do it to others.
Kelsey drew her knife and as quietly as possible rounded the corner of the galley. She could not afford to hesitate. It was time to turn off her feelings and act in her best interest.
The large man crouched there, illuminated by the mini fridge, head tilted back while he drank deeply.
She grabbed the man by his hair, knocking him off balance. She caught sight of his wide, startled eyes before plunging her knife into his neck.
Bile coated the back of her throat. She swallowed it down and clapped a hand over the man’s mouth.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Deep down, she really was.
Given that he worked for Skilton, he’d probably ended many lives and felt no remorse. But this was about her. She didn’t relish killing. Her job was about minimizing death and justice. Not killing.
His eyes seemed to glaze over and the fight left his body.
It was over in maybe fifteen seconds. She’d clearly hit the main artery. It was as merciful a death as she could offer him, which was more than he’d don’t for others, no doubt.
Kelsey swung the fridge door shut and grabbed a stack of napkins with her other hand. Blood was slippery. She couldn’t afford to lose her grip.
With that single minded focus, she cleaned off her hands and the blade while listening for some sign they’d been heard.
Nothing.
Kelsey found a gun on the man’s hip. She checked the chamber.
It was loaded.
She didn’t want to fire it, but she would if she had to. She transferred it to her left hand, keeping her knife in her right. It wasn’t comfortable and she wouldn’t shoot accurately, but that wasn’t her concern. The gun was an intimidation tool. Her knife was the real threat. At least until she couldn’t help but make noise.
Armed and as prepared as she could be, Kelsey stepped out of the galley. Holding both gun and knife, she advanced forward. She spared a glance at Dixon and prayed he held on long enough for her to get away and signal for help. He still had to answer for his crimes and do his part in taking Skilton down. He could not die yet.
Kelsey crept through the first dividing partition into the midsection of the plane. The chairs here were luxury recliners. A flat screen dominated one wall. Each side had padded sofas creating a comfortable lounge area.
The door loomed ahead of her, a portal to safety.
Was it this easy?
She eyed the forward cabin. It was a partitioned off room. That was probably where Skilton was and the creak she’d heard earlier was the door opening.
Fighting her instinct to spring ahead, Kelsey crept quietly onward. She swerved her path, avoiding where she thought the floor might squeak and give her up, sticking close to the sides of the plane.
The harsh sound of a man’s laughter reached her ears.
Was that from outside? It sounded like that might be the case.
Kelsey swung left, hugging the wall up to where the sofa created a little nook to hide in.
Ahead of her, a figure appeared down the short hall leading to the cockpit.
She bent her head, trying to make herself as small as possible.
The man shuffled forward. He called out something in a language she didn’t recognize then paused.
Fuck.
Was he waiting for the other guy?
He called out what sounded like a name and started walking toward the rear of the plane.
There was no way he wouldn’t see her. Just a few steps...
As if he heard her thoughts, his gaze went straight to her.
Fuck.
Kelsey beat down the panic that surged through her. Now was not the time to freeze up. She had to act and remember that these people would kill her without a second thought. She was nothing to them.
Kelsey darted forward and stabbed. He cried out, a loud, bellowing sound.
She took aim and fired.
He pitched backward, falling over one of the arm chairs.
Kelsey whirled and sprinted for the hatch. She heard the familiar creak of Skilton’s door, but didn’t look back. She stumbled out onto the stairs. Her heart thundered against her ribs. Her whole body pulsed as adrenaline took over.
Below her, four men were already scrambling toward her, blocking her path.
This couldn’t be it.
If Skilton got his hands on her, she’d be like Dixon. She’d wish she were dead.
Kelsey fired, aiming at the ground in front of the stairs. She had no idea how many civilians were around. She didn’t want to risk firing wildly and hitting an innocent.
She grabbed the railing and vaulted