.
 
Join me—I could use a man of your…talents."
 

Reginald's eyes shifted to 13 again.
 
Cooper followed his glance and saw Lady Brunner face down on the stone floor, being hog-tied by 13.
 
The Swedish operative had a knee on the back of the aristocrat's graceful neck.

"Don't listen to him!
 
Don't trust him!
 
Kill
him!" 13 said as she tore strips of her dress off to finish tying Lady Brunner's feet together.
 
Cooper fought the sudden lightheaded feeling that hit him and his eyes lingered on the reflected firelight that glimmered on her bare back as the long muscles worked just under the skin.

He swung his eyes back to Reginald a split-second too late.
 
The man was fast—he had crossed the distance between them and slashed down with his short knife, hitting Cooper in the chest.

Cooper only partially deflected the blade, his tactical vest took most of the damage.
 
He felt an intense burning as the blade cut through his dive suit and nicked his skin.
 
He recovered fast, though and smacked Reginald in the side of the head with the pommel of his own knife.
 

Reginald staggered a few feet away, his free hand touching the side of his head where a goose egg already formed.
 
He shook his head angrily and rolled his shoulders, bringing his bloody knife up again.
 

Cooper growled, more angry at himself than anything.
 
Mission first.
 
Take this asshole down—worry about 13 later.

"I take it that's a no, then?" sneered Reginald.
 
"Pity."

Cooper stepped inside Reginald's next attack and snagged the Earl's knife hand.
 
Reginald was just as quick and grabbed Cooper's right arm at the elbow, blocking him from stabbing his exposed midsection.
 

Cooper dropped his forehead down and hit Reginald squarely on the nose.
 
Reginald's nose busted with an audible crack and he reared his head back as blood spurted out.
 
Cooper felt the grip on his elbow slacken and pressed his advantage.
 

As Reginald stepped back, hands to his face, Cooper shifted his hips and swung out with his right foot.
 
Reginald grunted as he flew off his feet and landed on his back.

Cooper stood over Reginald as the Earl lay on the ground, clutching his ruined face and glaring up with baleful eyes.
 
The crackling fire behind them cast a sickly orange light over Reginald, making the blood that stained his shirt stand out that much brighter.

13 moved next to him, and when Lady Brunner shouted for help, she turned and kicked the Council member in the stomach, silencing the troublesome woman.

"Coop, I'm here!"

Cooper glanced over his shoulder.
 
Charlie's hand waved from a gap at the top of the rubble pile blocking the other exit.
 
"I'm almost through!
 
Bring the prisoners over here!
 
Sparky's got Jax—"