Shattered Rules (21 page)

The signet ring was still on the man’s finger. Now Kelly knew the initial “N” on the ring, stood for Nickels. She froze and her eyes focused on the weapon. He pointed the gun at her chest.

“
Get the flash drive.”

“
No.” The word barely squeezed from her tightened throat.

“
Now.”

His gun never wavered from her.
She was going to die and never get a chance tell Brick she still loved him or ask for his forgiveness for all the horrible things she’d said.

“Move
bitch.”

Brick
moved.

Nickels
spun toward him. “Take your gun out of the holster. Put it on the floor and kick it to me or I'll kill the girl where she stands.”

Adrenaline shot through
her and her heart beat erratically.

“
If you kill her, you’ll never get the drive.” Brick's voice sounded calm. How could he sound so relaxed?

“
I can shoot both of you and search the place later. Lose your gun.”

Unbidden thoughts of
Agents Simmons lying dead on the cold garage floor of the bungalow, his blood draining from his body, sparked in her mind. Her heart thumped hard and her knees started to buckle.

“
I said drop the gun,” Nickels said to Brick.

“
Brick don’t.”

She watche
d him take his gun out. “No,”

He
kicked it toward Nickels.

Nickels
grabbed her arm. “Bitch, pick it up.”

Brick
lunged at Nickels and sent a disabling blow to the man’s solar plexus. He grunted, and grabbed his rib cage, releasing her.

Brick
kicked the gun from the man’s hand. It went flying across the room.

H
e twisted the guy’s arm behind him.

She gasped as
he slammed Nickels’ face into a wall. Still holding the man's arm behind his back, Brick griped his throat

“
Who hired you?”

She saw him
give Nickels just enough air to speak.

The man
coughed but didn’t answer.

“
If you want to live, talk now. Who hired you?”

As Nickels
opened his mouth to speak, a shot rang out. His eyes widened and blood dripped from a hole in his forehead. He dropped to the floor.

A
tall stranger, light brown hair and icy blue eyes and dressed in blue jeans and a tan windbreaker stood in the room. A very average man looking man, but he’d just killed in cold blood. He stood with both hands on his weapon, positioned to shoot again.

“
Don! Are you crazy? He was about to talk,” Brick shouted.

“
No buddy, he was about to kill you.”

She had trouble processing what was happening.
Brick’s boss was pointing a gun at him.

“
Don, the man was under my control.”

“
No, he had a gun.” Don waved his pistol and smiled.

“
You sent him!” Brick gasped. “He was bought and paid for by you.”

His boss
didn't deny it.

R
age shone in Brick’s eyes. “He's your man. It all makes sense now. You always called me late at night or on the weekends and you told me not to alert the CIA.”

Don shrugged.

“There was no case, no file on Kelly. It was all a lie. The FBI didn't want her. You did.”

His boss
was silent.

“
It was a ruse to get me to use Kelly and find the flash drive. You knew she’d taken it and I was your only chance to get it back. You even sent the intruders, so I’d stay and protect her, giving you a conduit to her.”

“
I didn't have to put a tracer on her Honda. You were my tracer and like the good agent you are, you kept me informed of all your moves.” Don smiled.

“
And the information I sent to the FBI, never went any further than your desk.” Bitterness crept into Brick’s voice. “It was you all along, sending us out to find the guidance system for you. So you could turn against the US for a buck.”

“
I warned you to watch your back.”

“Don’t do this
. Not against your own country.”

“
Mr. Yi is at Johnny Vega's penthouse right now waiting for the plans. Look buddy, the North Koreans won't use the guidance system, they could send a missile to Alaska right now, but they don't. The long range guidance system will just give them more power at the negotiating table. And if I can make a few dollars on the deal, why not?”

“
You're betraying your country. No matter what you tell yourself, that's what you're doing.”

“
Brick you're an idealist. Your family’s rich. You’ve never had to worry about how you were going to pay your bills. Never had to face your kids and tell them there wasn't enough money.”

“
Don't use your kids as an excuse. I know your kids. They deserve better than that.”

“
Shut up!” Don stepped closer. “I didn't want you involved in this, but I didn't have a choice. Blame Kelly. If she hadn't stolen Johnny’s flash drive, none of this would be happening.”

“
Yeah, you could’ve sold it and no one would have been the wiser. How many other copies were you going to make and sell?” Brick hissed.

“
With one impulsive act the bitch nearly destroyed all my years of planning.” Don said. “I had to find her. Then I got an idea. You used to be engaged to her sister. I knew when you saw Kelly hurt and in trouble you wouldn’t leave her. You’d do anything to help her. That’s the kind of guard dog you are.”

Kelly
gasped.

“
Just like a dog on the hunt, you didn't stop until you found the drive. Thanks. I couldn’t have found it without you. You're good, but you’ve always been too damned trusting.” Don laughed.

“
And Ted Simmons was he a good and trusting agent?”

“
Ted was a hell of a nice guy. Too bad he stumbled onto information he wasn’t supposed to have. I couldn't let him live. I'd come too far. I was too close to succeeding.”

“
You bastard!” Brick said through tightened teeth.

