Beautiful Vengeance
Page 24
Kiyomi kept her expression impassive even as revulsion twisted her insides. She was done, and her time was almost up anyway. “You’ve now been exposed for the true monster you are. I know what you planned to do with me. And before they take you away, I have just one more thing to say to you.”
She held that eerie green stare, a ripple of power surging through her. She would never be a victim again. This woman would never inflict damage on anyone else, Kiyomi and the others would make certain of it. “I would have killed myself before allowing it to happen.”
She had a moment’s satisfaction when her barb hit home, a flash of anger in that fixated stare. Then she turned and walked away without another word. Behind her the steel slot locked into place and the guards hurried to catch up. They escorted her back to the front of the building and watched her leave.
Marcus got out of the Range Rover as she approached, his expression full of concern. “All right?”
“Yes.” She was breathing faster than normal, a little shaky. She gave him a careful, one-armed hug, took a moment to close her eyes and rest her cheek on his chest while he curled around her.
Almost over. You’re almost there. “I need to talk to the others for a few minutes. I’m going to go with them.”
“Sure. I’ll follow you.”
Trinity waited beside a white, unmarked delivery van. “All okay?”
“Yes. Marcus is gonna follow us.” She climbed into the side door and found the others all inside.
Chloe was behind the wheel. Megan and Amber both had laptops open. Eden, Briar and even Georgia were all gathered behind them, watching the screens.
“Good to go?” Chloe asked. Upon confirmation she started the engine and drove out of the secure parking lot.
Kiyomi settled herself between Trinity and Eden, now watching the laptop screens. Megan’s showed a secret feed patched into the cameras posted at the highly guarded loading zone beneath the building where prisoners were transported in and out of the facility. Amber’s showed something else entirely.
“Here she comes,” Megan murmured.
On screen, a trio of heavily armed guards accepted transfer of Jane and took her to the back of an armored van. They opened it, put her inside, and the feed on Amber’s laptop began.
Amber glanced at them all. “You ready?”
Everyone nodded.
“Then let’s do this,” Kiyomi said, and held her right hand out.
The others all followed suit, stacking their hands on top of hers. She smiled at her sisters. It was time for Valkyrie-style vengeance.
JANELLE KEPT HER expression impassive as the guards climbed into the rear of the armored van with her and shut the doors, hiding a smug smile at the perfection of the moment.
She hadn’t expected Kiyomi to be there today. It had been surprisingly upsetting. The sheer arrogance of her, coming to gloat at seeing Janelle behind bars, and then lobbing that final insult in her face before walking away.
Kiyomi might think she would have killed herself rather than submit to Janelle’s plans, but it was impossible for an unconscious person to have a choice about anything. Janelle had every intention of keeping her drugged around the clock to get what she wanted, and now she wanted Kiyomi worse than ever.
She folded her hands in her lap. Rycroft and the other intelligence idiots thought they were sending her to a secure MI6 facility, but they’d underestimated her once again. They hadn’t stopped her by hauling her in. They’d merely delayed the inevitable.
She had dreams to fulfill. Important dreams, and nothing was going to stop her from getting what she wanted. She always won in the end.
One of the guards came over to kneel in front of her and unlock the chain holding the wrist of her uninjured arm and feet together. As it slid off with a clatter, he immediately removed her wrist and ankle cuffs.
She flexed her sore wrist, anger seething inside her. Every single person who had been involved in her wounding and brief incarceration would die.
“You know where to go?” she asked the guard seated across from her.
“We’ll transfer vehicles after we drop you off at the safehouse,” her man said. “Then we’ll go after the cargo.”
Kiyomi. “Take Laidlaw as well. I want him alive.” So she could torture him for a while and then kill him in front of Kiyomi.
The little bitch might be necessary for Janelle’s plans to work, but she still deserved to suffer for her part in all of this. That final insult at the facility wouldn’t go unanswered, and the same went for her nieces and the rest of the Valkyries. She’d made them what they were—they would be nothing without her. Ungrateful bitches.
She stretched her spine, letting out a sigh. She was tired, yet energized at the thought of what was to come. Closing her eyes, she let herself slide into a doze.
Her eyes shot open sometime later as she flew off the bench seat when the van suddenly lurched to the right. She barely managed to spin in time so that her back hit the opposite bench instead of her face.
Snarling at the shock of pain in her shoulder, she scrambled to her feet, grabbing for the hook in the wall used to secure restraints to steady herself. The van wheeled left, jolted hard and then seemed to slow, bumping over the road now.
“What the hell? Did that idiot hit something?” she snapped, unable to see outside because there were no windows back here.
But the two men in the back couldn’t answer her. They were sprawled on the floor, eyes closed.
Alarm jumped inside her. She knelt and quickly checked one man’s carotid pulse. It was weak, and growing slower every second. She glanced at the other, knowing he’d be the same. They’d been drugged, and likely the driver too.
The van continued moving, bumping along the road, the slight grinding sound beneath the tires suggesting they were now traveling over gravel.
Dread coiled like a snake in the pit of her stomach.
