Chapter 13 - Blood and Thunder
"Toss the ledger over, Liam," Russo commanded, cocking the hammer of his gold revolver and pressing the barrel directly against the back of Tommy’s neck. "Or the kid's leukemia won't matter in about three seconds."
Liam held up the heavy leather book. "Here it is, Victor. Eight years of your sins."
Liam hurled the ledger through the air.
As the heavy book sailed toward Russo, Liam reached into his trench coat, hit a remote detonator switch on his tactical belt, and shouted:
"NOW!"
The four high-intensity flashbang charges Liam had concealed inside the hollowed-out binding of the fake ledger detonated simultaneously in mid-air with a blinding, five-million-candlepower flash and a concussive roar that shattered every window in the facility.
Russo screamed in agony, blinded and disoriented, stumbling backward as the shockwave knocked his revolver from his hand.
Instantly, the warehouse skylights shattered as Marcus and twenty Vanguard tactical operators rappelled down on high-speed cables, opening fire with suppressed automatic rifles.
"Tommy!" I screamed from the breach door, sprinting onto the floor behind a protective wedge of Liam's men.
Liam moved with explosive, terrifying speed. Drawing his twin .45s, he dropped two enforcers charging toward Tommy, slid across the concrete on his knees, and shielded the boy’s body with his own armored torso just as Leo raised a machine gun from the catwalk.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT!
Three high-caliber rounds slammed into the ceramic strike plate on Liam’s back. Liam grunted, absorbing the violent impact, spun around, and fired a single, pinpoint shot upward through the metal grating.
Leo let out a choked gasp, clutched his chest, and tumbled over the railing, crashing forty feet down onto the concrete floor below, motionless.
I reached Tommy’s chair, my hands flying over his restraints, slicing the ropes with my trauma shears.
"Clara!" Tommy sobbed, throwing his frail arms around my neck. "Clara, I was so scared!"
"I've got you, baby! I've got you!" I cried, lifting his light frame into my arms.
Liam turned to Marcus. "Get them to the tarmac! Go! GO!"
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"Liam, no! Come with us!" I screamed as Marcus and two guards began pulling Tommy and me toward the armored extraction van outside.
"Not until it's finished!" Liam roared, racking the slide of his pistol and turning back toward the smoke-filled catwalks where Victor Russo was crawling toward an emergency exit.
