The Mission (27 page)

Jaz didn’t get far before she heard Cujo start barking. And what was worse is that she could follow the barks as he ran around the warehouse to her window.

She wasn’t going to make it down in time to reach the meat and open the bag. Jaz decided to stay still and hope he left or found the meat himself. Cujo settled down and Jaz risked taking a look.

She couldn’t see much in the darkness outside and had to wait for her eyes to adjust, but could see the outline of a dog by the pallets she’d stacked. It was hard to tell if he was eating the meat or not, but after a minute she could hear the rustle of a bag. This might be her only chance.

Lifting herself up again, she got halfway out of the window. Cujo began to snarl. Was he protecting his food now? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. In the movies you throw the dog some steak and it’s happy. Cujo wasn’t an easy to please pooch. Jaz got a leg out and was going to try and get down anyway while Cujo was at least half occupied. Turning herself in the window she began to lower herself slowly so not to spook Cujo. Somehow she didn’t think talking to Cujo softly and calling his name would settle him or make them lifelong friends.

Jaz heard the movement just before she felt the tug on her foot. Cujo probably would have barked if her foot wasn’t in his mouth. The bloody dog was jerking himself backwards, trying to pull Jaz from her hold. If she went down there was no knowing what he would do. Using her strength, she tried to shake off Cujo and lift herself. The weight of the dog dangling from her foot didn’t help. Lucky her commando boots were heavy duty, anything else and her foot would be shredded by now.

Jaz broke free and got herself back inside the toilet. She sat down on the floor to gather her breath. Her foot was fine, apart from feeling like it had been squished in a vice. So much for this night being a simple recon mission. Had she blown it? Did she suck up her pride and call Ryan? Right now Jaz couldn’t see a way out of this that didn’t involve taking on a dog. And she wasn’t going to stay here all night just to get caught in the morning. She needed help. She needed Ryan.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves and ready herself for Ryan’s angry onslaught. She pulled off a glove and rang his number, not something she’d ever done, and hoped to God he was just at home and not out on some mission. Worse than Ryan answering his phone was hearing it ring out and go to his message bank. No, she didn’t want to leave a message. What would she say anyway? ‘Come help me, I’m trapped in a loo by a vicious dog.’ The only other person who knew what she was up to was Pax, and ringing him would only worry his heart and she didn’t think he’d be that nimble on his feet if they had to run. Did Pax even have a gun? She’d never thought to ask him. But she knew someone who did. Someone she trusted and knew would help.

She pressed his number and waited for him to pick up. ‘Hi Tay, don’t talk, just listen. Can you come and get me? I’m in trouble. Bring a gun, some bolt cutters and steak.’

Jaz knew she’d probably have to repeat her request to Taylor. It’s not every day your friend rings up asking for those three things.

‘What the hell have you gotten yourself into?’ he asked.

‘I’ve no time to explain, just come to that address, make sure you park away in the dark so your car can’t be seen. And bring a loaded gun. We may need it to shoot the dog if the steak doesn’t work, or in case the bad guys come back.’ The phone went quiet. Taylor probably thought she’d taken something hallucinogenic. ‘Look, its all got to do with Ryan and his work. I promise I’ll fill you in later, but right now I need you. Can you do it?’

‘Of course, Jaz,’ he said without hesitation. ‘I’ll be there a quick as I can.’

‘Thanks Tay. Oh, and wear black and a beanie,’ she said before they hung up.

Talking with Taylor had lifted her mood. She would be alright now. He would be sneaking around the house unlocking the gun cabinet and finding bullets. Jaz just hoped they didn’t need them.

Five minutes later and she heard a vehicle approaching. Taylor was quick. Then Jaz realised it couldn’t possibly be her friend because he wouldn’t be able to drive straight up to the warehouse. Oh shit.

She could hear voices muffled next door in the office section. What the hell should she do? Taylor would be walking right into trouble. Did she text him? What if his phone wasn’t on silent? Could she risk it? Jaz hid in one of the toilet cubicles while she tried to figure out what to do. How long until they left?

Maybe now was her chance to escape. Maybe they had retied up Cujo?

There was only one way to find out. Jaz scrambled back up the wall, trying not to crack the sink any more. With half her body leaning outside the window, she waited for her eyes to adjust and kept her ears strained for noise. She couldn’t see Cujo and she couldn’t hear any movement from the other side of the warehouse.

