Page 48 of Hell Yes
For once, Avery Hellion nodded and didn’t sass her father back. Avery was a smart woman. She knew the risks and with her being so far along in her pregnancy, no way could she move fast like she’d need to if things went fubar.
“All right, then. Load up with as many weapons as you can. Let’s go.”
They entered the bunker and loaded up with earpiece comms, bulletproof vests, night vision goggles, face coverings, helmets, guns, and whatever else they could get their hands on. Once they were ready, Xander felt the weight of Jesse’s stare on him as they headed down the dark stairwell to the bowels of the bunker.
The closer they got to the entrance to the tunnel system, the louder the echoes of voices and what Xander presumed was gunfire.
Gage stood at the entrance and signaled at them – two in each tunnel.
Jesse grabbed Xander’s arm just before they were about to go in. They stared at each other but with the goggles on, Xander couldn’t read Jesse’s expression. But if Jesse’s tight grip was any indication, Xander understood and nodded.
For the first time in all his years with the club, Xander’s fear reared up.
Until Jesse muttered. “We got this.”
They sure as fuck did.
With the night vision goggles, they could see clearly enough, and they made their way down slowly, and as quietly as they could, listening for gunfire or voices. Xander heard what sounded like a low-pitched voice and signaled for Jesse to stop.
Xander’s earpiece crackled in his ear.
“Sonny’s here. We got bodies at the exit of tunnel one, nine of them. Sonny said that he didn’t see any other Krypt crew head into the second tunnel,” Gage announced. “Jesse, Xander do you copy?”
“Copy,” Jesse whispered. “Nothing here so far, but Xander just picked up on something. We’re heading down to investigate.”
They continued stalking down the tunnel towards the exit, but the only thing they spotted was the occasional mouse, and the drip of water.
Until Xander smelled something. Something he easily recognized.
He held up his hand and Jesse stopped short.
“Someone was smoking,” Xander whispered. “There’s someone in here.”
He tapped on his earpiece. “Is any of our crew in tunnel two?”
There was a moment of silence until Gage responded.
“No.”
“Sonny might be wrong. I think we got some rats down here. Big ones. We got this.”
Xander motioned to keep going as he and Jesse raised their guns, ready to fire.
Unlike the first tunnel, this one wasn’t a straight line, there were lots of curves and bends. Xander couldn’t see around the next corner yet. A few steps closer and he peered around.
Three Krypt crew. Shit.
He quickly shifted into view, aimed, and fired his automatic rifle. The cluster of rounds was so loud, magnified in the enclosed space, almost deafening.
There was return fire, but Jesse joined him.
Two guys dropped and one turned and ran towards the exit. Jesse got in front of Xander and together, they headed down further, guns still drawn in case the bodies on the ground were playing possum. Jesse ran up and checked each guy, then he turned to Xander and shook his head.
Xander tapped his earpiece. “Two guys down, one on the run. We’re going after them. Unless Sonny can intercept on the other side.”
“Copy. Stay on it.”
Xander kept moving but noticed Jesse wasn’t right behind him. He whirled around and Jesse was leaning up against the tunnel wall, shaking his head and holding his left arm.