Gunner: The Hacker's Code by Michelle C. Reilly
CHAPTER 9
Nay followed Gunner while Kailey, the gun held firmly in her hand, stayed on her heels. She’d tried to take in everything, but the entire situation was overwhelming. When she and Kailey had been in the stairwell waiting for Gunner and heard the gunfire, she thought for sure Gunner had been killed. Panic seized her, and she’d had no idea what to do. The relief that coursed through her when he came through the door had nearly brought her to her knees.
Terror and fury burned her veins when she discovered the bullet wound on his arm. Even though he’d told her it was nothing but a scratch, she’d seen the holes in his shirt displaying the entrance and exit areas. What she hadn’t seen was any evidence of torn up flesh. Just a small wound that appeared almost healed. It was strange.
When they’d left the stairwell and saw the guards, she couldn’t believe the carnage. She had no idea how one man could do so much damage to professional killers.
Who is he?
She studied his wide, muscular shoulders. The torn material and blood on his sleeve gave evidence to the round that had penetrated it. Yet, he hadn’t required any treatment. He hadn’t acted as if it was hurt at all. Nay shook her head.
Think about it later.
They returned to the stairwell and descended two levels. Gunner shooed them back against the far wall to hide once again so he could clear the area. Frustration ate at her as she watched him exit. She hated hiding. She wanted to stand beside him and help him. His gun was still firmly entrenched at her back. Though he’d showed her how to use it, she wasn’t sure if she could without shooting off her own foot. They kneeled against the wall under the stairwell, Kailey holding her own gun in a firm grip.
Grunting and the sounds of flesh hitting flesh sifted through the door. A barrage of gunfire made them jump. A crash hit the door and they both screamed and huddled against each other. Silence followed and Nay’s fast heartbeat echoed in her ears. Their harsh breathing reverberated loudly and the sound grated on Nay’s nerves. Kailey smelled of stale alcohol and hairspray. The scents made her insides twist.
“Where is he?” Nay whispered.
Kailey grabbed her hand, the girl’s long red nails digging into the flesh between her finger and thumb. “He’ll be here.”
Nay wished she was as optimistic. She didn’t know how Kailey could still be so positive after having lived through the hell she’d experienced since she was kidnapped. When Nay had asked her why the girl hadn’t ran away, she’d said they’d threatened to kill her little brother.
“My daddy died two years ago, so we’re all my mom has. She’s lost me, so there’s no way I’m going risk her losing my brother, too,” Kailey had said. “Besides, I always knew someone would save me. And I wasn’t wrong.”
Nay gripped the girl’s hand, trying to draw in some of her confidence. Something scraped against the door, and they held their breath and leaned farther into the corner. The door opened and light from the hallway made its way to them.
“It’s me.” Gunner’s voice echoed through the stairway.
Nay slumped and let loose the air she’d been holding.
I can’t take much more of this.
She stood and her knees protested as blood flow returned to her calves. Nay stepped from the shadows and saw Gunner’s well-built body silhouetted by the light from the hallway. “You didn’t get yourself shot again, did you?” Nay joked in an effort to dispel the doom and gloom haunting her thoughts.
“Nope. I was too fast for them,” he said as he stepped back into the hall.
They clustered behind him and followed the man down the hallway. When they approached the corner leading to her sister’s location, Nay’s stomach fluttered.
Gunner, with his pistol aimed at the ceiling, peeked around the edge of the wall. He gave them a slight nod to indicate the way was clear. They sprinted for the far wall and plastered themselves against it. Nay bit her lip, excitement building at the thought of seeing her sister.
They approached Kristine’s door and Gunner held his hand up to them. Nay and Kailey stopped. Gunner turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. A fluorescent bulb blinked from inside the room. Nay lifted to her toes in an effort to see past the tall man’s shoulders.
Gunner tilted his head past the doorframe and then back out. “It’s clear.”
Nay dashed forward and Gunner darted out his hand and caught her arm. “Me first.”
She stared up at his warm brown gaze and nodded. He swiveled into the room. Nay stayed close enough behind him that she could feel his body heat.
The oversized room appeared to be an office at one time. Blankets and pillows scattered across the floor. Only a few covered bodies. They tiptoed through the makeshift beds.
Nay peered at the faces, searching for her sister. The first girl she approached, a Filipina, glared at Nay when she tugged at the girl’s quilt. The second was a small, blonde girl, probably younger than Kailey. The third was a tall, lithe African American. She stared quietly up at them, watching as they passed. Nay’s heart jumped as she came upon the second-to-last girl. Her dark hair covered the pillow and a blanket covered her face.
