Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [48]
“Maybe.”
Annja knew she’d have to tell Hunter and Cole about this. It would only be with their help that she could even dream about pulling it off. “We’ll talk it over around dinnertime, okay?”
Sheila nodded. “All right.” She stood. “Are we finished here?”
Annja shrugged. “Hey, you were the one who came to my room, not the other way around.”
Sheila smiled. “I think we’re done.” She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it. “Talk to you later.”
“Not so fast.”
Annja looked up at the sound of the new voice. Captain Jax stood in the doorway. She held a pistol in her hand, its black barrel aimed squarely at Sheila’s chest.
“Seems to me,” Jax said, “that we all need to have a serious talk. So, why don’t we sit down for a few minutes until we get things cleared up.”
19
Sheila backed into the room, her hands rising defensively. “Slow down, Captain. There’s no need for any violence.”
Jax frowned. “I’ll be the judge of that.” She looked at Annja. “Stay where you are, Annja.”
“Why would I want to do that?” Annja asked. She could have the sword out in the blink of an eye if she could just keep Jax fixated on dealing with Sheila.
“Because I don’t want to have to shoot you,” Jax said. “But I will in order to get you to listen to me. You understand?”
Annja nodded but she was keeping her focus soft, ready to move if Sheila could help her gain an opening.
Sheila kept her hands up. “Why are you doing this, Jax? I thought we got along just fine.”
“Appearances are deceiving,” Jax said. “And frankly, I never cared for the way you carried yourself.”
“Why not?”
“Too obviously disdainful of the rest of us.” Jax smirked. “Well, the joke’s on you, isn’t it? Nothing like having a gun barrel in your face to make you a little more humble, huh?”
Sheila shook her head. “This isn’t necessary.”
“I think it is. You’ve been trouble since I laid eyes on you. Time to take care of business since Hunter and Cole won’t deal with it.”
Annja frowned. Jax kept the gun steady on Sheila. She didn’t seem motivated by anger. In fact, she seemed pretty calm. Annja looked at Sheila and there was concern on the woman’s face. What was going on here? The presence of a gun in the mix didn’t help matters.
As Jax focused on Sheila, Annja summoned her sword and went on the attack, drawing the blade high overhead and launching herself through the air. She heard a shout from Jax as she pounced.
But the captain dodged the blow and punched Annja in the side of her chest, sending a thundering strike rattling through Annja’s body. Annja gasped, trying to get some air back into her. As she landed hard, Jax pivoted again and delivered a roundhouse kick to Annja’s leg, sweeping it out and dropping her further.
Annja was down before she realized Jax had the pistol aimed at her chest. “Dammit, Annja, I told you not to engage!”
But then Annja saw a form hurtle across her field of vision as Sheila tackled Jax. Their two bodies fell across the mattress, toppling over backward beyond the edge of the bed.
Annja righted herself, still trying to get some wind back into her lungs, which felt as if they were spasming uncontrollably. That was some punch she’d taken from Jax. Who had taught her that?
She had more immediate issues, though. She could see a tangle of arms and legs as Sheila and Jax fought to control each other. Sheila was doing well, but Annja could tell that Jax was simply biding her time.
Sheila tried to disarm Jax, grabbing at the gun with both hands. Annja winced. That wasn’t a good idea. Sheila should have gone for control on the hand and arm instead of the gun itself, which could be manipulated by her opponent.
Jax put that fighting tactic into effect, suddenly using her free hand to wrench the gun up and over Sheila’s wrist, snapping it down sharply. Annja heard the bone break and Sheila cried out, bit back on the pain and punched Jax in the face.
Jax took the punch well, despite the sudden rush of blood, and kicked Sheila back and up, forcing her toward Annja.
Sheila rolled, got to her