Fractured Innocence (#2 IFICS) (26 page)

She and Erik froze, exposed outside the forest, but more certain that their immediate threat stemmed from sudden movement that would give them away to the oblivious guard.

After a couple of minutes, the man stamped out his cigarette and strode forward. They had permission to do whatever it took to get the mission done. This sentry was not posing a threat to them at the moment and only doing his job. 

Kaitlyn shouldered her rifle and set it to non-lethal mode. She zeroed in on the target and squeezed the trigger. The man turned and went for his gun but staggered to the ground before he was able to get a shot off. 

He was well armed and moved like he knew what he was doing. This, along with the sophisticated security of the compound, made her think a lot of blood would be shed before the night was over. 

“We need to hurry. I’m sure he’ll be missed, if he’s not back soon.” Erik whispered. They reached the other side of the clearing and began to move through the woods in the darkness, quickly and completely at ease. They moved carefully, light on their feet and stayed within the edge of the forest moving northward. 

The sound of Erik’s heavy breathing beside her brought her mind back into focus as they raced parallel to the cliff through the thick brush and trees, the branches scratching her face.

The impressive house loomed in the distance. It was an English Tudor design that resembled a castle—all that was missing was the mote. Ivy climbed up the stone walls. Smoke drifted out of the chimneys. 

“Alarm disabled. You won’t have much time before someone notices,” Lucas said. 

They’d only need enough time to slip into the house; after that it didn’t matter. 

A bullet whizzed through the air and splintered the wood in the tree mere inches from Kaitlyn’s shoulder. Her head snapped up, and she scanned the area, searching for the location of the shooter. He had to be at a great distance, because she wasn’t picking him up with her heat sensor.  

Sniper.

Erik crouched behind a large rock. 

Kaitlyn also took cover. 

Soon the area would be crawling with Dasvoik’s men, now that she and Erik had been spotted. They were so close. She couldn’t bear the thought of that monster slipping through their fingers again. More than likely, the guards would whisk him away to safety. 

“We need to move fast,” she whispered. 

Erik nodded in agreement. 

They scrambled up the hill, keeping low. Erik lost his footing and stumbled. He recovered quickly without her help and kept going. As they advanced, bullets tore up the ground at their feet. Heat sources started to show up on her sensors. The hilly land made it easy for the people to hide from her, but she knew for sure that they were grossly outmatched, based on those she was able to detect. 

Kaitlyn listened, tuning out the sounds of the forest and her immediate surroundings to cast her hearing out as far as possible. The sentries were closing in on them quickly. She could hear the murmur of voices. 

“The target has left the house. I have access to all the security cameras now,” Lucas reported.

“Being evacuated. Which direction?” Erik asked in a hushed voice.

“No. It appears as if he is going hunting. He’s armed and headed in your direction.” 

Kaitlyn couldn’t believe it. Harrington wasn’t kidding when he said the man had a God complex. 

They scrambled up the loosely packed shoulder of a slope, guns drawn. Rocks crumbled beneath their boots, making it hard to gain traction. Movement to the right caught her attention. Erik dropped his pistol and took aim with his rifle. He fired off a shot. A split second later, they heard a scream and the sound of someone tumbling in the woods. 

Kaitlyn slipped on the shale and slid down the incline. Dropping her shoulders, she rolled as she’d been taught, until shrubs stopped her. She sprang to her feet, landing in a low crouch. 

Erik stayed on his feet and skidded down to meet her.  

A shot came from above. It grazed her ear. She dove for the trees. 

Another shot. 

Erik slowly staggered backwards. His knees buckled, and she realized he’d been shot. He would have fallen to the ground, if Kate hadn’t sprung forward and caught him.

“Erik!” Kaitlyn yelled. 

“I’m okay,” he said through gritted teeth, grasping his thigh. Blood poured through his fingers. 

“Erik’s down,” Kaitlyn said into her mic.

She found cover, dropped her bag in front of her, and pulled out supplies. Quickly she thumbed open the knife and sliced his pants to get a better look at the wound. He was lucky it hadn’t hit the femoral artery, but he wasn’t going to be much use for the rest of the mission. 

“Support element is moving in,” Lucas said with a touch of alarm in his voice. 

