“Emma, it’s Luke. Where’s Trish?”
“She’s with the others. Sorry Luke. I was talking with her when Clint showed up. He pulled a gun out and shot me before the others arrived. I didn’t know what he was up to and didn’t get a chance to do anything before he shot me. I’ve managed to get myself into the trauma unit. There’s no one in here.”
“Where were you shot?”
“The chest, just under the shoulder, it’s nothing serious. There are six guys at reception. One’s the leader. Luke, it’s the same Kenny that caused problems for Water Sun. I heard him talking to Brax. Clint’s with them as well. There’s two guys guarding each stairway on this floor and two guarding each door in the treatment room where they’ve got all the staff and patients.”
“That’s great Emma. Right, I need you to do something. Go and look in the right-hand corner of the room,” Josh said. “There should be an ECG machine on a trolley, can you see it?”
“Yeah.”
“Go over and have a look. See if there’s a small hook built into the tile for me sweetie.” When she went to check, Josh continued talking to the room. “I’ve just thought, there are old mining tunnels all over the town from during the Civil War. Some have been filled in, but some are still useable.” Just then, Emma came back on the phone. “Yeah, there is but I don’t think I could open it with this shot wound,” she told them.
“That’s okay sweetie, listen, I want you to stay on the phone okay? We’re gonna get something sorted out. We’re gonna get you out okay? We’ll get everyone out.”
“Okay, just let me know if there’s anything you want me to do.”
“Josh, I fucking love you man. I didn’t think any of them tunnels were useable,” Brax told the head Sentinel.
“They planned to fill all of them, but something came up and some didn’t get done.”
“Right, Lux, I want you to get over to my house, I’m gonna call Conner to get enough radios for all of us. Go get them. Be as fast as you fucking can.” Lux took off for the back exit while Brax continued. ”Right, we can get in through the tunnel to the trauma room, but we still need to get rid of the other guards.”
“Alpha,” Adam spoke up for the first time. “There may be a way to get into the top floor of the clinic.” He seemed nervous about continuing, but a gentle word from Brax and a promise that he wouldn’t get in trouble for whatever he would say got him talking again. “There’s a plank of wood on the roof of the café next door to the clinic. We used to use it get across to the roof of the clinic. There’s a door into the clinic on the roof.”
“Well done, son,” Brax told him. “Right, so we can get in from the roof, and the trauma unit. Now, we just need a way to get past the guards.”
“I’ve got an idea,” Luke spoke up. “When I called my contacts in the SEALs for the phone taps, they sent me a few other things. I’ve got four canisters of halothane. It’s basically knock-out gas. Josh, you’ve got tranquilizer dart guns, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, I’ve got six guns and about fifty darts.”
“Okay, we split into teams.” Brax took over. “One team goes through the roof, the other through the tunnels. Fucking dumbass Clint’s plan backfired, we’d never have remembered the ones under the clinic if he hadn’t dug his own.”
“Right, team one uses the gas canisters to get rid of the guards at the two sets of stairs and two of the exits. You’ll have to split up once you get inside. First half goes to the south stairs and exit, second goes to the east.” As Brax spoke, he grabbed a pen and paper from behind the counter of the clothes shop they were in. He drew a rough diagram of the ground floor of the clinic. “Once you get rid of them four sets, join back up in this corridor here,” he said, pointing to the drawing. “You’ll have to get over to the north exit for the last set of guards. All with me?”
When everyone agreed, he continued.
“When that’s done, I want you to split up again. One group go to one side of the treatment room, the other team the other door. Wait, no. Shit. Right, use the dart guns for the guards at the exits and stairs. You’ll have to be quick and dart both guards at the same time. We can’t give them even a second to get the alarm out.” He paused and looked around, making sure everyone understood. “When you get to the treatment room doors, you stay low, nudge the doors open and gas the whole room. I know there are innocents in there, but we can’t risk using the darts. There won’t be enough time with there being four of them in there. As soon as the gas canisters are released, team two moves out. They’ll be in the trauma unit with Emma. They’ll take out the five that’re at reception, six if you count Clint, take them out, any way possible and fucking quick. Hopefully the shock of the attack will make them forget about the bomb triggers.”
