Page 85 of Her Ruthless Protector

“Shit, now they’re firing into the audience,” Ed said.

“They always were,” Aiden O’Malley bit out.

“For God’s sake, we have at least five wounded down here,” Gray yelled. “Get the goddamn shooter.”

Kane still couldn’t see anything, the glare was too bright. The men on the VIP roof continued to shoot out the stadium lights. The good news was that no shots were coming from the two big stadium lights directly over the stage.

“I’ve got the gun in my sights,” Raiden said. “There’s no shooter, it’s remote-controlled.”

“Dex,” Max’s voice was clear and calm through Kane’s receiver. “Is that what you’re seeing as well?”

“Yes, I’m just seeing the gun. I’m trying to get off a shot to jam the mechanism, but there’s too much plating around it.”

“They just did maintenance on them last night,” Kane said to no one in particular. He was thinking a million miles a minute.

“Leo, watch the stage area, I’ve got to get Chet.” Kane said.

“A.J. did you hear me? I need Chet.”

“Chet’s with Leo.” A.J. said.

Kane’s gaze shot to the other side of the stage. Motherfucker. He wasn’t with Leo, he was on the stage. He was smack dab in the middle of the shit, trying to help one of the injured acrobats.

“Chet!” he yelled.

“Get down,” Leo yelled at everyone at the ten second interval.

A bullet hit Chet. He was spun around as he hit the stage.

“Leo, I need to leave. I think I can find the controllers to the guns.”

“Where are they?” Max demanded over Kane’s receiver.

“A.J. has to help. Chet’s injured.”

Kane turned to find her backstage and practically ran into her as she appeared before him in the wings. “What do you need?” she asked. Her eyes darted to the stage for just an instant. He saw the flare of panic and pain, but then she forced her attention back to him. Her determination was clear.

“Where is the control room? The one that Chet took the lighting guy to the other night, for the stadium lights?”

A.J. bit her lip. “There’s two. There’s one for the overall stadium, and one for events. I’m not sure which one the lights would be considered, and I don’t know where Chet took him. One’s on one side of the stadium, the other is beneath the stage.”

“Let’s check out the one here first,” he said.

Kane heard the same spaced-apart shots. Of course, they were computer-operated. How in the hell hadn’t he realized within the first sixty seconds? A.J. was already running across the backstage towards the stairs, her long legs easily eating up the ground.

He couldn’t quite make out what she was saying. She was whispering. Muttering. Finally, it was clear.

“Left? Right? Fuck. Think.”

He caught her and pulled her arm when they got to the bottom of the stairs.

“It’s okay,” he said. The last thing anybody needed was for someone to panic.

“I’ve only been to the events control room once.” Her eyes were blazing as she wrenched out of his hold. She pointed down the narrow hall. “I’m almost one hundred percent sure it’s this way. The stadium room is over on the other side below the VIP stands, but it’s on the underground level. It’s a maze down there. I can’t give directions over the comm.” He could see her frustration.

“It’s okay, Cullen will figure it out, won’t you Cullen?” Kane asked.

“On it. Who’s with me?” Cullen asked.