The Nullifier

by Erin M. Leaf

  “No shit. Nicked my lung, though,” Zero said, voice thready. “Clean through and through.”

  “Hmm.” Felix pressed a wad of towels to Zero’s injury. “You might live if you stop trying to talk.”

  “It was Quincy Edwards. Fucking little prick.” Zero coughed again. He looked even grayer now than he had just a few short minutes ago.

  Felix holstered his pistol and pulled out his phone. He dialed nine-one-one, but then Zero grabbed his arm. “No. Call Ariana.”

  “You have a fucking hole in your lung,” Felix protested, but he was already redialing.

  “He shot poor Jenna, and he and his goddamn loser friends decided to make a mess of my home before he left.” Zero squeezed Felix’s arm. “Promise me…” He broke off, wheezing.

  Felix gave terse instructions to Zero’s doctor friend. When he hung up, he nodded. “She’s on her way.”

  “Promise me,” Zero tried again.

  Felix pressed on Zero’s wound. “You know I’ll fucking kill him and his crew, Zero. Take it easy.”

  Zero’s expression eased. “Good.”

  “Is he all right?” Nick asked from the doorway.

  “The bullet got his lung.” Felix looked down at his friend. “Tough bastard probably twisted out of the way of the killing shot.”

  Zero smiled faintly.

  “Did he say who did it?” Nick asked.

  Felix looked at him. “You know who did it.”

  “How the fuck did he get past the security?” Nick sounded like a man on the edge of a killing rampage. “I make a living breaking into places like this, and it isn’t fucking easy.”

  “Hacked into my system,” Zero said. He sounded like he was drowning. “Brought a fucking army. Outnumbered three to one.”

  “Fucking shut up,” Felix said. Even his iron control couldn’t contain the rage welling up in his gut. “Shit.”

  Nick came closer. “You said she would be safe.”

  Zero’s face sagged. “Was wrong.” He looked away. “Sorry.”

  “You saw his security, Nick,” Felix said, low and angry. “You know Edwards had help. This isn’t Zero’s fault.”

  “I know that it’s not Zero’s fault. It’s mine for leaving her here. I should’ve kept her with me,” Nick bit out. “I should’ve stayed here with her.”

  “And then you would’ve died, too,” Felix pointed out. “Because Edwards brought help.” He glanced around. “A lot of help.”

  “We could’ve run,” Nick said.

  Felix inhaled, but didn’t speak. Nick’s point made sense in a rational world, but that’s not where they lived. If Edwards was willing to go this far to kill Jenna, he’d have gotten to her no matter what Nick did. And if Nick and his sister had run, then Felix would never have had the chance to make love with him. Frig it. I’m really losing it. He stared at Nick, wishing he could say something that would help.

  Nick let out a harsh laugh, clearly interpreting Felix’s frustration. “Yeah, whatever. Hindsight and all that.” He glanced at Zero, eyes dark. “Quincy and his fucking uncle need to die.”

  Zero gripped Felix’s hand tighter. “No. Mine.”

  “What the hell’s he talking about?” Nick asked, obviously short-tempered.

  Felix didn’t blame him. “He wants to kill the uncle.” He smiled grimly. “Zero doesn’t take kindly to betrayal, and the only way Quincy Edwards would be able to get his crew in here was if he had help.” He glanced around. “Expert fucking help, and that means the uncle. For some reason, Robert Edwards decided to fuck Zero and his operation all to hell.” He shook his head. “Stupid business decision, but that asshole isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.”

  “Bastard wanted me to work for him,” Zero croaked. “Always said no. I won’t be his lackey.” He coughed, then stared at Felix. “He’s mine to kill.”

  Nick eyed Zero, and then snorted. “Sure. If you live, dude.”

  Zero glared at him. Felix was surprised his friend had the strength to look so angry. But then again, he really is a tough bastard. And maybe that was Nick’s plan. Get him pissed enough to hang on.

  “Anyway, what the fuck was Robert Edwards doing helping his fucking nephew break in here, anyway? I thought he put out a hit on Quincy,” Nick pointed out. “Robert Edwards has no reason to help a guy he wanted dead.”

