Page 28 of Target Acquired
“Stay put,” Cole said. “Don’t take any chances. King, stay with Buzz and Greene. Butler, Cross. Clear the back.”
As long as her medical expertise was needed, she wouldn’t be clearing warehouses. And she was fine with that. Now that she knew the guys had the warehouse covered, Kenzie hurried back to Buzz. She knelt next to him, and he moved his hand so she could get a look. Blood seeped but wasn’t spurting. She checked for an exit wound and sighed. “Sorry to tell you this, but you’ve got a bullet in there.”
“So get it out.”
“I think we’ll let the surgeon handle that.”
He huffed. “Just give me a knife and some tweezers.”
“As if. Magic Man has the medical supplies, so this is going to be a bit of temporary battlefield medicine I’m practicing here.”
“Nothing I haven’t been through before.”
She knew the big man had done two tours in Afghanistan. “Well, it’s not necessary for now.” She grabbed her kit and dug inside for gauze and tape. She wrapped the wound, then patted his shoulder. “Stay put for a sec.”
The gunfire had stopped, but no one had found the kid in the building. Or any other hostages. Or a hostage taker. And why had the bullets come from outside the warehouse? All those thoughts raced through her mind while she transferred her attention to Greene. “You gotta work on your bullet-dodging skills,” she said.
“Yep.” Otis, resting in the down position at Greene’s side, looked up, then licked the man’s hand. Greene scratched the dog’s ears. “I’m all right, old man.” But his clenched jaw and narrow-eyed gaze told her the pain he was in. He met Kenzie’s gaze. “Really. I’m good. Like I said, it got my vest. Took my breath away and stings a bit, but I’m not hit otherwise.”
Thank God. “Otis?” She ran her hands over the dog’s torso that was also covered in a bulletproof vest. “How are you, boy?”
“I checked him. He’s good too.” Greene’s voice was an octave lower and, for a moment, unfiltered gratitude shone at her.
“Okay.” She gave the dog an ear scratch and a light pat. He rewarded her with a swipe of his tongue up her cheek. “Then you two hang tight.”
“Yep.”
With the triage finished and no one in immediate danger of bleeding out, she scurried over to Cole. “Greene will be good. He’ll have a bruise where the bullet got him in the vest. Buzz is going to need surgery, but it’s nothing life-threatening. Otis is uninjured.”
“Good. Stay with them until we find the kid . . . and whoever else might be in here, but keep your eyes peeled and your weapon handy.”
“Got it.”
He moved toward Butler and Cross. “Come on out, kid. You’re not in trouble. We’re here to help.”
Kenzie strained to see while James used a Maglite to light the way, sweeping the beam left, then right. James’ hand rested on Cole’s left shoulder and Butler’s hand would be on James’. Silent communication. A tap, a squeeze, or pulling a team member out of danger. All possible with that hand.
Movement just beyond a stack of wooden pallets captured her attention. The guys saw it too. “Come on out!” James’ order cut through the silence. “Hold your hands up so we can see them!”
A young boy, maybe twelve or thirteen, stepped from behind the crate, hands up. “P-please, don’t shoot me. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I-I’m sorry. He told me to do it. He said it was a training exercise. I didn’t think it was real. He paid me and said you knew about it.”
The kid babbled while Kenzie listened and exchanged frowns with Greene and Buzz. The kid’s words registered. Someone had paid him to toss a hand grenade at the team?
COLE STOOD TO THE SIDE while James patted the kid down. All he found was a hundred-dollar bill, corroborating the payment story. Thankfully, no more grenades. “What’s your name, son?” Cole asked, taking the money from James.
“Micah Martin.”
“Anyone else in here?”
“N-no, it’s just me.”
James walked away speaking into his radio, reporting the situation, while Cole nodded to Butler. “Make sure? And find out what’s going on with our shooter across the street.”
“On it.”
“Come on over here. Let’s sit for a minute and have a chat.”
He led the boy to a pile of stacked crates and motioned for him to sit. Micah did and Cole squatted in front of him, registering the sound of chopper blades beating the air above the building. Kenzie was still off to the side with Buzz and Greene. “Okay, Micah, I need you to be honest with me no matter how scared you are, okay?”