Page 97 of Target Acquired
“It’s definitely a large heat source,” Cowboy said. “And it’s moving. I’d be willing to place my bets on it being him.”
“How’s he walking across the ceiling like that?” Kenzie murmured. “He must have laid down some kind of flooring.”
“Well, he’s headed toward the back of the building, so that means we are too. Keep him in sight and let’s see where he comes out.”
With the warehouse ceiling being one big open area, following him wasn’t hard.
Until he disappeared. “Northwest corner,” Cole said. “We believe he has some kind of exit.”
“Negative,” James said. “He’s not out here.”
Cole scanned the ceiling and the area where the man disappeared. “We’ve lost eyes on him. Any progress on the explosives?”
“Bomb squad is now inside the room. Hostages are secured but not out of the build—We got him. Suspect is running!”
“Back door!” Cole’s shout propelled the team out of the building, and Cole spotted the man heading for the loading dock. “He’s got a boat docked there! Cut him off.”
Law enforcement closed in. The man turned, rifle held at his waist.
“Put the gun down! Put it down now!” The shouts echoed.
The man hesitated, then lowered the weapon to the ground. “Don’t shoot. I don’t want to die.” He straightened and held his hands away from his body. He’d removed his mask and Cole blinked. The guy was seventy if he was a day.
“On the ground, face down!”
Cole and the others stopped, then lowered their own weapons while the officers cuffed the guy, then hauled him to his feet. Beside him, Kenzie let out a low breath. “Well, that ended well.”
A sharp crack echoed and the suspect jerked, blood flowed from the wound in his forehead, then he hit the ground.
“Sniper!” Kenzie’s shout sent people running for cover. “McClane? Was that you?”
“Negative! Searching for him now.”
Officers dragged the body of the man behind a vehicle. Then a loud explosion rocked the earth and they all went to their knees.
Cole spun to see the side of the warehouse blown out—the side where the office window had been. But the rest seemed to be still in one piece. “Hostage situation update?”
“All hostages safely extracted. Looking for the sniper now.”
He looked back to see officers hovering over the suspect. “Check his pocket for a cell phone! Someone find the shooter!”
“When he went down, he detonated it somehow,” Kenzie said. “Didn’t he?”
“Yeah.” Cole shook his head. “Or the sniper did.”
“I’m going to grab my kit and see if anyone is hurt.”
“Cross, any wounded?”
“None reported as of the moment,” James said.
Kenzie nodded and took off for her bag anyway.
Cole looked at the others. “Find this guy.”
For the next thirty minutes, they joined in the search while two choppers roared overhead and law enforcement swarmed the area.
Finally Cole radioed the team. “He’s gone. Let’s round up and get our reports done.” The others would keep searching, of course, but Cole was quite sure the guy was long gone.