Undercover Badge; Next Generation

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

I gasped in a breath, glad to feel that the messed-up rips had been taken care of by my death. My brain was foggy, and I curled my hands into fists, feeling my mother's weapon still in my right hand, curled protectively to my chest.

The room was still filled with smoke. Quickly, I rolled up to the balls of my feet, glass crumbling beneath them, and took a look around. The smoke had begun to dissipate, and the gunfire had quieted. I pulled the bag up and dropped the strap over my head, the weapon across my back as my hand went to my other pistol still in its shoulder strap, pulling the weapon free and double handing it as I dropped to one knee to look through the dark. I reached up to adjust the soft fabric on my face. Okay, Katherine. You can do this. You've got this.

I rose to a crouch and began to creep forward, dragging my feet so the glass wouldn't crunch as I approached the left side of the room where I heard mumbling. The bank was filled with a pinkish marble, grand pillars lofting the levels above higher. I saw a pillar through the smoke and made my way to the large structure just as the smoke began to fade enough for me to see eight figures on their knees. I pressed my back to the cold stone, feeling the bag dig into my shoulders as I was slowly sliding down to sit on my heels, holding the slide of the gun to my forehead.

Fuck, fuck, fuck....

I tucked my head around the pillar. I could see it now. My team were on their knees with their hand behind their backs. Behind each of them stood another man, each holding an assault rifle. We'd lost. That was when I realized there was talking going on.

"... make sure they get tipped triple. I didn't see this coming, did you?" the self-assured and ecstatic tone came from the right where I could see a form pacing. I narrowed my eyes, but I couldn't make out exact features. But he was definitely wearing an expensive suit. "They attacked the warehouse and they knew about the bank?" the man stopped marching. "Why would they attack both?" he sounded quizzical then waved a hand dismissively. "Doesn't matter, I've got them."

"You fucking son of a bitch!" Kat's voice spat from somewhere behind me. In the smoke I could barely make out three men, one pushing the wriggling form of Katerina with her arms behind her back, James next to her being walked at gunpoint and a final from being dragged yelling and threatening bloody murder just like his mother. Fuck, the smoke was dissipating, they were coming up behind me and they had my team tired up on the other side of me.

 I took three quick, quiet running steps across the room into the mist before I fell into a slide, so I didn't step on the glass and hoping that the din Matthew and Kat were creating would cover it. I slid up behind another pillar and breathed heavy, looking over my left shoulder. They hadn't seen me, too distracted by the fight Kat and Matthew were putting up. I looked over my right shoulder and paused. There was a staircase just to the left of the pillar, the guard facing the commotion. The smoke down here was dissipating fast, they'd see me soon. My only answer was up. The bag dug into my spine. Okay. I tucked my gun into its holster and rose to a crouch again, focusing my eyes on my target. What had Matthew taught me? Oh fuck. I snuck up behind him, quiet. One shot. Go!

I released the hardest punch I could, right where his head met his neck, causing him to fall to his knees and his entire system to lock up. Before he could utter a cry, I wrapped my arms around his throat, ripped back and up, and locked my arms. On his knees he couldn't kick me, and the strike had disorientated him. He tried to grab at my arms, but the leather of his gloves was slippery against the fabric of my outfit. He struggled hard, bruising my torso with his fight. But I was more determined. He fought for eleven seconds while I held him down before he went slack. I held on for another three before I let him go slowly – he thudded to the ground. I didn't have time to be proud of myself.