  “Robert Edwards probably figured that he’d win however it ended up. Either Quincy killed Zero and Jenna, or Zero killed Quincy. With any luck, they’d kill each other and he’d be free of both of them, and he’d be able to take over Zero’s business with a minimum of overhead. He doesn’t give a shit about anyone, so the goons he sent to help his nephew would be acceptable losses if they died.”

  “That’s fucked up,” Nick said, frowning.

  Felix shrugged. “No one ever said the Edwards family was nice.” He turned to Zero. “Do you know where the nephew went?”

  Zero coughed again. “Headed for your shack in the woods.”

  Felix raised his eyebrows. “And how did he find out about that place?” He already knew the answer.

  Zero smiled through his pain. “I sent them there, of course.”

  “Shit. We missed them?” Nick said, running a hand through his hair.

  “Mines,” Zero said, wheezing again.

  “Okay, enough talking,” Felix said, keeping pressure on his wound.

  “Mines. Oh, that’s delicious,” Nick murmured.

  Felix bit back a smile, and then a female voice called out. “Zero?”

  “In here,” Felix yelled.

  An older woman dressed in scrubs hurried into the room. Felix nodded, recognizing her from the pictures Zero had shown him over the years. Zero only let a very select few people into his close circle, and Felix tried to keep track of every one. Ariana had married one of Zero’s buddies from the military. A younger man with auburn hair followed her. He moved like someone trained in martial arts. Felix watched him carefully, but he didn’t seem to have any weapons. He looks like a younger, male version of Ariana. Zero never mentioned her son. He wondered if Zero had ever met him before.

  “Jesus, Zero,” Ariana slid a huge backpack off her shoulders. “Good thing I brought help. I’m going to need another set of hands to deal with this.”

  “It nicked his right lung. Zero says it’s a clean through and through, but I was afraid to move him to check,” Felix said, still pressing the towels on the wound. “I think the blood loss is more of a problem than the lung.”

  “It’s possible.” Ariana nodded curtly. “You did good, whoever you are. I’ll take it from here.” She eased her hands under Felix’s, and then jerked her head at her son as Felix sat back on his heels. “Julian, get the pressure bandage, the one with the petroleum jelly.” The younger man nodded, lips pressed together as he quickly unzipped the large backpack.

  “Go,” Zero said, flapping his hand weakly. “The trap is set, but you need to spring it.”

  Felix hesitated. He didn’t want to leave Zero here unprotected. He eyed Ariana’s son again. The guy looked like he could handle himself, but he was an unknown variable in an already volatile situation.

  “You can’t help me,” Ariana said, glancing up. “Also, I called my brother. He’s a cop. I don’t think you want to be here when he arrives.”

  “Fuck, Ariana. No cops here,” Zero said, trying to sit up.

  “Too late, my friend. He’s already on his way.” She put her hand flat on his chest and pushed him down. “No moving, Zero. You’ll do as I say until I’m sure you’re not going to die.”

  “The cops will keep you safe,” Felix said, impressed with the woman’s quick thinking. “No one will come around if they’re here.”

  “Fuck.” Zero coughed. “That’s the end of this place, then.” He closed his eyes.

  “Are we staying or going?” Nick demanded, hovering in the doorway.

  Felix sighed. “Get better, Zero.” He glanced at Ariana. “Will he end up at the hospital?”

&n
bsp; She nodded. “Most likely. I can stabilize him, but he’ll probably need surgery I can’t do here with this equipment.”

  Zero tried to protest again, but Felix shook his head. “Do as she says, Zero.” He stood up. “I’ll check back in with you later.”

  “What about my sister?” Nick asked in a low voice when Felix joined him. “I can’t leave her like this.”

  Felix glanced at Ariana. Her son was watching them. “You never saw us here, understand?” he said to the young man.

  The guy nodded, frowning. “I know when to keep my mouth shut.” He glanced at his mother. “I’ll take care of them.”

  Felix frowned at him, then turned to Nick. “Jenna Banner ran to Zero for help when she left her boyfriend. Zero did his best, but you can see what happened. The cops will take it from here.”

  Nick shook his head. “I’ve got to call my parents.”

  Felix grabbed his arms and shook him. “No. That is the worst possible thing to do, Nick. You don’t want to be anywhere around here when the cops come. You don’t want to have any clue that Jenna went to Zero.” He loosened his hold when he saw Nick wince. The bandage under his fingertips told him Nick’s wound was still tender. “And we have work to do,” he said, more softly.

