Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty

The explosion didn't even make them jump. The enemy was nothing if not predictable in one thing; they wanted the Cullens dead by any means necessary. Weaving through the pillars, Bella dodged a bullet and ducked low. Checking her clip, she glanced around to see who was nearest. Kiernan, a few agency operatives, and Emmett were the closest to her location. Emmett appeared to struggle with finding ammunition, so Bella whistled at him. He glanced up, and she tossed her spare magazine in his direction. Nodding, he reloaded and aimed at the men shooting at them. The responding shout made it clear he’d hit at least one of them.

“Queen, this is Knight. I have four at your six.”

“Eyes?”

“Not clear, but good enough.”

“Do what you can.”

“Copy that.”

The sound of suppressed rounds reached their ears. When the noise stopped, Bella peered around the column and saw four bodies on the ground. Signaling to her team, she moved them ahead to hide behind the next set of columns.

“How did we get roped into this a second time?” Kiernan asked, reloading his gun.

“Why don't you check with your daddy?” Emmett took his canteen out, offering it to Bella. “He sucks at his job more than you do.”

“You know, I do believe your sarcasm is the one thing I’ve been missing my entire life.”

Edward’s smooth voice came over their earpieces. “Ladies, your bickering isn’t helpful right now.”

Bella tried not to picture her husband in her mind’s eye, the way he looked in his tactical gear. Why did he have to be so fucking sexy without trying? Currently, he was sleeping in his office every night, and she couldn't pretend it didn't hurt. Gianna was gone, and Bella didn't think he’d continued his basement meetings, which made her heart throb. Maybe she’d been right all along, and that’s who he’d been down there with. But she didn't have time to focus on that at the moment. 

Holden had offered the backup they requested, and they’d taken the time to pore over the layout of their chosen warehouse to find the best vantage points and hiding places. The agents went in ahead of time to set up, then the Cullens went in with the bomb. The plan had been to drop it off and get out, but Zion knew they were there and attacked before they’d all made it inside the building. Perhaps they wanted revenge for the bombing of three of their properties, but the carnage hadn't quite been at a satisfactory level for the team of good guys. There were people at each location, but they were scientists, engineers, not major members of the organization’s rank. Zaytsev and his men still controlled the puppet strings.

One of the agents assigned under Kiernan spoke up. “We did what we were told. How did they find us?” 

“There’s a fucking mole,” Emmett muttered. “Is it you?”

“No, or I wouldn't be here. If they knew there’d be an ambush, it’s someone who wasn't planning on attending this soiree.”

“Guy has a point,” Jasper said over comms. 

“We’ve known there’s a mole,” Edward reminded them.

“We’ve just not caught him yet,” Kiernan added.

“Incoming!” Jasper shouted.

The building shook with the impact of the bomb. Everyone covered their heads, and Bella wasn't surprised when more men stormed through the doors one floor below them. Debris flew, chunks of concrete and metal landing nearby.

“We need to regroup and figure this shit out fast!” Bella yelled, dodging a falling brick.

“We’re on the way to your location,” Jasper responded.

When they’d regrouped and taken out a few more Russians, Edward said, “At this point, escape is our best option. We should split up into groups of two. Emmett, you take Bella out the back. Jasper and I will go through the roof and see how many we can take out from the nest. Kiernan, divide up your men and hope for the best.”

Bella focused on the door to the stairwell a few hundred feet away and the wreckage blocking their path. Emmett grabbed her arm and hauled her up, and they moved as far as they could before the walkway was interrupted by missing concrete.

“Jump for it?” Emmett suggested.

“I don't think I can jump that far,” she replied, looking through rebar and broken concrete to the ground several floors beneath them. If they fell, it would be fatal.

Scanning the surrounding area, he looked up into the rafters. “Maybe we have to go up and around, then down.”

“Or maybe splitting up was a bad idea.” 

Edward didn't always make the right call, though he apparently thought he did. She wouldn't let it bother her; she couldn't afford the distraction. 

“King and Knight are in the rafters near the vent.”

“Bishop and Queen are having difficulties navigating the giant hole in the floor.”

Edward swore. “Then just come the way we did.”

Shrugging, Emmett gestured for Bella to go first. With her weapon raised and ready, she led the way while Emmett turned and brought up the rear. They didn't have any trouble reaching the area where Edward and Jasper waited.

“Something’s wrong,” Bella murmured. “Why would they let us walk around without firing at us?”

“They’re leading us somewhere.”

Bella nodded at Jasper. “Somewhere they feel they have the upper hand.”

“Pawn, do we still have eyes in the sky?” Edward asked.

“Roger.”

“How many are waiting outside the warehouse?”

“Give me a few.”

While they waited for his response, they assessed their ammunition. Even after giving Emmett her backup, Bella wasn't low. The nagging feeling at the base of her neck reared up again. Zion was planning something big, something they didn't think the Cullens were prepared to defend against. If they blew up the entire warehouse, they’d lose the antimatter bomb, but they could lower the number of living Cullens another way.

It seemed Edward had decided. “Jasper, you and Emmett go up on the roof. Find out how many vehicles and people are in the lot and report back.”

The two of them headed to the stairwell leading to the roof, and Bella focused on her shoes in the awkward silence which followed.

“King, this is Pawn. Helo says he can’t see anything.”

“Can’t see anything, or there’s nothing to see?”

“Nothing to see.”

“The lot is empty?” Bella asked. “That makes no sense.”

“Bishop to King and Pawn. Knight doesn't see anyone through his scope, either.”

“The men in here with us aren't firing or otherwise trying to kill us,” Edward said.

Nodding, Bella said, “And whoever is out there is well hidden.”

“Congratulations,” said a voice in a thick accent.

