Enemy in the Dark by Jay Allan Read Free Book Online

What the hell are you doing to my ship?”
    He suppressed a laugh. “Just what I had to do, Sam.” She’d still been wearing her costume from the op when he picked her up, and he tried to imagine her down in the Claw’ s tiny engineering space, shoving the layers of silk out of the way as she worked at her familiar controls. Now that ’ s a scene I wish I could capture on camera.
    â€œJust hold her together, Sam. The others are in deep shit, and we’ve got to pluck them off the roof. Drop the field if you have to, but I need full engine power.”
    â€œNo problem. I’ll just sprinkle some fairy dust on it, Lucas.” Sam was very protective of the ship and its systems—and she was pissed. Lucas was sure she realized he’d had no choice, and he knew for a fact she was just as concerned about the others. But that didn’t stop her from getting mad at him all the same when he was too hard on the Claw . They all loved the ship; itwas their home. But Lucas knew it was Sam’s baby, and she protected it like a mama carnasoid.
    â€œLet’s go, boss. The way to the stairs is open.”
    Blackhawk nodded with a smile. It ’ s open because you hosed the whole area down with 12 mm rounds . Looking at the shattered wreckage of the casino floor, he remembered what a force of nature the Twins truly were in battle.
    â€œAll right, everybody, let’s get the hell out of here.” Blackhawk took a deep breath and hauled Aragona with him.
    â€œI can carry him, boss.” Tarnan stood next to Blackhawk, reaching out his arms. “You look tired.”
    Blackhawk almost laughed. “Yeah, Tarn, I’m pretty fucking tired.” The giant reached over and plucked Aragona from Blackhawk, throwing the Castillan over his shoulder like a rag doll.
    They ran to the stairs and raced up to the fifth floor, ducking back as a burst of automatic fire shattered the glass wall and raked the landing just outside the stairwell.
    â€œFuck. There are at least a dozen guards out there, and they’re not firing those little popguns they had downstairs.” Blackhawk turned back, looking toward the rest of his crew. They all had assault rifles now, courtesy of the Twins.
    â€œWe don’t have time for a firefight, Ark.” Ace was looking all around. “What do you have in those sacks, Tarq?” He’d just noticed the small bags hanging from the Twins’ shoulders.
    â€œThey’re flashers, sir. We got a dozen in each bag.”
    Ace turned toward Blackhawk. “What do you think? Throw a dozen stunners out there and charge?” He stared at Blackhawk for a few seconds. “I don’t see any other options.”
    Blackhawk took a deep breath and nodded. It was a desperate plan, but Ace was right. They didn’t have time. More guardswould be coming any minute, and if they screwed around long enough, they’d have Castillan army units on their asses too.
    â€œLet’s do it.” He turned back toward the crew. “Everybody take two. We throw on my command, and then we charge ahead, firing full. Got it?”
    They all nodded, and the Twins handed out the grenades. Blackhawk reached back and took two himself.
    â€œOkay, one right after the other . . . then charge.” He took a deep breath. “Now!”
    He pulled the pin on the first grenade and threw it out onto the terrace beyond, followed immediately by the second one. Then he lunged forward, firing his assault rifle on full auto as he ran through the shattered picture window and out into the cold Castillan night.

CHAPTER 3
    THE EXPLOSIONS LIT THE INKY BLACK SKY, EACH BLAST BRIEFLY turning the moonless night to day. The valley was filled with fire, the growing conflagration of war destroying everything in its path, leaving nothing but charred ruins to attest that men had once lived amid these rolling hills and gentle plains. The battle had been raging for weeks now, without