Beyond Revenge (The Ransom Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

catches my eye.  I
grab it and look to Robert.  “You ready to run, old man?”
    Robert’s eyes narrow at me.  I can’t
help smil ing .
    I launch the rock as far as I can throw
it past the guard.  The sound of it hitting the pavement echoes between the
buildings, and the guard instantly pulls his gun and turns toward it.
    We don’t waste a second.  Robert and I
run silently around the corner until we’re safely against the wall of our
target building and out of the guard’s line of sight.  It wasn’t a long run,
but we’re both breathing hard from the sheer adrenaline of it.  I take just a
moment with my back against the wall to calm my breathing before slinking
toward the front of the building.
    When we reach the corner , I peek around it, gauging the distance to the front guard.  He’s
less than fifteen feet away from us, in some ways much
closer than I would have hoped, though it may play to our advantage.
    I pull the switchblade from my pocket
and reduce my voice to a whisper.  “I’m going to rush him.  Just watch my
back.”
    With a quick nod , Robert readies his gun in front of him.
    I take two deep breaths and glance
around the corner one more time before bolting out from behind it, running
quietly in long strides directly at the guard.  He sees me within a second of
my emergence from hiding and goes for the gun tucked in his pants, but I grab him from behind and hold my knife to his throat before he can get a grip on the weapon.
    “Not a word,” I warn , nudging
the blade of the knife closer to his skin .
    “Fuck you,” the man growls as Robert
removes the firearm from the guy’s waistband.
    “You’re going to lead us in to Russo,”
I instruct.  “No yelling.  No talking.  You’ll just take us to Russo and that’s
it.  Got it?”
    He doesn’t move or otherwise
acknowledge what I’ve said.  I tighten my grip on him and touch the blade of
the knife to his neck, drawing blood.
    He lets out a groan.  “Okay.  Fuck, I
got it.”
    “Good.  Now lead the way.”
    We enter into a wide-open space
that appears to be an old laundry facility.  It looks to have
been closed down for a while
but still reeks of chemicals and fresh linens.
    I keep the knife at the man’s neck as he leads us into the building.  I make careful note of the
turns and staircases we take, memorizing our exit route as we go along.
    We finally arrive at a large wooden
door , and the man in my grasp stops and looks
at me .   “Russo’s in there. 
Satisfied?”
    “How many men?” I demand.
    “A whole fucking army. ”  He
stares at me blankly, and I stare right back.   “ I was outside.  How the hell should I know?”
    I put the switchblade away and grab my
gun instead, pointing it directly at the man’s temple.   “How many men?” I say, emphasizing each word.
    He rolls his eyes at me.  “Probably no
more than three guards .”
    I give him a quick smile before smacking
him over the back of the head with the gun , rendering
him unconscious.  I help ease his limp body silently
to the floor.
    Three guys and Russo.  Not ideal, but not impossible.
    I turn to Robert to discuss tactics , but he’s already working on fishing something out of his pocket. 
He pulls out a stun grenade.
    “You really did pack an arsenal, didn’t
you?”
    He grins at me.  “I always come
prepared.”
    With a quick laugh , I return my focus to the situation at
hand.  “I’ll open the door and you throw.  Let me go in first.  I’ll grab Russo. 
You stay close to the door.”
    Robert nods .  With a quick, silent countdown , I swing the
door open as Robert pulls the pin and throws the flashbang into the room.  I
close the door , and we both look away as it explodes.
    Within seconds I’m in the room, quickly
orienting myself with my surroundings of the office and scanning the two men
recovering from the flashbang on the floor.  My eyes settle on a third man
doubled over in a large leather chair.  It’s Russo,