“Wait, there’s seven at reception,” Tyler said when Brax finished.
“No, there’ll be six. Kenny will be outside, with me.”
“Fuck no,” was Tyler’s response. It was echoed by similar words by everyone in the room.
“Yes. No more arguing. It’ll give team two a better chance if they’re one short. Right, Luke, get over to yours and get the gas and anything else that could be useful. Josh, go get the darts. Tyler, get over to Danny’s. Call Brian on the way, tell him to get some bulletproof vests ready, and anything else useful. Everyone move out. You need to be back here in twenty minutes or less. And stay out of sight.”
Luke moved out with Tyler and Josh, running his ass off, getting back to his apartment in record time. When he made it back, Lux was there setting up the radios. Josh was only a minute behind Luke followed by Tyler shorty after.
“Danny’s pissed by the way.”
“I don’t give a fuck. His job right now is to look after my mates and daughter. They’ll be the next target if things don’t go our way here.”
“No, he’s pissed because he was meant to be picking up his sister from the clinic this afternoon. He was running late because he and Brian fooled around. If he didn’t, he’d be at the hospital when Kenny went in.”
“Doesn’t matter. We all missed the little bastard Clint digging the holes. Right, let’s sort out the teams. Two Sentinels in each team, Scott, Adam, Kim, Ian and Jack, you’re team one with Luke and Tyler. The rest team two. Everyone get weapons sorted.”
“Me, Alpha?” Adam asked in shock.
“Yeah son, you’ve impressed not just the Sentinels with your abilities over the last year or so, but me as well. You’re now a soldier of the pack. That okay?” Brax asked.
“Yes, yeah, I mean of course yes, Alpha. Thank you,” Adam replied, the pride of his new job evident on the young man’s face.
“I’ve brought three guns with me. Team two will be best taking them,” Luke said.
“Brian gave me two guns as well.”
“I’ve got four. Brax, take a gun.” It looked like Brax was about to argue, but the looks he received from everyone in the room had him accepting the weapon from Josh.
“Right, here’s the radios, all on channel two,” Lux said, passing them around.
“Emma, you still with us?” Brax asked. Luke felt guilty for forgetting about the woman but reminded himself his mate was in danger and to be happy he hadn’t killed his friends who were making him wait.
“Yeah, I’m here. I heard all that. I’ll try and make things easier for team two getting through the trap door on this end. I’ve already closed the curtains around that area, so it will be harder to spot them coming in.”
“Great, sweetie. See you soon,” Josh told her.
By the time every one had their vests, radios and weapons on, it was time to move out if they were to make it to their destination before Brax was due outside the hospital. Luke led his team to the café while Josh led his to an apartment building down the road, which had access to the tunnels.
When Luke made it to the roof of the clinic, Josh radioed that they were halfway through the tunnels. Doing this kind of mission brought Luke back to his days as a Navy SEAL.
Which was a good thing as it took his mind off running in the building and killing anyone in his way of getting to his mate.
“Jack, Kim, Scott go with Tyler. Ian and Adam, you’re with me, we’ll go to the south stairs and exit. We’ll meet up with you in the corridor Brax pointed out,” he told Tyler.
“Roger, see you in a few,” Tyler said before heading to the east.
Luke and his team started walking to the south staircase. The clinic was only nine stories high so they made as little noise as possible. When they reached the corner before the stairs, Luke pulled out his dart gun. They had already arranged for Ian to shoot the second guard because he had had more target practice than Adam.
They approached the staircase, going so slow they made no sound. Luke looked over the banister. Although they were nine stories below, with their wolf’s eyesight, and leaning over slightly, they both managed to see the guards well enough to dart them from where they were.