“
I didn't kill him. He did.” Don pointed to Nickels, dead on the floor.

“
That makes it okay. Your hands are clean?”

His boss shrugged
.

“
You had my house ransacked and nearly killed Amanda,” Kelly shouted.

H
e looked as if he’d forgotten she was there.

“
None of this is personal. I only did what I had to do,” he said.

“
So here we are, just a couple of buddies, trying to get by?” Brick’s blue eyes darkened to sapphire and then narrowed.

“
I'm going to get the plan one way or the other. You might as well give it to me now.” Don brought his gun back into firing position, again pointing it at Brick.

Kelly
rushed Don, hitting him with all her strength.

He knocked her to the floor a
s his weapon fired at Brick.

But she
had pushed him hard enough to put off his aim and he missed hitting Brick square in the chest. Instead, the bullet tore through his left shoulder. Blood gushed from it.

But b
efore Don could fire again, Brick tackled him. Intertwined, they rolled on the floor, a trail of Brick’s blood left in their wake.

S
he saw his pained expression and heard him moan. Still, he held onto Don with his left hand and punched him with his right. His strength had to be draining with every drop of blood he lost. How much longer could he hold on to Don?

If
Brick died, she’d be at Don's mercy. The room was silent except for the grunts of the two men. She watched them struggle as she waited for the breath Don had knocked out of her to return.

Don’s
nine-millimeter weapon was on the floor about ten feet in front of her. The men rolled toward the fireplace and away from the gun. Intent on their own battle, they paid no attention to her.

She
fought to breathe as she crawled toward the pistol.

The metal
felt cold in her hands. She looked up to see Don reach for a log, lying near the hearth. He hit Brick in the head. His eyes widened and then closed. Dead still, blood oozed from both his head wound and the bullet wound in his shoulder, a trail of red spilled onto the dusty oak floor.

With t
he log still in his hand, Don raised his arm to hit Brick again.

“
Stop or I'll shoot!” She pointed the nine millimeter pistol at him. The heavy weapon trembled in her hands.

The boss s
pun toward her, his arm still holding the log in the air. A smile formed on his thin lips. He took a step toward her.

“
Stop!” she yelled.

He
froze and his eyes scanned her.

The
weapon was her equalizer, but it was heavy. She fought to keep it level. Stockier than Brick and almost as tall as Brick's six foot three inches, she knew if Don got any closer, he’d grab her and wrestle the gun away from her. She wouldn't be able to stop him.

Their eyes met. A chill crawled slowly
down her spine. She tried to keep the fear she was feeling from showing in her expression.

He
shifted his position.

“
Take a step and it’ll be your last one.” Her voice sounded surprisingly strong. But her hands continued to shake. She aimed the gun at his chest.

“
You won't shoot me. You're a sweet kid. I know all about you. Killing’s not in your nature.” He smiled but the log he’d used to hit Brick was still high in his hand ready to strike her. “You don’t want to shoot me.”

“
A few days ago you'd have been right, but you’ve taught me to hate. I think of Ted and all the other hateful things you’ve done. And I learn quickly. I could kill you and not miss a heartbeat. So stay where you are.”

His
smile disappeared. “Brick needs you. He could bleed to death while we talk. Give me what I want and I’ll let you help him.”

Terrified
he might be telling the truth, she quickly glanced at Brick. He still hadn’t moved. Hate for his boss filled her.”On second thought Don, twitch, blink, raise an eyebrow, so I can shoot you!”

“
If he dies it will be your fault. You let him bleed to death.”

“
Shut up!” Her voice cracked. “Just shut the hell up!”

Watching his predatory eyes, she kept the gun pointed at
his heart. Still wearing Brick's jacket, with her left hand she felt into the jacket pocket. It was a relief to find his handcuffs were still there.

T
he ornately carved support beam that held up the library's loft caught her eye.

“
Move to the support beam.” She tilted her head in the direction of the post. “And put your arms around it.”

Don didn't move
, didn’t even twitch.

“
Walk to the damned beam. Do it. Or I'll shoot you where you stand.”

His eyes widened
and then he slowly took a step toward the beam. When he stood near it he stopped.

“
Put you arms around the beam.”

“
Make me.” His expression hardened.

“
I’ll shoot you.”

“
Kelly, there's no damn way I’m going to do that.” He grinned. “And you’re not going to shot me. Give me the gun or I’ll break your arm and take it.”

H
er muscles cried out in pain from holding the gun in front of her. She fought to stop her hands from quivering. He spoke the truth. She’d never shot a gun before. Could her first shot be one that killed a man, even one as despicable Don? If she didn’t, she and Brick would die.

“
The gun’s getting heavy Kelly. I can see you won’t be able to hold it much longer.”

Damn
him. He was smiling again.

Brick
moaned.

Thank God.
He was alive. She forced her eyes to remain on Don though more than anything she wanted to take a quick look at Brick.

“
He needs your help. Give me the gun and you can go to him.”

For
half a second she glanced at Brick and Don lunged for her. She pulled the trigger. Don dropped to his knees, a look of astonishment on his face.