  Nick’s expression went from grief, to anger, and then back again. “Yeah.” He swallowed, then took a deep breath, running a hand over his face. “Okay. You’re right.”

  Felix let go and stepped back. “Get your head in the game, Nick.” He headed out of the bedroom, careful not to disturb any of the mess. He avoided Jenna’s body, wishing she hadn’t had to die. After a last, tortured look at his sister, Nick followed him. When they reached the darkness of the warehouse, Nick finally spoke.

  “This is no fucking game, Felix. This is a hunt, and I’m not stopping until Quincy Edwards is nothing but a goddamn smear on the ground.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Nick swallowed down the horrible mix of grief and rage he felt about Jenna’s death as Felix drove back to the cabin. He wanted to scream and yell and break shit, but he knew that if they were going to catch Quincy, he needed to control himself.

  “Almost there,” Felix murmured.

  Nick fingered his blade. If he could, he planned on skinning the bastard who’d killed his sister. “What exactly did Zero mean about mines?” he asked, instead of grinding his teeth again. He had an inkling, but he wanted to hear what Felix had to say.

  “I have the entire forest around my cabin seeded with mines.” Felix glanced at him, then shrugged. “Military surplus.”

  “We should’ve just brought Jenna here,” Nick growled.

  Felix sighed. “Maybe. And maybe we would’ve died, too, along with her.” He glanced at Nick, face unreadable, then focused on the road again.

  “I thought you were some kind of super fucking assassin,” Nick said bitterly, glaring at the side of his head.

  “One against many is never good odds,” Felix replied. His voice was smooth and steady, and Nick felt his rage well up again. How could the man be so fucking calm after what happened?

  “Yet here we are,” he bit out, trying not to blame Felix for everything. He had no idea that Quincy’s uncle would help him penetrate Zero’s place, he reminded himself. He had no idea that Zero’s bunker was vulnerable. They showed you the security. You know it was damn near impenetrable. Talking himself down from the edge of rage wasn’t really working. He took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds, and then let it out again. He might know rationally that neither Felix nor Zero were to blame for Jenna’s death, but that didn’t seem to matter. He wanted to hurt someone. He wanted someone to pay. And admit it. Deep down, you blame yourself.

  “Yes. Here we are. And we’re going to fucking wipe the floor with them. I no longer give a shit about the odds. They shot my best friend. They killed your sister.” Felix’s hands gripped the steering wheel like a man driving on the edge of a cliff. The display of emotion, as subdued as it was, soothed Nick. He’d only known the man for a short time, but he knew that Felix wasn’t given to strong emotions. His career demanded steady nerves and detachment. Knowing that Felix wasn’t nearly as unemotional as he pretended to be calmed Nick considerably.

  Nick nodded. “Yeah. They did. So, what are we going to do about it?”

  Felix gave him a look. “You know exactly what we’re going to do about it. Edwards and his crew need to know that there are some people you just don’t fuck with.” Felix slowed the truck, then pulled into a clearing and cut the engine. “This is about a half a mile from the house. You good to go?”

  Nick looked at his lover. God help him, but he liked the cold calculation in Felix’s gaze. Despite his grief, his cock twitched. He’d fuck Felix right here and now, if only to affirm that they were still fucking alive, but they had a task to complete. Steely determination filled him in place of the rage. “Hell, yeah. I’m good to fucking go.” He slid his knife back into its sheath, then hefted the shotgun Felix had given him. “This is going to tear them to pieces, isn’t it?”

  Felix nodded. “It is.”

  “Good.” Nick opened the truck door and hopped lightly to the ground. He scanned their surroundings. Late afternoon sunlight glittered through the canopy like a goddamn Disney movie. Nick glared at a bird singing on a branch just overhead. “Which way?”

  Felix came around the front of the truck. “Follow me.”

  Ten minutes later, Felix paused, looking around. “Something’s not—”

  Boom.

  Nick tensed, every muscle in his body going into high alert as the sound of an explosion cut off Felix’s words. “One of your mines?”

  Felix nodded, eyes squinting through the trees. “This way. Follow me precisely.” He plunged off the trail and into the brush. Leaves shivered as he passed, but nothing rustled underfoot.

