The Midnight Hour - Brenda Jackson [25]
Tori smiled when Robin nodded again, knowing she was fighting hard for control of her emotions. After Robin's ordeal, she would need plenty of tender, loving care when she got back home. Tori then quickly moved aside. Shakily, Robin looked at Drake when he crouched down and lifted her effortlessly into his strong arms.
"Let's go. We have less than two minutes to get out of here," Drake said, leading the way out of the room. When they reentered the room where the unconscious guards were sprawled about, Tori noted it appeared one was slowly coming around. Before she could say anything, Drake had taken the butt of his revolver and hit the man on the head. After a hash grunt, the man lost consciousness again.
They inched into the hallway and silently eased back down the stairs. Tension tightened Tori's stomach when the sound of pounding feet met their ears. Robin twisted frantically in Drake's arms and Tori was glad for Drake's decision to keep the young woman gagged. Robin was frightened and would have probably screamed at the thought that her captors were returning for her.
As soon as they made it down the stairs, Drake pulled Tori into a small and darkened alcove beneath the bottom of the stairs just seconds before an army of men came around the corner and ran up the stairs. A violent curse erupted and the loud sound of several doors opening and closing permeated the building.
"Let's move out," Drake whispered harshly against her ear and she nodded. Knowing they couldn't leave the same way they'd come, Drake quickly led the way out the back while they ignored the gunfire that was going off upstairs. Evidently the leader, angered with the unconscious men for failing to do what they were ordered to do, had decided to Put an end to their lives while they were still knocked out cold. When it came to revolutionaries who thought they Were fighting for what they considered a just cause, they could be merciless, even to their own kind.
When they made it out of the building the first thing they noticed was that dawn was fast approaching; the second thing was that it was about to storm. When the spotlights suddenly came on and a siren sounded, Tori knew they would have to make a run for it.
"All systems are go," she heard Drake bark into the transmission radio he had pulled from his belt, alerting the Recons they had rescued Miss Thomas.
It would be too dangerous to attempt to get out back through the barbwire so Drake led the way around the side of the building. They dodged the spotlight every time it scanned the area where they were. When Drake motioned to a small area near the back end of the building, he turned and mouthed the word "grenade" just moments before pulling one from his belt and tossing the explosive. It was then that Tori remembered Drake's specialty while a Recon. He was a weapons and explosives expert. The best.
As soon as the smoke settled the way was cleared. Drake had effectively made a passage for their escape. Unfortunately, he had also brought attention to that area and the spotlight shone brightly. A couple of revolutionaries rounded the corner with their pistols ready to open fire. "Now it's time to show your stuff, Green," Drake said smiling at her.
She smiled back and nodded. As more revolutionaries came running around the corner, Tori smoothly, and with accurate precision, picked them off, shot after shot. Suddenly, it began to rain; a turbulent downpour, and Drake pulled her forward, while adjusting the weight of Robin in his arms. "Let's make a run for it. Now."
Dodging the enemies' fire they sprinted across the lit yard, running toward the passage Drake had blown open for them. The sound of gunfire surrounded them and they heard men scrambling about trying to get back their hostage and take down the individuals who'd had the audacity to invade their stronghold.
Tori's heart began soaring in triumph as they ran farther and farther