King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Three

Stephen

While it was somewhat macabre, I got enjoyment from counting out loud whenever I took out one of the guards. “One…two… three…” So far no one else in the warehouse had noticed. “Four…five…” Still business as usual in the warehouse. “Six, seven, eight…that last group shouldn’ta been f**king around on duty, but I appreciate them making my job easier.” I heard quiet. laughter over my earpiece. “Aaaaand…nine. Almost to a personal best, folks.” More laughter through my earpiece. “Oh, number ten found number nine. That’s not helpful, number ten. But wait, there’s more. Eleven…twelve…go. Now.”

I could see everyone moving from my vantage point. The people inside the warehouse were slowly becoming aware that something was going on. I was trying to pick them off as they came out of the building. Andrei and Oscar were systematically moving around the building, setting up the explosives. The two guys that went with them for the first two warehouses were moving in the opposite direction around the building. Everyone else was providing cover for them.

I kept an eye on as much as I could through the scope of my rifle. Things were happening quickly, I caught sight of one guy that had taken cover as he came out of the warehouse. He was on the phone. His call ended abruptly, thanks to me. “We may have a problem. Someone made a call. Everybody watch your 6.”

“One wall to go,” Andrei said.

The people inside the warehouse had barricaded themselves inside, thinking that was going to save them. I took a moment to find Sephie. She was between Adrik and Ivan, her gun pointed at the warehouse like she belonged here. She was one of us now.

I checked the alley leading to the warehouse. Quiet, so far. I could hear gunfire at the back of the warehouse, where Andrei and Oscar were. “Remind me to thank Trino for sending Oscar. He just saved my a ss,” Andrei said. “All charges set. On our way

back.”

I did another sweep of the perimeter. This time, there was movement up the alley. “We’ve got company. Their backup just arrived. Don’t know how many yet, but I’ll try to get as many as I can. They’re coming up the alley,” I said.

clear shot. Whoever made the call must’ve warned them I was here. “They’re on to me. It’s difficult for me to get a clear shot on any of them.” I looked further down the alley to see more guys coming. “More guys coming too. I count 15 total. So far. I need help drawing

The pressure from Misha and Viktor caused the new arrivals to make mistakes, which gave me a clear shot. “Down to 11. I haven’t seen anymore coming yet. I also haven’t checked the other access points. Be careful down there.” As soon as I said that, I heard Ivan say, “we’ve got more coming from the west side.”

t. That’s directly beside where Ivan, Adrik, and Sephie were. “How

like just a handful. We should be able to hold them off.

off the guys in the alley. I checked on the group coming from the other direction, toward Ivan. I couldn’t get a clear shot on any of them. I went back

don’t like that more are showing up.

the

you that way,” I said.

Bait the rest of the guys toward the building, we

as far as you can. The rest of us are going around

There was a bike close, so they’d be able to leave quickly. Misha and Viktor were falling back toward the rest of the group, drawing the guys in the alley toward them. Everyone moved together, slowly, toward the back of the warehouse. I covered Ivan and Sephie until they got on the bike, then

of there,” Adrik said as they neared the back

tell me twice,” I said, laughing

way down the stairs within a minute. As soon as I hit the ground floor, my bike was waiting on me. I’d pulled it inside the building to hide it from sight. “Clear,” I said as I pulled out of the building. I was one block over from the warehouse, so the

time, so I wouldn’t know that everyone made it out until we were back at the penthouse. The plan was to regroup at the building, then we were going to grab Dr. Moretti in

was the worst part of any plan. The waiting. The not knowing. I expected Ivan and Sephie to be waiting on me when I got to the building. Then we’d wait for the rest of the group to show up. I tried not to be nervous, but I always failed