  Nick followed, putting his years of burglary to good use. He knew how to move around a forest quietly. He knew how to move everywhere quietly. When Felix stopped short, Nick halted, muscles quivering. Felix pointed. Nick tilted his head, then nodded when he saw blood and bone spattered on the ground. Five feet away lay the remains of an intruder. Some small part of him knew he should be freaking the fuck out—he wasn’t a killer, for fuck’s sake—but most of him felt weirdly pleased by the carnage. These assholes had a hand in killing his sister for no good reason. All she’d wanted was to get the hell away from Quincy, and that psycho fuck had decided to hunt her down.

  “This way to the house,” Felix murmured. “Stay close.”

  Nick nodded. “No problem.”

  Felix melted into the trees. When they emerged at the edge of the clearing where the cabin stood, Nick took a deep breath. They’d discovered three more tripped mines in the forest. Two of them had killed someone, but there was no way of knowing how many more men were here.

  Felix pointed to a large SUV parked in front of the steps. “If that’s their only vehicle, maybe three more guys, tops.”

  “Quincy pissed off the wrong guy,” Nick said, grimly satisfied. “Not too bright, is he?”

  “Indeed.” Felix smiled coldly. “He has no idea I’m involved in this.”

  Nick returned the smile, thinking of his sister. She didn’t deserve to die, but Quincy sure as fuck did. “Don’t kill him,” he told Felix.

  Felix pursed his lips.

  “He’s mine, Felix,” Nick hissed, leaning in. He grabbed his lover’s arm. Warmth seeped through the soft fabric into his palms. “He’s my fucking kill.”

  After a moment that stretched too long for Nick’s liking, Felix nodded, easing away from Nick’s grip. “He’s yours.”

  Nick inhaled, then let it out slowly. He didn’t want nerves and adrenaline to fuck this up. “They must be inside.” They’d done a quick survey of the perimeter, and they’d found no one, aside from the dead guys littering the forest floor.

  “You ready?”

  “Hell, yeah.” Nick snorted. “You have to ask?”

  Felix touc
hed his shoulder. “Don’t fucking die in there.”

  Nick put a hand over Felix’s, then leaned in for a quick, bruising kiss. “You too. We’ve got things to do, places to see.”

  Felix’s fierce grin warmed Nick down to his toes.

  ****

  “Clear,” Felix mouthed from the foot of the stairs. They’d checked the downstairs bathroom and laundry room and found nothing. The great room and kitchen were empty. That meant any intruders had to be in the loft. He pointed up, and Nick silently nodded, moving in front of him. Felix followed, somewhat concerned that they hadn’t found Edwards yet. Nick made short work of the stairs. When he reached the guest bedroom, he gestured to Felix.

  Felix nodded, knowing Nick wanted him on the other side of the door. He silently moved across the frame, and then slowly eased the door open. Nick crouched down, pointing the shotgun inside. When he shook his head, Felix nodded and headed inside, moving to the guest bathroom. Nothing. Even the shower-tub combination was clear. They headed back to the hall, and he stared at the closed master bedroom door. Edwards must be in there. Fucking coward, hiding from us.

  Nick pointed at it. Felix nodded again, and they mirrored their previous stance. When Felix slowly turned the doorknob and eased it open, the wood suddenly splintered right above his hand. He dropped to the floor, pleased to see Nick doing the same.

  “I know you’re out there! Come on in. I can’t wait to kill the bitch’s brother, too. I like to tie up all my loose ends,” Quincy Edwards yelled.

  Felix grimaced as the ringing in his ears slowly faded. Edwards’s voice didn’t sound quite right. “Drugs?” he mouthed at Nick.

  Nick nodded, then rolled his eyes.

  Yeah, yeah. I know it doesn’t matter, Felix thought. He counted down from three on his fingers, pleased that Nick was watching him closely so they could coordinate their entry, and then he rolled inside shooting.

  The hollow boom of the shotgun sounded, and Felix saw a shell hit the wooden floor just inches from his hand. Nick’s only got one more shot left, and then he has to reload. Felix squeezed off a few more shots as distraction as his gaze ranged the room. There! By the fucking window. He shot Edward’s shin. The asshole screamed and dropped to the floor. Felix rolled into a squat, gaze darting around the bedroom. He didn’t see any other men, but that didn’t mean someone wasn’t hiding in the bathroom. He looked at Nick, then pointed to the bathroom. The door was ajar.