She shot to her feet and whipped around to face the rear door. The only way out was with a series of keys. Cursing, unsure what the hell was happening but knowing it was bad, she snatched a ring of keys from one dying guard’s belt and quickly began shoving them into the locks.
Nothing fit.
She grabbed the other guard’s keys and tried. Nothing worked.
Stumbling back a step, she glanced around quickly, looking for a way out. Of course, there was only the door.
Facing it, she ordered herself to calm down. Whatever shit was happening, they weren’t going to get her. She would not let them win, she would escape and call on her remaining loyal followers to—
One of the guard’s radios crackled to life. She jerked taut, staring at it in dawning horror as the familiar strains of a classical piece of classical music began to fill the silent interior. She recognized it instantly.
Ride of the Valkyries.
Her stomach pitched. Her skin crawled. No.
She whirled around in sudden comprehension, a wave of terror breaking over her. But she couldn’t see a camera. Even though she knew they were watching her. The surviving Valkyries. Including Kiyomi and her nieces.
With a cry of denial and rage, she reared back and slammed the sole of her sandaled foot into the steel doors. A sharp pain ripped through it as bone fractured. She yelled, staggering back with her weight now on her other foot.
Both guards were armed. She dove for the first weapon she could get to, wrenched it from the holster and faced the door. Fired repeatedly at the lock. The concussion of each shot ricocheted through her head, the deafening noise splitting her ears in the enclosed metal box.
The rounds rebounded, two hitting her in the legs. One in the stomach. She pitched forward, gritted her teeth as she rose to her knees and kept firing, determined to break through the doors standing between her and freedom. Refusing to accept that she was helpless while they watched and laughed on the other side of the camera.
A scream of rage burst from her as she emptied the clip into the steel in front of her.
&n
bsp; It can’t end like this.
She was too important. Her work was too critical—it was going to change the world.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kiyomi was barely aware of the way Trinity was squeezing her hand as all of them stared at Amber’s laptop, riveted to the action on screen as their teamwork paid off before their eyes. Amber had remotely disabled the security escort vehicles, leaving them stranded a safe distance away from the transport van holding Jane.
The microcamera in the back of it gave them a perfect view of the interior. The cocktail of drugs in the coffee all three of Jane’s men had consumed prior to departure had taken effect at exactly the time it was supposed to.
A thrill of triumph coursed through Kiyomi when the music started. Trinity had suggested it, and they’d all agreed it was way too fitting not to include in this operation.
Jane’s face went slack with shock. Then the most satisfying expression of terror contorted her features as she recognized the significance of what it meant.
Kiyomi narrowed her eyes. “We are the choosers of the slain,” she said, heart racing as the woman freaked out and began trying to shoot her way out. Karma literally bit her, her own bullets striking her. “Loyal Unto Death, bitch.”
A resounding cheer rose up from the others.
Jane fell to her knees, struggled upright and screamed as she kept firing.
“My turn,” Chloe said, eyes gleaming with an almost fanatical excitement, chomping away on her gum as she pulled a detonator from her pocket. “I went old school for this, red button and all. Thought it was fitting.” She held it out, glancing around at them all. “Who’s gonna do the honors?”
“Has to be Amber and Megan,” Eden said.
“And Kiyomi,” Trinity added, squeezing Kiyomi’s hand. “This is their kill.”
Kiyomi looked at Amber and Megan, who both nodded at her. As one, they each put a finger on the button. “On three?”
They nodded. “One,” Amber said, Jane still screaming. She was out of ammo now, punching and kicking at the doors. No one would hear her. Amber’s secret little device had remotely driven the van onto a country road out in the middle of nowhere.
“Two,” said Megan, her face set.
“Three,” Kiyomi finished.
They pressed the button together. Amber’s screen went blank, but Megan’s feed from a small drone Amber was operating showed the van as it erupted into a ball of fire.
No one spoke. The only sound in the interior was the crackle of the now burning van.
“That was more humane than she deserved,” Megan finally said.
“But we got our justice,” Kiyomi said. “Valkyrie justice.”
Trinity put her arm around her waist and leaned her head on Kiyomi’s good shoulder. Megan and Amber mirrored the posture. Then Eden and Chloe, and Briar and Georgia.
“So…it’s over,” Chloe murmured, and Kiyomi wasn’t sure if she sounded disappointed or disbelieving.
“It’s over,” Trinity confirmed, smiling even though her voice was rough.
Kiyomi’s throat thickened. She swallowed, blinked against the sudden sting of tears, and glanced around. It was so sudden. So hard to believe. “You guys…”
Megan’s face crumpled. She dissolved into tears and reached for Kiyomi, careful to avoid her bandaged shoulder as she drew her into a gentle hug.
“Gah, now I’m crying too,” Eden said with a soggy laugh. “I hate crying.”
Tears rolled down Kiyomi’s cheeks. More arms engulfed her. It still hurt even though everyone was being careful of her, but she didn’t care.
The Architect was dead. Jane was no longer a threat to any of them. People within her circle had either been exposed or soon would be. She would never hurt anyone ever again.
Everyone was crying, even Briar and Georgia. Kiyomi might not know them well, but it didn’t matter. They shared a bond that was unlike any other. They were sisters.
