Hostile Ground (The Arsenal #7) - Cara Carnes Page 0,51

is crumbling stone masonry,” Addy said.

She slammed the cinder block onto the ring once against. Stone around it crumbled. Just a few more hits. Pain ran through her shoulders and along her arms.

Addy set her makeshift weapon down and focused on breathing. Sweat dampened her brow. “It’ll give. Eventually. How many targets are on-site?”

“I’ve only seen three so far, but one mentioned others coming with the interrogator,” Kristof said.

Great. Just what they needed. More Mandrake assholes to kill.

“Is this Mandrake? That’s what I am suspecting,” Addy asked.

“That’s our assumption as well. We’re using the info we gathered thanks to Kristof’s move earlier. HERA should churn out some more soon.”

Addy picked up the block. She had to get loose from the damn wall. She couldn’t do anything about the manacles locking her wrists together or her ankles, but she could damn sure get away from the wall.

She glanced over at the cart near Kristof. “Any chance one of you can reach that thing?”

“I tried and can’t,” Fatima said.

“I couldn’t earlier, but it’s closer now.” Kristof winced as he tugged his way toward the cart.

“Don’t hurt yourself trying. I can’t carry your ass out of here and deal with her too.” Addy glared at Fatima. “You in on this?”

“No.” The woman crawled toward Addy again. “Let me help pull.”

“You pull as hard as you can while I hit,” Addy ordered. Fatima nodded.

Her muscles ached from the hard strikes of the block against the metal, but the bits of wall around the ring continued to crumble away until her target loosened. She wrapped her hands around the chains below where Fatima gripped them. Together they tugged. Paused, then tugged again.

Fatima grunted as they both tumbled backward when the ring was freed. Sweat dampened her skin when she collapsed against the cold floor.

“I’m loose,” Addy said into the com. Truth told, she hadn’t expected that Hail Mary to work, but she wasn’t about to kick back and relax while waiting to be tortured.

“Now what?” Fatima asked. “If I get free too, we can work on Kristof’s.”

“There’s not enough time.” Addy sat up and eyed the heavy chains as she stood. Their weight pulled against her neck and arms and legs. The latter would be useless in a hand-to-hand combat situation.

If the three guards entered with the interrogator, she’d have to take out four combatants, likely all of them armed. They weren’t good odds, but she’d done it before. But there wouldn’t be just four targets. Every contracted interrogator she’d ever worked with always had at least one personal guard. So, five. Maybe more.

Damn.

As if reading her thoughts, Mary spoke. “I know you’re one of our best hand-to-hand combat operatives, but it’s not worth the risk. We’ll be there. Stall them.”

Addy’s gaze cut to Kristof. She could take an interrogation, but they wouldn’t be focused on her unless she gave them reason to be. A new plan formed in her mind. “Okay. You’re right.”

“I don’t like that tone,” Jesse said.

“If this goes sideways, make sure my team isn’t the first in,” Addy said.

“Addy,” Mary warned.

“Promise me, Edge.” She used her friend’s operative name as a reminder that she was a handler right now, not a friend. She had to do what was best for the teams, not just one person.

“We’ll get there.”

Yeah, they would. Addy just hoped she was still breathing when that happened.

“Help get me loose. I’ll fight with you,” Fatima said.

“She’s all we’ll need,” Kristof said. Amusement filled his voice and drew Addy’s attention to him. He grinned. “I actually laughed when I came to and saw those old chains. Their length. Their first mistake was underestimating you.”

“No.” She got to her knees. “Their first mistake was taking us.”

Addy looked down at the frightened woman. Sweat beaded along her face. “Can you fight?”

“Well, no. I never have to. That’s what the hounds are for.”

“Hounds?”

“Guard dogs. She rarely goes anywhere without them and at least six heavily trained men,” Kristof said. “They’re the fires of hell.”

“Right.” Addy headed toward Kristof. The chains rattled and scraped against the floor as they dragged behind her.

They’d make decent weapons if she couldn’t find anything else. The only problem was the fact her ankles were shackled together. She crouched in front of Kristof, whose gaze swept down her bra and panty-clad body.

“Green lace suits you,” he said.

“Only you’d take the opportunity to check me out right now.”

“I always take any chance I can get.” Kristof winced and shifted. “Fatima kept the com safe. Edge said to have her