Bella melted back into the shadows. No doubt they’d heard the two of them and knew it wasn't just Edward, but it couldn't hurt to be on the offensive. She listened to Edward and the Zion soldier talk.

“Who are you?”

“Sergei Kirilov, here to kill you like I did so many others at the last drop.”

“You can try.”

“Da.” 

Peeking around the corner, Bella saw them circling each other. Sergei threw a punch, but Edward neatly avoided it. He might as well have been a graceful boxer in the center of the ring.

“Which of you Russian cocksuckers shot my son?”

“Me, why?” Sergei spit on the floor. He only had a handgun, further solidifying Bella’s suspicions that they weren't worried about the Cullens. “Am I supposed to be afraid of you?”

“Oh, no.” The grin on Edward’s face was evil enough to make Bella shudder. “It's not me you should be afraid of.”

Sensing her cue, Bella stepped out from the shadows, kicking the gun from his hand.

Edward stared the guy right in his stunned eyes. “It's my wife.”

One shot to the head dropped Sergei to the ground. To be on the safe side, she shot him twice in the chest. “Fucker.”

Kiernan’s voice came over the comms. “Pawn to King. Holden has a chopper on the roof. Let’s go.”

“Tell Holden to back off until we have a clear field.” He dropped his voice. “What if that’s their aim, to take down the helicopter once we’re all on it?”

Oh. “That’s where they’re funneling us.”

Edward nodded, stepping around the dead body and raising his voice for all to hear. “Let’s move, everyone. Down to the ground floor, and watch your six.”

The silence erupted in a cacophony of bullets pinging around the warehouse.

Bella took out the tiny device in her ear, closing her fist around it. “Who’s outside with an earpiece?”

Edward frowned, pressing his back to the wall. “There’s Holden and whoever else in the air, there’s one or two . . .” He stopped talking long enough to pull out his earpiece and cover the microphone with his thumb. “You think the mole is an agent who’s present?”

“That’s how they're tracking our every move, how they knew when we headed to the roof. And the guy with Kiernan pointed out that whoever the mole is wouldn't want to be in here with us.”

“No, they’re out there tracking Kiernan and listening in, reporting our every move back to Zaytsev’s men.”

Pursing her lips, she nodded. “I’ll get Holden on the phone. I have a burner with me.”

While she made her phone call, Edward put his earpiece back in. “Everyone, hold your positions until we know where to go next.”

“Copy that.”

Hanging up, Bella gestured to Edward. He followed her up the next set of steps, keeping close to the wall. They needed to make it look like they were falling for the trap, but Holden had sent men to capture the two operatives on the ground. He didn't know which one it would be, but it was easier to take them both and sort out who later. 

“Bishop here. Looks like something is on fire outside.”

“Good,” Edward muttered.

“Holden to all. Roof, on the double.”

They hustled up the stairs, emerging on the rooftop to the heavy sound of rotors slicing through the air. They paused next to the small stairwell enclosure, waiting for the others to catch up.

“Queen to Bishop. What’s your ETA?”

“Coming up the stairs, Queen. We have Pawn and his men, too.”

“Is Knight still with you?” she asked, moving along the edge of the building but remaining in the shadows.

“Affirmative.”

They might just make it after all. Darkness had encroached, the impending autumn weather dropping the temperature rapidly. The door to the stairwell opened, and Jasper and Kiernan emerged into the night. Just as Emmett stepped through, a shot rang out, and all three men went down.

“No!” Bella screamed, running toward them without thinking twice.

“What’s going on?” Holden yelled through the comms. “We need you on the helo right the fuck now!”

“Someone is down,” Edward said. “Not sure who yet.”

They approached from the rear with their weapons raised, and Bella fought tears at the sight of blood pooling on the ground. Jasper and Emmett leaned over Kiernan, a hole in his chest pumping blood faster than his body could replace it. Bella dropped to the ground, eternally grateful she wouldn't have to go home and tell her best friend her husband was dead.

“I don't know what happened,” Emmett said quietly. “He jumped in front of me and then just . . . went down.”

Edward kneeled at Kiernan’s side, checking his pulse. Kiernan’s eyes fluttered open when Edward unstrapped the useless vest. “I have a family,” he rasped.

“Shh,” Edward said. “I promise I’ll take care of them. You know I never break a promise.”

Kiernan could only nod. The armor-piercing bullet had ripped straight through the Kevlar and into the space beside Kiernan’s heart.

Someone fired from the direction of the helicopter, and Holden spoke again. “The last of the snipers on the roof are down. Are you guys coming or not?”

“Knight to Holden. Pawn is down for good.”

“Excuse me?”

Kiernan coughed, and Edward grabbed his hands. “Hey, keep your eyes on me.”

“I just couldn't . . . let him take the bullet.”

“I know. You did good.”

Emmett rested his hand on Kiernan’s forehead. “Like a true Cullen. I can’t thank you enough.”

Tears slipped down Bella’s cheeks, and she clung to Jasper when he pulled her close. It was all too overwhelming.

“Kiernan, look at me.” 

Kiernan blinked slowly, focusing on Edward’s face.

“We’re all here. You’re not alone.”

Holden dashed around the corner of the roof access building, coming to an abrupt halt when he saw his man bleeding out. “Oh, my God.”

Edward touched his fingers to the artery on the side of Kiernan’s neck, then reached out to close his eyelids. “He’s gone.”

“We need to get gone, too,” one of the operatives said.

Edward picked Kiernan up, smearing blood all over himself. “Where the fuck is the helo?”

“Around the side,” Holden answered, his gaze blank.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Emmett helped Bella to stand, and Jasper collected their weapons for them. Holden got in the helicopter first, then assisted Edward with Kiernan. Nobody said a word as they took off from the warehouse roof, hopefully out of the line of fire.

For the time being.