"I need a vest," Braden said to the first person he saw at the table. "Alex is supposed to know what's going on."
"Braden," Alex called, waving him down to the other end.
"Got her," he told Jason. "Anything else I need to know?"
"Do not get between me and the dead guy," Jason warned. "And anyone who tries to hurt them will fit that criteria."
"Got it," Braden said, ending the call just as he reached Alex. "Jason told me."
"Ok." She held up a vest. "This is the biggest we have, and I'm not sure it's big enough, but it should be close. Ever worn a Kevlar vest before?"
"Nope."
"They're heavy," she said. "They'll also stop a bullet from killing you, but it'll hurt like a bitch." As she talked, she helped him fit it over his chest. LVPD was printed in large letters on the front. "We're going to give you a phone. I want you to knock on that door, ok? They will yell through it, you tell them you have a phone, and that's it. Once you're out, I'll call it and start negotiations for the hostages. Think you can handle that?"
"Can do," Braden promised.
But Knock came running up. "Bro!" He wove through the bodies of the police around him, getting a few curious glances for his non-traditional appearance. "Brae! Hey. These are Chance's. He said you might need them."
"Earbuds?" Alex asked.
"Because our friend in the sky needs to coordinate," Knock explained. "And I probably shouldn't be telling you that, huh?"
"The fuck you doing, Jason?" Alex muttered. "Braden? Are you aware of how dangerous this is?"
"Yup," Braden assured her. "I've also seen Paradox play enough times to know the move he wants me to pull."
"Which?" Knock asked.
"Breach and North," Braden explained.
Knock just turned back to the hotel where Jason had taken a roost. "This is the north side?"
"It is," Braden said.
"Shit," Knock breathed. "Braden, you do know what happens to the breacher, right?"
He felt his throat clench as the first wave of fear hit him. "Yep. Think you can get the guys over here before I go in?"
"On it," Knock swore, hurrying away before anyone could stop him.
"What are you doing?" Alex asked.
"I'm going to make sure that their attention is on one thing, Alex. Me. I'm going to trust that their aim is shit, that my northside flank is good enough to cover me, and I'm going to make sure that no one is left hanging in his blind spot."
"You're supposed to be delivering a damned phone!" she growled. "A way for us to negotiate."
"Sure, we can try that too," Braden assured her. "So, once I get them to take it, you'd better negotiate real fuckin' good, or I'm going in." He paused, hearing people ask to get through, and saw his friends heading toward him. "Guys! Over here!"
"What the fuck?" Psyc asked. "Are you insane?"
"This," Braden told him, "is my flaw. This is what I'm good at. I need to protect her. You? You'll make her grow, so if I don't come back..."
"No," Psyc said. "We're supposed to be fucking boyfriends-in-law. Save the girl, but that doesn't mean die in the fucking process."
"Just swear you'll take care of her for me?" Braden begged.
Psyc clasped his arm and nodded. "I swear, man. Cross my fucking heart."
Braden just patted his shoulder and looked over at Logan. "Think Riley would know what it means if I said 'breach and North' as I enter?"
Logan sighed. "Yeah. She would. So will Kate."
Braden just tugged at his vest. "Ok. Then we have a game plan. I know Cyn's played blue enough, so we can do this. But if things go sideways..."
Chance stepped forward. "Dez is going to be useless. This is too much like what happened before. She'll lose it, but grab her and carry her out, ok? She'll forgive you. Just means you have to make sure you can carry her out, Brae."
"Promise," Braden told him.
Adam moved in next. "Play smarter not harder, Braden. I wish I had something better to say, but that's all I can think of. I'm scared fucking shitless."
"Keep spoiling them, Adam," Braden told him. "They protest, but the girls like it."
Then Knock threw himself against Braden's chest in a desperate hug. "Thank you. For everything. Save the damsels, ok?"
"Bro, these damsels save themselves. Kinda why we love them." Then he turned back to Alex. "I'm ready. Let's make this happen."
She offered the phone. "Tell them that Deviant Games is already working on removing Dez's control of the company. Chance