Without a word she, wrapped duct tape around the wound to slow the bleeding. Kaitlyn glanced down at him. His face was pale and his breathing shallow. 

“I’m fine, Kate. We need to keep moving,” he said. 

Kaitlyn hesitated before nodding. She hated the thought of leaving him behind. She helped him to his feet, and they continued upward. 

They were at a disadvantage. Dasvoik and his guards had the high ground and they were still climbing the slippery slope. A quick glance at Erik revealed he was drenched in sweat and pale. She wondered how much blood he’d lost already. 

“Alpha 3, we’re closing in on you from behind. Do not engage,” Ace told her.

“Roger.” Kaitlyn was relieved. With Ace and the others, she wouldn’t have to worry about leaving Erik behind. 

Up ahead a heat source flashed before her, lighting up her sensors. Kaitlyn took aim and squeezed the trigger. A body dropped to the ground. 

Reckless bullets splattered around them in response, kicking up dirt. None of them were close enough to warrant her to risk moving Erik.

“Just go, Kate,” Erik urged her. “I can hunker down here and cover your back. Ace will be here soon.”

“Kate, wait for backup.” The desperation in Luca’s voice was clear, and he made no effort to hide it.

A sense of urgency washed over her. Dasvoik couldn’t slip through their grip again. She leaned down and brushed her lips against the warm flesh of Erik’s cheek. 

“Don’t you die on me, partner,” she said fiercely.

“Go. Get that bastard,” Erik replied through gritted teeth. A sheen of sweat coated his forehead.

Kaitlyn took off.  Erik was already firing off rounds. His skill was second only to hers. The sound of bullets hitting flesh filled the air. 

Her internal heat sensor screen was lit up like Christmas. How many guards did Dasvoik have? Obviously, the man was paranoid about his safety, and yet he was out in the woods with them. Enjoying the chase—living on the edge, the way Henry had said he would. 

Kaitlyn dropped to her knee and shouldered her weapon. The sound of a round being chambered sounded loud in the still of the evening. Slowly and precisely, she took out the targets ahead of her, one by one. Most never had a chance to scream. 

In her mic, Lucas confirmed what she had already expected—the support element was evacuating Erik. 

Kaitlyn whirled around at the sound of approaching footsteps. 

CHAPTER 28

“It’s only Ace,” Lucas said into the mic. 

Kaitlyn turned her attention back to the north. 

Ace emerged from the shrubbery behind her. He eased up beside her and gave her a cool glance. “I’m not Erik, but I gave him my word I’d have your back.” His voice was detached, but a muscle tightened in his jaw.

Kaitlyn’s eyes narrowed on Ace’s face for a long minute. She shrugged, if Erik trusted him with her life that was good enough for her. That was good enough for her. Using hand signals, she gestured to the northwest, up the ridge, indicating their path. Kaitlyn grabbed ahold of an exposed tree root, dug her heels in and pulled herself up. The rugged terrain was both friend and foe. After a twenty-six minute, climb they finally made it to flat ground. 

Ace leaned against a tree catching his breath. Kaitlyn waited for his heart rate to settle. 

“Alpha 3, Dasvoik and three men are approaching from the East,” Lucas said. 

Kate stopped in her tracks, and her body went rigid. Her gaze raked the terrain.  A red bull’s-eye flashed.
Dasvoik.
She would know that face anywhere. He turned his head in their direction, his back stiffened, as if he sensed them. But he was still too far away to see her with unaided human eyes.

Kaitlyn shouldered the rifle and pulled a Glock 9mm from her hip. Ace picked up and tossed a rock to the left of them. Dasvoik and his men spun in that direction. The three of them separated.
 

Smart.

“The one in the middle is mine,” Kaitlyn said softly, gaze never leaving Dasvoik.

Ace nodded. He raised his rifle and picked off the guy to the left and then the one to the right dropped. 

Dasvoik took off in a sprint, clearly at home in the woods. She held her hand up to Ace to wait. She wanted him to think he had a chance of getting away. The man liked to play games. 

After a few moments, they gave chase. 

Kaitlyn maneuvered quickly through thick shrubs. She broke free and caught a brief glimpse of the target between the trees. He was getting careless. Why had he allowed them see him? Perhaps he was getting tired. They had been running for a very long time, but self preservation should have kicked in.. 

Or he was trying to lure them into a trap. 

