Page 64 of Deadly Sins
“Bingo.”
He scanned the snowy entrance again, looking for something to blow up. But he was no explosives expert. Neither was Rog. And Steele had had days or even weeks to plan the mission and set up his fortifications.
He had to believe Steele would see them coming from literally a mile away.
“The place is nothing but a crushed tin can,” he muttered.
Rog snorted. “That’s about right.”
“Yeah, it is.” Fenn lowered the scope and grinned hard. “I think I’ve got just the right can opener.”
It was a crazy plan, but crazy was all they had left.
Time to make some noise.
He smacked the older man on the arm. “I have a plan. You up for riding shotgun?”
Rog’s eyes brightened behind his goggles. “I’ve had worse offers.”
Fenn rose, leading Rog back down the hill. The guys were lounging on their rigs, but they came to their feet.
Fenn held up a hand. “Listen up. I need you all to hang back here. Fan out, find whatever cover you can, and keep your eyes peeled.”
The men exchanged glances, visibly deflated. Lester stepped forward, his brow furrowed. “We came here to help rescue Kate, not just stand around and watch.”
Rog shook his head, his expression grave. “This Steele character is sneaky as anything. The man has no honor. He’ll use every dirty trick in the book to get what he wants. Capturing more hostages will only help his cause.”
Burl McCoy shifted uneasily, his snowsuit creaking. “What kind of tricks are we talking about?”
“Ambushes, booby traps, you name it,” Fenn said, his jaw tight. “Steele’s a trained operative. He knows how to exploit any weakness.”
“So what do we do?” one of the Barnsdales asked.
Fenn looked each man in the eye, his gaze intense. “You stay alert. You watch each other’s backs. And if you see anything, and I mean anything, you radio Rog immediately.”
Rog nodded, his voice low and urgent. “Fenn and I will move in closer, try to get a feel for what we’re up against. But we need you all to be our eyes and ears out here.”
The men nodded, their expressions now a mix of determination and apprehension.
Lester clapped Fenn on the shoulder, his grip firm. “We won’t let you down, dude. We’re here for you and Kate, whatever it takes.”
Gratitude tightened Fenn’s throat. “I know you are. Just don’t get dead, okay?” He pointed at Lester’s beefy rig. “All right if I borrow your ride?”
The shock on the other man’s face would have been priceless, if the situation weren’t so deadly serious. “Uh. Well. Yeah, okay. Sure.”
Fenn punched him in the arm. “Gracias, dude.” He put a leg over the machine and turned to Rog. “Let’s do this.”
Rog nodded, his hand already on his weapon. “Lead the way.”
Fenn started the engine. “Operation Snow White is a go.”
40
Kate lay on the cold,hard bed, her wrist chafed and sore from the handcuff binding her to the metal frame. The room was silent, save for the constant hum of the generator and the occasional gust of wind whistling through the cracks in the walls. She’d lost track of how long she’d been here, her exhaustion battling with the overwhelming sense of boredom and terror that gripped her heart.
Suddenly, a distant boom shattered the monotony, followed by a series of muffled crashes and the sound of something heavy smashing into…something upstairs.
She sat up, her heart pounding as she strained to make out the source of the commotion. Could it be the generator exploding?