“I love you guys,” Kiyomi said through her tears, wishing she had the use of both arms to engulf these incredible women.
Someone sobbed. She couldn’t tell who, but suddenly she was the center of the group hug, and she was swarmed by Valkyries.
“Watch her shoulder,” Eden said.
“And don’t squeeze Trin,” warned Briar.
“I’m okay,” Kiyomi gasped out, trying to catch her breath. She didn’t even know what she was feeling, but the physical pain was way off in the background. Right now there was only elation. Relief. Shock.
Hope.
A watery laugh escaped her. “Oh my God, we’re finally free.”
“Free,” Trinity whispered in awe, kissing the top of Kiyomi’s head.
It was too incredible to contemplate. Where did they even start?
They all jumped when someone knocked on the side of the van. Everyone scrambled apart, looking embarrassed at being caught unawares.
“Jeez, how sad is that, for someone to catch eight lethal assassins off guard?” Chloe muttered, climbing back up front to get behind the wheel. “Oh, it’s just Marcus.”
Kiyomi reached over to unlock the door and slide it open. Marcus’s scowl disappeared the instant he saw her. “What the hell? What’s wrong?” he demanded, reaching for her.
She stopped him from dragging her out of the van, laughing softly as she wiped the heel of her hand over her wet cheeks. “Nothing’s wrong. Not anymore.” She smiled up at him, dizzy with love and relief. “It’s over.”
His brows drew tighter together. “Why, what—”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Even as she said it, Trinity’s cell phone went off. She answered, and from the comical look on her face, Kiyomi knew it was Rycroft. “Alex, hang on.” She put him on speaker as he ranted.
“—the hell are you right now? MI6 just called to tell me the escort vehicles all stalled and now the transport van just blew up. Are you guys all okay?”
Trinity’s dark blue eyes were full of mirth, and she looked like she was having trouble fighting back a laugh as she answered. “We’re great. But I think Jane had an accident.”
****
Kiyomi waited to tell Marcus what they’d done until they were halfway back to Stow in the Range Rover. He shot her a sharp look as she finished, his expression a mix of alarm and pride. “So you’re all wanted women again,” he said in a hollow tone.
“No. There’s no way they can trace it back to us. Even if they could, they can’t prove anything. The UK and US authorities wouldn’t dare put us on trial. Not with the secret shit we can rain down on our government.”
His jaw worked as he drove. “When did the lot of you dream this up?”
“While you were in the shower this morning.”
“Good Christ, woman,” he groaned. “You’ll be the death of me yet.”
“Nope. All that’s behind us now. Rycroft’s pretty mad, not gonna lie, but Trinity’s handling it.”
He shook his head. “How in the hell did you pull all that off with only a few hours’ prep?”
She blinked at him. “Because we’re Valkyries.”
A laugh burst out of him, and the deep, happy sound made her smile. “Aye. You sure as hell are.”
She reached her hand across for his left one, twining their fingers together. “I couldn’t tell you. It was better for you, safer, if you didn’t know anything about it. In case anyone questions you now, you can plead ignorance.”
“Aye,” he said with a pointed, sidelong look, “because you know I would have tried to put a stop to it.”
“Well, that too.”
He let out a deep breath. “So everyone got to do their part, is that it?”
“It was a thing of beauty—teamwork at its finest. Trin was team leader, of course. Briar and Georgia did the recon and provided security while the other parts happened. Amber took care of the camera, remote driving and other tech stuff. Megan broke into the van and installed everything. Eden poisoned the guards, and Chloe planted the bomb.”
“I got to press the button with Amber and Megan.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Makes a man wonder if he should sleep with one eye open next to you.”
She leaned across the console to nuzzle the side of his neck. “Nah. You’re safe with me. Promise.”
He’d taken a different route back, choosing quieter roads and avoiding Stow altogether. As they crested a hill, Laidlaw Hall came into view nestled in the valley below. “Oh, God, I’m so glad to be back,” she whispered.
Marcus smiled. “You really love it, don’t you?”
She hummed in affirmation. “Almost as much as I love you.”
He glanced at her, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I’m chuffed you feel that way. I want it to be your home too.”
Her heart skipped a beat, then went into double time. Until an hour ago she hadn’t let herself consider a future with Marcus, because it had been too dangerous for him. Now, with a single op, everything had changed. “You mean it? You want me to stay?”
He frowned as if he’d thought that should have been obvious. “’Course I do. I love you.”
She bit her lower lip, unsure if she was going to burst from happiness or start crying. “Marcus…”
“What? It’s true.” He glanced at her again. “Will you stay?”
The others were all scattering after this. It was time for everyone to move forward with their lives. She would miss them, because they were her family. But Marcus was her future.
Her throat thickened. “Yes. I’d love to make a life here with you.”
A wide smile spread across his face. Lifting her hand, he kissed the back of it. “Good. Then that’s that.”
Reaching the front gate, he turned into the long driveway. The stone gatehouse was dark and empty. Megan and Ty would never live there again. But the manor stood at the top of the drive, a few of its front windows glowing with warm light.