Quickly she manoeuvred herself out and onto the pallets. They rattled slightly with her weight, the glass panes clinking against each other.

All of a sudden, her legs are being crushed together and dragged off the pallets. She fell to the ground with her attacker still clutching at her legs.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ growled a man’s voice as he held her tight.

She could not be caught. Using her free arms she lashed out at him, trying to break his hold. He was thin and scrawny and she knew which bloke it was. They rolled around on the gravel, pushing and pulling, punching and dodging in the dark.

Jaz got an elbow to her cheek, but she managed to get a knee free and aimed for his groin.

He groaned and Jaz worried that Cujo or Tommy might come looking. She had to move fast. But just when she felt like she was winning the fight, landing all her blows, he pulled out a gun from the back of his pants. The moonlight glistened on its metallic form.

Instantly Jaz jumped onto his chest, both hands pushing the gun away. The man’s breath was rank, like stale cigarettes and cheap scotch. Using her head, literally, she headbutted him and the gun relaxed from his grip and went sprawling of into the dark. Jaz tried to crawl over him to reach for the gun but his fingers wrapped around her jumper. Her hands scratched at the ground, searching for the gun, a rock, anything she could use. Her wrist banged against something solid and hard. A brick. Grabbing for it she felt a nail rip off, but the pain wasn’t there. Just this life and death adrenaline feeding her to fight. Jaz pulled back with all her might, lifting the brick in both hands. Closing her eyes, she brought it down hard on the man’s head. The crunch sickened her, and for an instant she fought the bile rising in her throat. His hands went slack, dropping from her waist and letting her free. Dragging her body off him, she crawled along the gravel and got her breath back. She didn’t know if she’d just knocked him out or whether it was much worse. Could she have killed him? Was he bleeding out? She couldn’t tell anything in this dark. Before she could find the gun, the sound of footsteps froze her. Was it Taylor?

A beam of light came around the edge of the warehouse. ‘Digger, what the hell are you doing and why does Cujo have a steak? Bloody dog won’t move from his kennel.’

His torchlight hit the body. Jaz tried to stand in the dark, hoping to move behind the pallets.

‘Holy shit, Digger,’ said Tommy, before she heard a gun cocked and the beam of light flicked around, searching.

Jaz turned to run as the bright light swept in her direction. A shot rang out and simultaneously she was thrown to the ground. A dull ache came from her leg and something was caught under her shoulder blade. Jaz realised it was the other man’s gun.

‘Turn over slowly. Who are you and what are you doing here?’ he demanded.

Jaz tried to sit up but moving her leg caused pain. She reached down and felt a gooey wetness. She’d been shot!

‘Did you hear me? I said turn around.’

But she didn’t want to turn around and let Tommy recognise her. Plus she was struggling with the relisation she’d been shot. Bloody hell.

‘Put your gun down,’ came a familiar voice. Jaz had never been so happy to hear Taylor.

Tommy swung around, dropping the torch. It’s light sprayed against the warehouse wall. Tommy and Taylor were facing off, guns pointed.

‘You’re just a kid,’ said Tommy. ‘You wouldn’t even know how to use that.’ As Tommy’s arm flexed to fire, two guns went off.

A body fell to the ground as Jaz looked at Taylor. Both of them still had their guns trained on Tommy. ‘I don’t think he’s going to get up,’ said Jaz eventually.

‘Not with two bullets in him.’ Taylor picked up the torch so he could see Tommy’s wounds. Then he felt for a pulse. ‘Shit. He’s dead.’ His face was pale, his eyes confused about what had just happened.

‘Thanks for saving my life, Tay, but we need to get out of here now.’

‘There’s another guy. Did you…?’ He stepped over to the skinny guy and she heard him dry-retch. ‘Oh, he’s not good either.’ He staggered back to Jaz. The light from the torch picked up the slick shiny blood running down Jaz’s leg. ‘You’re shot.’

‘Ya think. Can you help me back to the car?’

Taylor tucked his gun into his pants and then got under Jaz’s arm to help her.

‘Is your car far?’

‘Not far, can you make it?’

‘I hope so. People will have heard those gunshots. We gotta move.’

‘What about them?’ he asked.

‘Not much we can do. Maybe they’ll think it was a break-in?’

Taylor shone the way while Jaz tried not to drag her leg. They’d probably follow her marks. The gates were open. They kept moving towards the tree line on the other side of the road where Taylor had hidden his car.

