a voice called from the hallway, just next to the open kitchen door. It was Zoya. “Your equation is missing something, Maksim.”
With new excitement in his voice, the Russian assassin said, “Yes, my beauty. I am missing you. You are the job I’m here for, not Gentry, or so our mutual friend Inna keeps telling me.”
Court snapped at Zoya, “Go away. I’ve got this.”
Zoya ignored him. “Maksim, listen to me. I can give you what you want.”
“How will you do that?”
“If you let the doctor go, I will take her place. Don’t you have a mission objective you care about? Or is this just about facing your most dangerous opponent? Are you a professional? Or are you just here because you are a fan of the Gray Man?”
Court couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Zoya. No. If you come in here, then he’ll have both the targets he needs. Stay right where you are. Please.”
Despite Court’s pleas, however, Zoya stepped into the kitchen from the hallway, next to Court and in front of Akulov’s sights. Her hands were over her head.
As soon as she entered the room Court redrew his handgun tucked in the front of his pants in a blur and got it back up on Akulov, although it was still a virtually impossible shot, with a very real chance of hitting Azra Kaya in the head.
Zoya said, “Here’s what you have to do. Let her go, and take me hostage. You and Gray Man here can shoot it out with me in the middle. You have to admit your chance to achieve both your objectives today will improve.”
Maksim nodded. “Come to me. I will let her go.”
“You have a very narrow field of view from the back of that room and the hallway. If you fire at him, it gives me time to dive out of your line of sight. I am armed, and I will not disarm until I reach you. And if you fire at me as I approach, he will kill you.”
“And piss on your body,” Court said. He was furious at Zoya, directing it at Akulov.
Kaya sobbed audibly.
“Davay!” Come on! Maksim shouted.
“No, Zoya,” Court said, but despite this, Zoya began walking forward. Court cussed, told her again to stop, but she kept going. She went down the hall, staying to the wall so that Court could keep Akulov in his sights. She made it into the dark bedroom, walked around the bed to the far corner, and only stopped when she was next to Akulov.
With incredible speed he pushed Azra away, took Zakharova by the neck, and shoved the gun to her temple. He frisked her body and realized she’d lied about having a weapon on her.
Court felt his hand trembling now. “Doctor. Come to me, please. It’s okay.” Dr. Kaya’s curly hair was in her eyes, and tears streamed down her face, but she did as he instructed.
Dr. Kaya passed him by in the kitchen, then stepped out into the hallway, but Court could feel her presence still outside. “Azra. Get out of the building.”
But she refused. Though she’d been crying, her voice sounded strong now. “I am staying. When you shoot him, you will need my medical expertise.”
Court steadied his aim, took a couple of breaths to calm himself. In a voice laced with more bravado than he actually felt, he said, “When I shoot him, all I’m gonna need is your mop.”
Maksim smiled. “You are fast, I’ve seen you in action. But you aren’t so fast that I won’t be able to fulfill both of my objectives tonight.”
Zoya began crying now, the vision of vulnerability.
Maksim pulled her back to the far wall next to the window; she screamed with the movement, the pistol jabbed hard into her temple now.
Court said, “Zoya, we’re going to figure this out and—”
She interrupted. “Court. I’m sorry. I have one final request.”
“Of course. Anything.” Court felt the quiver in his hands again; it came both from his supercharged emotions and from the fact that his arms were getting tired from holding the man at gunpoint for so long, especially after everything else Court had been through.
Zoya sobbed a moment, but then she lifted her head and faced him. Court could see that she’d shifted her head a little to the right, pressing it hard against the barrel of Akulov’s handgun.
Her sobs disappeared, her voice strong now. “Just do me one favor.”
“Anything,” he repeated.
“Don’t get it in my hair.”
She waited a beat, long enough for Maksim to