Project Perses: Redemption

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six

“Are you ready?” I ask her; glancing over at her as she shifts her weight from side to side.   We are standing at the bottom of the emergency stairs, steps from the lobby and God knows how many Triad men.  Li had taken my silence on the descent as my preparation of what was to come, but really I was lost in my thoughts on my dad, Adler, and everything I now knew.  We still didn’t know where Chen was, which was bothersome.  Adler had said that he had left for a meeting with his superiors and had never come back.  That had been hours ago. 

Well, to me it wasn’t that important, mainly because if he was somewhere else, it meant he’d be one less bystander that might die tonight.

Li nods, a thin layer of sweat covering her face.  “Let’s get moving.” 

“Here’s what we’re going to do.  I’m going to step out and take the initial fire.  Stay behind me but stay as close as possible. If we get separated, head for the van, that’s our rendezvous point with the team.”

“What’re you going to do?”  She questions, shifting from foot to foot again. 

“Some freaky shit, remember?”  I give her this ridiculous thumb up gesture and then turn, preparing to open the door. 

Li shakes her head and reaches forward, placing her hand on my forearm. “Are you sure you can handle facing Mitchell?  You can’t do anything to tip him off.”

My eyes settle on her, taking in her face.  Even with the cuts and bruises, she is really quiet pretty, stunning actually.  Her attention on me raises the hairs on my neck, making me nervous.  I blink out of my hormone rager and nod.   “I could ask the same of you.”  I didn’t like reminding her that Mitchell indirectly was responsible for her father’s death too.

“I’m good.  After we’re out, we’ve got to get you to Nevada.”

I nod.  “Preferably without the team.” 

“Are you sure that’s what you want?  You’ll be on your own.” 

“Less collateral damage, less explaining to do.”  Also, there would be less of a chance of me giving it away that I know.  I didn’t trust myself to be solid around Mitchell; just thinking about him infuriated me.  “If I can get ahead of Mitchell, I might just have a chance.  I’ll need you to keep an eye on things, stay inside the inner circle, maybe throw him off the scent if needed.”

“I’ve got your back.”  As if to demonstrate, she cocks her .45 and smiles at me.

There’s nothing else to say at this point.  I had one goal; get her out of here alive.  We had minutes until the C-4 did its job, time was of the essence. Squaring my shoulders for what undoubtedly is waiting on the other side; I nod once to her and then fling the door open.

To their credit, the twenty or so men in the lobby react pretty quickly, their guns opening fire the moment they catch the movement and realize it isn’t one of their own standing in the doorway.  I get pelted with several rounds, projectiles impacting the walls, door and ceiling around me before my hands come up and I freeze the rest of the artillery in mid air.  The air ripples with the kinetic force I am throwing up in front of us.  The men all continue to shoot, but about five feet from me the bullets slow and stop as if caught in invisible jello.

It takes a minute or two for the men in front of me to realize that not only have I not dropped in my tracks dead but that their bullets aren’t even meeting their target.  Voices start to pitch throughout the room in Chinese, yelling warnings while several men are openly gaping in shock.  At least four of them drop their guns and run for the door as if the devil himself was chasing after them.