Nay kneeled and shook her shoulder. “Kristine?”
The girl’s arm slashed out, and her hand gave a glancing blow against Nay’s chin. Gunner appeared in an instant, placing himself between her and the girl. Nay blanched, unable to believe how quickly he appeared. She peered around him and glanced at the girl’s face. It wasn’t Kristine. Nay blinked at her stinging eyes.
She stepped sideways and passed the girl to the person huddled against the wall under a pile of covers. None of the body was visible from beneath the blankets, and Nay had no clue if it hid her sister. She kneeled next to the girl. Gunner came up beside her and went to his haunches, his knee brushing her side. Nay glanced at him, unsure if she should remove the blanket.
“Go ahead. I won’t let you get hurt.”
She gave him a small smile and reached for the cover, pulling it from over the girl’s head. Nay cried out and tears streamed down her face. “Kristine.”
Kristine blinked up at her and frowned. “Nay?”
Nay nodded and wrapped her arms around her sister.
“Nay,” her sister gasped and lifted to an elbow. “You can’t be here. They’ll kill you. And mom, too. You have to leave. Now.” The girl’s words ran together.
Nay sat back on her heels and smiled at her sister. “It’s okay. We’re saving you. Let’s get out of here.”
Kristine’s glazed eyes went wide. Smeared makeup circled her lids. “No, you can’t save me. You have to go.” She tried to push at Nay, but fell back against her pillow. “Go, Nay, while you can. Forget about me.”
Nay frowned. “Come on, Kristine. I told you, my friend Gunner and I are getting you out of here.”
When her sister shook her head, Gunner leaned in. “I got her.” He scooped her up, the blankets falling unheeded to the floor. “Let’s get out of here.” Kristine let out a small protest, but then gave up her weak struggle.
Nay quickened her pace to keep up with Gunner, who was almost to the door. She checked behind her, seeking out Kailey. The girl shook the rest of the females as she passed them, trying to get them to freedom. Nay banged into Gunner’s back. She swallowed a curse when she saw four men in dark suits coming down the hallway.
Gunner spun around and handed Kristine to her. “Close the door and don’t open it for anyone but me.”
Nay sucked in a breath and nodded, cradling her sister. When he left and the door closed behind him, she lowered herself against the wall and her head sunk down.
Please don’t let anything happen to him. Please!
Nay followed Gunner while Kailey, the gun held firmly in her hand, stayed on her heels. She’d tried to take in everything, but the entire situation was overwhelming. When she and Kailey had been in the stairwell waiting for Gunner and heard the gunfire, she thought for sure Gunner had been killed. Panic seized her, and she’d had no idea what to do. The relief that coursed through her when he came through the door had nearly brought her to her knees.
Terror and fury burned her veins when she discovered the bullet wound on his arm. Even though he’d told her it was nothing but a scratch, she’d seen the holes in his shirt displaying the entrance and exit areas. What she hadn’t seen was any evidence of torn up flesh. Just a small wound that appeared almost healed. It was strange.
When they’d left the stairwell and saw the guards, she couldn’t believe the carnage. She had no idea how one man could do so much damage to professional killers.
Who is he?
She studied his wide, muscular shoulders. The torn material and blood on his sleeve gave evidence to the round that had penetrated it. Yet, he hadn’t required any treatment. He hadn’t acted as if it was hurt at all. Nay shook her head.
Think about it later.
They returned to the stairwell and descended two levels. Gunner shooed them back against the far wall to hide once again so he could clear the area. Frustration ate at her as she watched him exit. She hated hiding. She wanted to stand beside him and help him. His gun was still firmly entrenched at her back. Though he’d showed her how to use it, she wasn’t sure if she could without shooting off her own foot. They kneeled against the wall under the stairwell, Kailey holding her own gun in a firm grip.
Grunting and the sounds of flesh hitting flesh sifted through the door. A barrage of gunfire made them jump. A crash hit the door and they both screamed and huddled against each other. Silence followed and Nay’s fast heartbeat echoed in her ears. Their harsh breathing reverberated loudly and the sound grated on Nay’s nerves. Kailey smelled of stale alcohol and hairspray. The scents made her insides twist.
“Where is he?” Nay whispered.
Kailey grabbed her hand, the girl’s long red nails digging into the flesh between her finger and thumb. “He’ll be here.”
Nay wished she was as optimistic. She didn’t know how Kailey could still be so positive after having lived through the hell she’d experienced since she was kidnapped. When Nay had asked her why the girl hadn’t ran away, she’d said they’d threatened to kill her little brother.