She picked up speed. Ace kicked it up a notch as well. She wondered how long Dasvoik could keep up this pace. He was running on pure adrenaline at this point.  

If he was aware of her little game of cat and mouse, he never let on. They both knew she could have taken Dasvoik out already, but she wanted it to be up close and personal. 

She paused, listening. He crashed loudly through the forest. 

Kaitlyn circled left to get behind the target closing the distance. 

Another gunman stepped out. Kaitlyn pivoted, squeezed the trigger, the gunman fell and heaved.

Why was he slowing? 

She had him in her sites. Lowering the gun slightly, she shot him in the thigh. Just like Erik had been hit. Dasvoik dropped to the ground, groaning with pain. With one arm, he swung his rifle in an arc spraying bullets. 

They took cover, waiting until he emptied the magazine. He dropped the gun and pulled out a pistol. His face was set in a grimace from the pain, but his eyes were wild. She almost thought he was enjoying himself. Dragging his leg, he tried to put more distance between them. 

“Cover me,” Kaitlyn hissed to Ace. 

He nodded.

Kaitlyn glided forward, she didn’t even try to take cover, and stopped when close enough for her to talk to Dasvoik. “You’re a hard man to find.” 

“Nature of the game, my love,” came the response. He took a shot and Kaitlyn moved with inhuman speed the bullet didn’t even come close. 

“You enjoy inflicting pain don’t you?” Kaitlyn asked disgusted, her gun trained on his head.  

An evil grin spread across his face. “Very much so. I’m going to have fun breaking you. You’re much too confident, not my type I’m afraid, but I think I could make and exception for someone as lovely as you.”

Kaitlyn strode closer, took aim, and shot his knee cap. He cried out in pain, chest heaving. 

With effort he raised his hand. Before he could fire at her, Kate shot the gun out of his hand. He looked down as if surprised the gun was no longer there. 

Kaitlyn strode closer, took aim, and shot at his kneecap. He cried out in pain, chest heaving. 

“That wasn’t very lawful.” Dasvoik spit out through clenched teeth. Even though he was helpless he still managed to look smug. 

Kaitlyn realized he thought she was the police and smiled. She didn’t have to abide by any stringent laws. 

A bullet tore into the ground nearby. She heard a few shots go off from the direction where she’d left Ace and bodies drop to the ground. 

“Go ahead arrest me,” Dasvoik said. “I’ve got the best lawyers money can buy. I’ll never spend a night in jail.” 

“You won’t be needing a lawyer,” she replied. “You’ve taken too many innocent lives to ever have a chance at redemption. Where did the last shipment go?”  Kaitlyn took another step forward.

“Are you mad?” Dasvoik groaned, his face growing paler by the moment, his eyes darted towards his gun which was just out of reach.. 

“If you tell me, I might spare your life.” 

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” With a primal scream he lunged for the gun. Kaitlyn was faster. She darted forward and kicked the gun away. 

“Where are they?” Kaitlyn asked calmly. “You’re loosing blood at an alarming rate. I would speak quickly.” 

“You’re a lunatic. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” 

With apparent indifference she shot at his other knee, Dasvoik’s scream echoed loudly in the woods.

She studied Dasvoik, for the first time she saw fear in his eyes. The sight brought her a great deal of pleasure. After what he’d done to Aaliyah he deserved to be afraid. Quietly, she waited for his terror to subside.

“What the hell are you?” Dasvoik shouted his face was contoured in agony.

With a slight tilt of her head she said, “I’m Kaitlyn and you are my target.” 

He became hysterical. “Christ, you really are crazy.” Dasvoik tried to push himself backwards, but between the bullet in his thigh and knees he didn’t make it very far. The movement only caused him more pain.

“And you really are a sick bastard. You have ruined so many lives.” Kaitlyn said coldly. 

In a blur, she holstered her pistol and flipped open her knife slowly coming closer. The knife felt soothing in her hands, the metal blade glittered in the moonlight. 

She took her time walking behind him, sat back on her heels, jerked his head back with his hair and pressed the cool steel against his bare skin. A quiet reminder of his own morality. She could feel the heat of his body, smell his scent. His pulse raced and the smell of fear tinged the air. 

Dasvoik froze. She pressed the knife a little harder, a trickle of blood slid down his throat.