Both guards went down seconds after Luke and Ian fired. The three then jumped from landing to landing before tying the rogues up and dumping the bodies in a supply cupboard next to the stairs. They made their way to the south exit of the hospital. Again they were soundless on their approach. Luke could hear the next two targets talking amongst themselves about what it would be like living in a pack again. Fuckers won’t get a chance to find out, Luke thought. He knelt on the floor at the corner they were at so he and Ian could fire at the same time. Seconds later, just like the first two, the second set of rogues hit the floor. They stored these rogues in an empty office before heading to the corridor to meet Tyler and his team.
They were about thirty seconds behind Tyler’s team in reaching the corridor. Their sets of rogues went down just like Luke’s. They radioed team two before heading to the north exit. Josh and his group had just finished getting into the trauma room and were waiting for their call that the treatment room had been gassed.
When they neared the north exit, Luke and Tyler made quick work of the final rogues before they headed to the treatment room. Each door was halfway down a corridor, which could be looked down from the reception area. Keeping in radio contact with Tyler, Luke and his team moved from room to room along the corridor as Tyler’s team did the same. A number of times either group had to wait until one of the rogues at the reception area looked away from the corridor. Luke could hear the bastards talking about what they would do to the women of the pack once Kenny had taken it over. Luke made a promise to himself that he would make their deaths slow and painful if they weren’t killed by Josh’s team.
When both Luke and Tyler were ready to roll the gas canisters into the treatment room, they counted down from five at the same time over the radio. Josh’s team waited for the signal to move out moments after Luke and Tyler had done their jobs.
Luke kept crouched down when he approached the door so as not to be seen through the glass window. Again, over the radio, he and Tyler timed everything together. No more than ten seconds from releasing the canisters, Luke heard the gun shots, shouts and screams from the reception area. Luke sent the rest of his team to help while he pushed into the treatment room after putting on his gas mask he had found in the box of items from his SEAL connections. Tyler came through his door at the same time with his own mask. Luke made his way to the center of the crowd of hostages while Tyler tied the two rogues up.
He found what looked to be a homemade bomb on the floor next to Trish and Kirstie. He wanted nothing more than to take his mate and run, but had a job to do first. That was the thing about being a pack Sentinel, safety of the pack came first in situations like these. Knowing his wolf was faster than his human half, Luke picked the bomb up and left the treatment room. When he was out, he put the bomb down and shifted. He picked the bomb up in his mouth and ran for the top floor and onto the roof. It wasn’t big enough to cause major damage to the building, but if he left it on the street, flying debris might harm someone if it went off before an expert could come and destroy it. When he made it back down, he checked to make sure the others had things under control at reception. He was happy to find all the rogues were down and currently being tied up. He was about to ask about Brax when the man himself walked in the front door, dragging a dead Kenny with him.
Luke let Tyler know he was back but his mask was shredded and he couldn’t get back in the room. Tyler started carrying the hostages out to him and Luke started filling any empty beds he could find. When he was handed Trish, he had to force himself away from the bed he had placed her on. Luckily, she was one of the last ones out and he was only away from her for a moment or two.
When he had her settled with an oxygen mask on her face, he was about to take a seat next to her when Brax shouted his name. Luke headed to the trauma unit where his Alpha was. When he reached the door, all his medical training came to his mind as he saw Brax placing Liam onto a bed.
Luke worked with a few others to clean Liam’s wounds. The fallen Sentinel came round halfway through and started mumbling.
“What was that buddy?” Luke asked, unable to understand a word the man was saying.
“He said he’s gonna kill the motherfuckers who did this to him,” Brax said. “His northeastern English accent gets strong when he’s injured or drunk. Took me ages to understand him.” He finished on a laugh. After doing the best he could, Luke made his way back to Trish. Another doctor was on the way to the clinic and would be able to help Liam more.