‘Wait here,’ said Taylor, as Jaz leant against the Mustang.

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ she joked dryly.

Taylor had pulled a shirt off his back seat and tied it around her leg.

‘Ouch, careful. It hurts.’

‘I bet it does. Let’s get you to a hospital before you bleed out,’ he said, opening the door and helping her in.

Jaz still had the man’s gun in her hand. The solid form of it between her fingers usually wasn’t so scary. Not at the range it wasn’t, but holding one that had just been fired and taken a life? That was a whole different ball game.

Taylor started driving and they didn’t look back. ‘Take back streets and take me to Ryan’s house.’

‘What? No. You need a hospital.’

‘Taylor,’ said Jaz, feeling rather woozy. ‘We can’t go to a hospital, they’ll find us. Promise me you’ll take me to Ryan’s.’

He nodded. Relieved, she put her hand to her head. It was sore from the headbutt and the elbow she’d taken. Her face felt swollen. Life felt like it was leaking out of her as she drooped in the seat. She didn’t know if she’d have enough energy to get out of the car. Then she thought of Tilly, who had driven them through Pakistan after being shot in the arm.

‘I’m sorry if I get blood in your ‘Stang,’ she said.

‘Oh Jaz, you worry about the weirdest things.’ He glanced at the gun she was holding in her lap. ‘What are you going to do with that?’

‘See if Ryan wants it.’ She shrugged. Man, was Ryan going to be pissed. ‘I hope he’s home, if not we’ll just have to wait.’

Jaz instructed Taylor to park his car a block away and then walk to Ryan’s house. She was sure that if anyone saw them, they’d think they were just a couple of drunk kids staggering home. Jaz had the staggering part sorted.

‘You’re heavy, Jaz,’ teased Taylor. ‘Too many muscles.’

She laughed. ‘I wish.’

Jaz unlocked the gate and they slipped into Ryan’s yard. She was struggling to stay lucid with the blood loss. Taylor knocked on the door while trying to hold Jaz upright. They both had guns down the front of their pants and probably looked ridiculous. In the glow from Ryan’s outside light Jaz could see Taylor’s white shirt soaked with red blood. Would Ryan think they were off to a costume party? She almost giggled at the thought. Maybe the adrenaline overload was making her a little loopy.

‘What if he’s not here?’ asked Taylor as he banged on the door louder. Then he checked his watch. ‘It’s late, maybe he is asleep.’

They heard the
thunk
of the door unlock, and the door swung open.

Ryan stood there in just trackpants, which hung low from his waist. His hair was a little ruffled from sleep and his eyes still waking up. For Jaz, just seeing his naked chest was the right amount of morphine. She forgot all her aches and pains.

‘Sorry to wake you, but we need your help,’ said Jaz.

Ryan’s eyes focused properly on her face wounds, the guns and then her bloodied leg. In that instant he was wide awake.

Without a word he stepped out and scooped Jaz up into his arms. ‘Taylor, can you take the gun?’

Taylor did as he was told and yanked it from the band of her leggings.

But Jaz didn’t care about anything. She was feeling woozier and she wasn’t sure if it was from the blood loss or the way Ryan was carrying her into his house. His eyes never left her face as he navigated his way with his peripheral vision. Jaz had her arm around his neck, holding on to his straining muscles. He smelt so good. She didn’t care if he yelled at her. Jaz pressed her face into his warm skin. Right now she felt like she was home and safe.

Ryan took her straight into his bathroom and sat her on the bench by the sink. Jaz again had a feeling of déjà vu. He’d stitched up her arm in here, and now he had to stitch her up again.

‘You’re such a good doctor,’ she said dreamily. Everything was going to be fine now that she was with him.

Ryan was tugging at her laces, trying to take her boots off. He lifted one and pointed to a series of teeth marks.

‘A friendly dog called Cujo did that.’

Ryan glanced at Taylor, who shrugged. He threw her boots to the floor then opened a cupboard and pulled out his first aid kit. After taking off Taylor’s makeshift bandage, he used scissors to cut her leggings around the gunshot wound. The lower half of the material was soaked with her blood so Ryan pulled it off, exposing her leg stained red.

‘I didn’t like them anyway,’ said Jaz as Ryan poked around in her wound, causing Jaz to grimace and grip her leg. She risked a glimpse at it and felt her stomach roll. Was that her flesh?