Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Fuck. Do you have a shot on him?”
“There’s three guys with him. I can’t take them all.”
Roman rubbed the bridge of his nose. They didn’t have much time. Mimic didn’t have much time.
“Can you create a distraction?” Roman asked.
“Yeah, I think I can buy some time.”
“Do it. We’re on our way.”
Chapter 28
Wyatt Hernandez
A loud bang echoed down the hallway. Wyatt, Roman, and Bang Bang ducked into a room to their right, closing the door just as two other Pride members ran past in the direction of the sound.
“I’ve got them searching in the opposite direction,” Phantom said in a hushed whisper.
“Are you safe?” Roman asked.
“Yeah. Hiding inside a broom closet right now.”
Wyatt looked around the room they had run into. It appeared to be used for storage, with stacks and stacks of boxes hugging the wall. There was another window in here that looked out to the bottom of the sea. He couldn’t quite believe what Leonidas had pulled off with this feat of engineering. Too bad it was a ruthless monster who had managed such an impressive achievement. It definitely took away from Wyatt’s admiration.
Tor’s voice buzzed into their ears. “I’m in the camera system right now. It looks like most of the Pride is collecting near the kitchens. Roman, you have a clear shot toward the room holding the tome.”
Roman didn’t wait a second longer. He threw open the door and bolted out, Wyatt and Bang Bang following close behind, guns drawn and hearts hammering. The narrow hall, with its concrete walls and exposed pipes, seemed to stretch on for infinity. They ran, reaching the locked door that they had marked as holding the tome.
“Can you open it?” Roman asked Wyatt, looking down at the digital keypad on the heavy dead bolt.
“I can try,” Wyatt said.
“Hurry. We need to go get Mimic.”
Yes, I know that, Wyatt thought to himself, the pressure rising to extraordinary levels. He holstered his pistol and took out his phone—Wyatt’s preferred weapon. He didn’t have anything that could magically crack through the lock, but he did have a flash button. He turned it on, his phone turning into a bright flashlight. He held it down and leaned in, shielding the keypad from outside light by cupping it in his hands.
“Hey! What the fuck are you doing?”
The shout came from down the hall. Wyatt looked up, panicked, just as Bang Bang raised the pair of golden guns. A low pop sounded as the bullet flew from the silencer, hitting its target and dropping the man to the ground.
“Got it,” Wyatt said as he followed the grease prints on the keypad and typed in the four-digit code. “Thank God these people don’t wash their hands often.” The dead bolt clicked open, and the heavy door hissed as it was pushed back by a grateful-looking Roman.
“You’re a fucking genius,” he said as they stepped into the room. Wyatt’s gaze went directly to the pedestal in the center of the room, a glass case surrounding the book they’d been on the hunt for since the beginning of this journey. It was right there, finally.
“Tor, any alarms we should be worried about in here?” Roman asked, taking a cautious move forward. Bang Bang had his back to them, looking instead at the doorway and making sure no one snuck up on them.
“Nothing. You should be good.”
Roman moved faster, Wyatt at his side. There were other seemingly valuable treasures scattered about the room, on shelves and tables, but none of them mattered. It was all about the tome. The final piece of the puzzle that would make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Roman put his hand on the glass, looking to Wyatt. They didn’t have much time—Phantom’s distraction was likely running its course by now. Leonidas would be back on his way to Mimic at any moment.
They had to move.
Roman lifted the glass case. Wyatt braced himself. Was it rigged? Booby-trapped and set to explode? He knew there wasn’t enough time to be cautious. Roman completely removed the glass case, and nothing blew up or caught fire. He dropped the case, glass shattering, and grabbed the leather-bound book.
“We’ve got the tome,” he said into the earpiece.
“And Mimic?” Mustang’s concerned voice entered the conversation.
“I’ve got eyes on her,” Phantom answered. “Looks like Leonidas is on his way back. Still surrounded by guys.”
“Fuck,” Roman hissed. He grabbed the tome. Wyatt couldn’t feel any kind of relief or excitement for the moment, not while knowing Mimic’s life was still in danger. He turned toward the exit, moving with Bang Bang and Roman, lifting his leg—feeling a shift. Something moved underneath him. He looked down, eyebrows stitching together before realization smacked into him, almost at the time that the alarms started blaring.
“Shit, there a pressure trigger on the floor,” Wyatt said, seeing the faded gray tile for what it really was: a trap, one that he had triggered. There’d be no more stealth to this mission. Leonidas and his Pride were now all well aware that there were intruders, and he wouldn’t have to connect too many dots before realizing who they were.