Chapter Eleven
I’m never drinking again! Trish said to herself when she came awake. Her head was pounding and her mouth tasted like a trash can. Her stomach was doing flip-flops inside her and making her feel sick. That’s when she realized she hadn’t been out drinking. In fact, she should be at work. Her memory came back online and she remembered about the armed men taking over the clinic. Her eyes flew open to see what was happening.
“Shh, it’s okay, Red, I’m here. It’s over,” came Luke’s voice. She noticed then she was cuddled into him, sitting on his knees.
“What happened?” she asked, looking into the face of her mate.
“When we realized the attack on Liam was a diversion, I broke the speed record getting here to you and saved the day,” he told her with an infectious smile.
“You wish, Care Bear,” Tyler said from the next bed over. He had Kirstie in his lap just as Luke did with Trish.
“Dude, I warned you not to say that name. I hear it again, you’re getting your ass kicked.” Tyler just laughed. When Luke looked down at her, Trish’s question of how Tyler knew that name must have been in her expression because he answered.
“You were calling out for me in your sleep, Red. We’re gonna have to have a long conversation on your names for me when we get home,” he told her in a tone that held as much threat as a box of kittens. She laughed out loud at his words before snuggling back into him.
“Trish, good to see you awake,” Brax said as he came into the room with Josh and Emma.
“Emma, are you okay?” Trish asked, trying to get off Luke’s knee to see the woman.
“I’m fine, the bullet landed just below my shoulder. Doctor Richard got it out when he finished patching up Liam,” she said as she took a seat on the bed next to Trish and Luke.
“How’s our boy doing?” Luke asked.
“He’s getting there. The poison was preventing him from healing but Chloe’s on her way to work some magic. Draw the shit out of him. Whether he wants to or not, once he’s healed he’s taking a few weeks’ vacation. Poor man deserves it,” Brax said, sitting on the bed next to Tyler and Kirstie.
The men spent the next few minutes telling Trish and Kirstie, who woke up as Emma was talking about what had happened, how they managed to get into the hospital and overpower the rogues.
“Where are they now?” Kirstie asked.
“They’re all under armed guard in the jail. Only two of them are awake and seem determined to get out. Scott called a few minutes ago and said it was funny watching them trying to pul
l apart the bars,” Josh said.
“What’s going to happen to them?”
Brax answered this time. “They’ll die. All of them. They made a big mistake when they targeted Blackwood. Even if it was Clint that sought them out about it. We’re waiting for Liam to pull through before doing anything though. I figured he should have first pop at them, seeing as he was hurt.”
After ten more minutes of questions and talk, Doctor Richard Schofield, a colleague of Trish’s, came in the room. He wanted to check Trish and Kirstie over for any effects of the gas. Both women refused at first, but one look from their mates had them changing their minds.
Three hours later, all hostages had been checked over for effects of the gas and Trish was happy to have found no problems. Richard took over the last few hours of her shift and Luke took her home. He didn’t let her walk. He carried her from the clinic to the car, then car to their apartment and placed her on the sofa with a warning not to even think about getting up.
She watched him through the open kitchen door as he rushed around, making her a cup of coffee and roast pork sandwich. As she ate, he drew a bubble bath for her. She let the hot water wash away the stress of the day as Luke cleaned up. It was, she thought, hilarious listening to him fight with the bedding as he changed the sheets, then his arguing with the washer. Her stomach hurt with laughing as he hovered around the living room. If she had to guess, he hadn’t bothered clearing the floor of things. The loud banging followed by his cursing sounded like he knocked more things over than not.
She was worried about the state the place would be in by the time it came for her to get out of the bath, but she was pleasantly surprised to find nothing smashed or broken. She laughed again at the look of pride on his face as he told her all he had done. She couldn’t burst his bubble so she secretly cringed at the thought of what was in the washer. He had put it onto a boil wash.