vacated.
Following close behind, Vaulcron adjusted Mallory in his arms, keeping the pistol at the ready.
Gunfire could be heard from below them, ricocheting off the walls in consistent earsplitting explosions.
Braum held up his hand as he came to a stop at the door on the first floor. He eased it open enough to peer out into the corridor.
“Stay close to the wall, and head toward the front door. There is an armored truck waiting around the right side of the building. Get her to safety.”
“What about you?” Vaulcron hissed, touching Braum on the arm.
“I will be right behind you. Now go.” Braum threw the door open and darted across the room to draw fire, effectively creating a distraction for Vaulcron’s escape.
Hunching his shoulders over Mallory to shield her body from flying bullets, Vaulcron hurried toward the front door. He burst outside and ran along the front of the building as fast as his legs would move. He rounded the corner in record time, relieved to see the armored truck parked close to the wall.
Vaulcron opened the passenger side door and deposited Mallory onto the seat. “Get into the back and keep your head down.”
Mallory nodded and climbed over the seat. “Don’t leave me,” she pleaded, glancing back at him with wide eyes.
He opened his mouth to assure her that she’d be safe in the truck, just as Tony, Braum, Gryke, and Oz rounded the corner.
“Get in,” Tony barked, jumping behind the wheel.
Vaulcron practically dove into the vehicle, seconds ahead of the others.
Tony threw the truck in reverse, backing up with such force that Vaulcron nearly face-planted in Braum’s lap.
No one spoke until Winchester Industries completely disappeared from view.
“Was anyone hit?” Oz asked, turning in his seat to study the crew seated in back.
Two sets of gazes swung over the backseat to stare down at Mallory.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, sitting up with the sheet held to her chest. “Just a little shaken up, but I’m okay.”
Vaulcron’s mouth tightened in jealousy. “If you value your eyes, you will aim them elsewhere.”
Braum laughed. “I am sorry, Vaulcron. I did not realize that she belonged to you.”
“My sister,” Mallory breathed, meeting Vaulcron’s gaze. “How am I going to find Amy?”
Tony answered before Vaulcron could respond. "We’ve already located your sister. Zaureth is on his way back to Cuba with her and Anderson. They will arrive ahead of us.”
Mallory gasped. “He is bringing the guy that held her hostage back to Cuba?”
“He is,” Tony nodded, glancing up in the rearview mirror. “And I’d love to be a fly on the wall when Hauke finds out about it.”
Vaulcron met Tony’s gaze in the mirror. “What does Hauke know of Anderson?”
“Anderson was the one that filled Hauke’s gut with lead.”
Vaulcron’s brows lifted. “He shot Hauke?”
Tony nodded. “He also took Abbie and Naura hostage. Yeah. Hauke isn’t going to be pleased about this.”
“Zaureth should have killed this Anderson.” Gryke’s quiet admission brought Tony’s gaze back to the mirror.
“Anderson was acting on presidential orders. Besides, he did save Amy’s life. That should be worth something.”
“Of course it is worth something,” Vaulcron piped in. “He did not have to risk himself for a girl he does not know. It shows he had integrity, and we will not repay his sacrifice by ending his life.”
Gryke shook his head. “Tell that to Hauke.”
“Amy is Mallory’s sister,” Vaulcron reiterated.
“Yes,” Gryke agreed. “And Hauke is your brother.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Mallory listened to the exchange between Vaulcron and the one known as Gryke as she fought the nausea rolling through her gut.
A moan escaped, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to hold back the contents of her stomach.
“Are you all right?” Vaulcron leaned over the seat and swept her hair back from her face.
“What is wrong with her?” Braum questioned,
Following close behind, Vaulcron adjusted Mallory in his arms, keeping the pistol at the ready.
Gunfire could be heard from below them, ricocheting off the walls in consistent earsplitting explosions.
Braum held up his hand as he came to a stop at the door on the first floor. He eased it open enough to peer out into the corridor.
“Stay close to the wall, and head toward the front door. There is an armored truck waiting around the right side of the building. Get her to safety.”
“What about you?” Vaulcron hissed, touching Braum on the arm.
“I will be right behind you. Now go.” Braum threw the door open and darted across the room to draw fire, effectively creating a distraction for Vaulcron’s escape.
Hunching his shoulders over Mallory to shield her body from flying bullets, Vaulcron hurried toward the front door. He burst outside and ran along the front of the building as fast as his legs would move. He rounded the corner in record time, relieved to see the armored truck parked close to the wall.
Vaulcron opened the passenger side door and deposited Mallory onto the seat. “Get into the back and keep your head down.”
Mallory nodded and climbed over the seat. “Don’t leave me,” she pleaded, glancing back at him with wide eyes.
He opened his mouth to assure her that she’d be safe in the truck, just as Tony, Braum, Gryke, and Oz rounded the corner.
“Get in,” Tony barked, jumping behind the wheel.
Vaulcron practically dove into the vehicle, seconds ahead of the others.
Tony threw the truck in reverse, backing up with such force that Vaulcron nearly face-planted in Braum’s lap.
No one spoke until Winchester Industries completely disappeared from view.
“Was anyone hit?” Oz asked, turning in his seat to study the crew seated in back.
Two sets of gazes swung over the backseat to stare down at Mallory.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, sitting up with the sheet held to her chest. “Just a little shaken up, but I’m okay.”
Vaulcron’s mouth tightened in jealousy. “If you value your eyes, you will aim them elsewhere.”
Braum laughed. “I am sorry, Vaulcron. I did not realize that she belonged to you.”
“My sister,” Mallory breathed, meeting Vaulcron’s gaze. “How am I going to find Amy?”
Tony answered before Vaulcron could respond. "We’ve already located your sister. Zaureth is on his way back to Cuba with her and Anderson. They will arrive ahead of us.”
Mallory gasped. “He is bringing the guy that held her hostage back to Cuba?”
“He is,” Tony nodded, glancing up in the rearview mirror. “And I’d love to be a fly on the wall when Hauke finds out about it.”
Vaulcron met Tony’s gaze in the mirror. “What does Hauke know of Anderson?”
“Anderson was the one that filled Hauke’s gut with lead.”
Vaulcron’s brows lifted. “He shot Hauke?”
Tony nodded. “He also took Abbie and Naura hostage. Yeah. Hauke isn’t going to be pleased about this.”
“Zaureth should have killed this Anderson.” Gryke’s quiet admission brought Tony’s gaze back to the mirror.
“Anderson was acting on presidential orders. Besides, he did save Amy’s life. That should be worth something.”
“Of course it is worth something,” Vaulcron piped in. “He did not have to risk himself for a girl he does not know. It shows he had integrity, and we will not repay his sacrifice by ending his life.”
Gryke shook his head. “Tell that to Hauke.”
“Amy is Mallory’s sister,” Vaulcron reiterated.
“Yes,” Gryke agreed. “And Hauke is your brother.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Mallory listened to the exchange between Vaulcron and the one known as Gryke as she fought the nausea rolling through her gut.
A moan escaped, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to hold back the contents of her stomach.
“Are you all right?” Vaulcron leaned over the seat and swept her hair back from her face.
“What is wrong with her?” Braum questioned,
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