Hurry it up, Crawford, she all but screamed to the man on the other side of the door.
The women had huddled in the corner. Not willingly. She had to use sharp mental jabs on each of them, but if they’d moved, they’d be in the way. No innocent bystanders. Now they were as out of the way as they could be. Good thing, too.
It was show time.
“Not for long.” She smiled.
She made sure to sever the connections with anybody and everybody as she turned and lunged for the other women.
Get down, Vaughnne. Get the other women down, Crawford warned.
We’re down and ready. DO IT. She held her breath . . . said a prayer.
The door swung open.
She heard a muffled curse, followed by shots.
Then silence.
Joss’s familiar, surly voice sliced the hair. “Vaughnne?”
Vaughnne sighed. Closed her eyes. It was over. She thought.
In her mind, she saw a face.
Sugar, I’m sorry I didn’t get here in time . . . rest in peace, Dayline.
A light appeared close by, too bright, paining her eyes. “Point that somewhere else, Crawford,” she groaned. A headache slammed into her as Joss crouched at her side. His eyes, harsh and unblinking, were narrowed, watchful. She didn’t care.
Her part was done.
She’d finished her job. What she’d set out to do.
End of—
Barely able to hold on to consciousness, she whispered, “Jones?”
“Getting ready to call,” he said, his voice softer, a little gentler.
Vaughnne grimaced. Couldn’t black out, not yet. What if it wasn’t safe?
Sweeping out with her mind, she felt . . . yes. “He’s coming. Close.”
With a groan, she sank into the black depths of agony.
TWENTY-FIVE
"THAT sure as hell is a lot of federal-type-looking people,” Tucker muttered.
“Yes.” Dru stood off to the side, arms crossed over her chest, eyeing the busy hive of people in front of them with a worried gaze. Slanting a look at Tucker, she murmured, “You should leave, shouldn’t you?”
He jerked a shoulder. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” He’d always done his damnedest to avoid any sort of government type, and she’d pulled him into this. Unwittingly, yes, but she’d done it just the same. “Go on, Tuck. I can handle this.”
“If you’re going to go down for any of this, I’m going, too,” he said, sighing.
Dru sighed. “I won’t go down for anything, darling, I promise.” She skimmed the crowd with a studied eye. There were more than a few dead bodies, and she knew by the blank look in Tucker’s eyes just how those bodies had come to be dead. “I think we’re clear here, although they may try to jerk us around. If you’re not here to jerk, you’ll be fine. Just go lose yourself again.” She leaned over, hugged him. The heat she’d felt from him earlier had dissipated, leaving his skin oddly cool. Chilled. “I know how to find you if I need you, mate.”
“You do at that.” He bent down, brushed his mouth against hers. “If you’re certain . . .”
“Yes.” Flash, flash, flash . . . fear, guilt. All wrapped up in leaving. Running, the way he saw it.
But Tucker had spent a good, long time in hiding. He wasn’t going to come out easily. She knew that.
“You best go. They won’t stay busy for long,” she murmured as he drew back.
“Yeah.” He glanced at her, and then back behind him.
A few people glanced their way. He gave her a wild, reckless grin. “I’ll bust my way clear if I need to.”
She smiled a little sadly.
“Have at it. And if you feel the need for another one of those distractions . . . be my guest.”
No sooner had he slipped away than those FBI-looking types decided to amble in her direction. Slowly at first. Then faster. She wasn’t too terribly surprised when the maroon SUV still sitting at the entrance to the gate started to smoke. The fire started a few seconds later.
She continued to stand there, arms crossed, staring at the ground, while the engine exploded into flames.
See you around, Tucker.
Part of her wanted to go with him.
But she was no longer on this job just to see the slave ring shut down.
She had to see Whitmore go down, too. Go down in a fiery, burning blaze of glory.
That was the only reason . . .
A rush of adrenaline burst through her. Her breath caught in her throat. Jerking her head up, she searched the grounds. The agents had set up field lights all over the place and she could see clearly. Too clearly, considering