“My daddy died two years ago, so we’re all my mom has. She’s lost me, so there’s no way I’m going risk her losing my brother, too,” Kailey had said. “Besides, I always knew someone would save me. And I wasn’t wrong.”
Nay gripped the girl’s hand, trying to draw in some of her confidence. Something scraped against the door, and they held their breath and leaned farther into the corner. The door opened and light from the hallway made its way to them.
“It’s me.” Gunner’s voice echoed through the stairway.
Nay slumped and let loose the air she’d been holding.
I can’t take much more of this.
She stood and her knees protested as blood flow returned to her calves. Nay stepped from the shadows and saw Gunner’s well-built body silhouetted by the light from the hallway. “You didn’t get yourself shot again, did you?” Nay joked in an effort to dispel the doom and gloom haunting her thoughts.
“Nope. I was too fast for them,” he said as he stepped back into the hall.
They clustered behind him and followed the man down the hallway. When they approached the corner leading to her sister’s location, Nay’s stomach fluttered.
Gunner, with his pistol aimed at the ceiling, peeked around the edge of the wall. He gave them a slight nod to indicate the way was clear. They sprinted for the far wall and plastered themselves against it. Nay bit her lip, excitement building at the thought of seeing her sister.
They approached Kristine’s door and Gunner held his hand up to them. Nay and Kailey stopped. Gunner turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. A fluorescent bulb blinked from inside the room. Nay lifted to her toes in an effort to see past the tall man’s shoulders.
Gunner tilted his head past the doorframe and then back out. “It’s clear.”
Nay dashed forward and Gunner darted out his hand and caught her arm. “Me first.”
She stared up at his warm brown gaze and nodded. He swiveled into the room. Nay stayed close enough behind him that she could feel his body heat.
The oversized room appeared to be an office at one time. Blankets and pillows scattered across the floor. Only a few covered bodies. They tiptoed through the makeshift beds.
Nay peered at the faces, searching for her sister. The first girl she approached, a Filipina, glared at Nay when she tugged at the girl’s quilt. The second was a small, blonde girl, probably younger than Kailey. The third was a tall, lithe African American. She stared quietly up at them, watching as they passed. Nay’s heart jumped as she came upon the second-to-last girl. Her dark hair covered the pillow and a blanket covered her face.
Nay kneeled and shook her shoulder. “Kristine?”
The girl’s arm slashed out, and her hand gave a glancing blow against Nay’s chin. Gunner appeared in an instant, placing himself between her and the girl. Nay blanched, unable to believe how quickly he appeared. She peered around him and glanced at the girl’s face. It wasn’t Kristine. Nay blinked at her stinging eyes.
She stepped sideways and passed the girl to the person huddled against the wall under a pile of covers. None of the body was visible from beneath the blankets, and Nay had no clue if it hid her sister. She kneeled next to the girl. Gunner came up beside her and went to his haunches, his knee brushing her side. Nay glanced at him, unsure if she should remove the blanket.
“Go ahead. I won’t let you get hurt.”
She gave him a small smile and reached for the cover, pulling it from over the girl’s head. Nay cried out and tears streamed down her face. “Kristine.”
Kristine blinked up at her and frowned. “Nay?”
Nay nodded and wrapped her arms around her sister.
“Nay,” her sister gasped and lifted to an elbow. “You can’t be here. They’ll kill you. And mom, too. You have to leave. Now.” The girl’s words ran together.
Nay sat back on her heels and smiled at her sister. “It’s okay. We’re saving you. Let’s get out of here.”
Kristine’s glazed eyes went wide. Smeared makeup circled her lids. “No, you can’t save me. You have to go.” She tried to push at Nay, but fell back against her pillow. “Go, Nay, while you can. Forget about me.”
Nay frowned. “Come on, Kristine. I told you, my friend Gunner and I are getting you out of here.”
When her sister shook her head, Gunner leaned in. “I got her.” He scooped her up, the blankets falling unheeded to the floor. “Let’s get out of here.” Kristine let out a small protest, but then gave up her weak struggle.
Nay quickened her pace to keep up with Gunner, who was almost to the door. She checked behind her, seeking out Kailey. The girl shook the rest of the females as she passed them, trying to get them to freedom. Nay banged into Gunner’s back. She swallowed a curse when she saw four men in dark suits coming down the hallway.
Gunner spun around and handed Kristine to her. “Close the door and don’t open it for anyone but me.”
Nay sucked in a breath and nodded, cradling her sister. When he left and the door closed behind him, she lowered herself against the wall and her head sunk down.
Please don’t let anything happen to him. Please!