Page 5 of Knox

He recovers fast, grabbing a branch from the ground.

I duck the swing and drive my shoulder into him.

We hit the ground, grappling in the dirt.

He knees my ribs, and—Ouch!

“Lift those hips, Knox!” Damián claps twice, just like our MMA coach, Holden, does.

I lift my hips, deepening my grip on him, but Iacob is so fucking fast that he manages to get away from me.

He scrambles for the rifle, but I stop him with another kick.

He goes for a chokehold.

I counter with an elbow to his ribs.

“This is so freaking intense!” Leif goes wild next to his twin.

I let Iacob go and use the edge of a concrete pillar to vault over him, landing next to the weapon.

I grab the stock, turn, shoot Iacob in the chest, and everyone goes quiet.

Out of nowhere, Björn runs to me, lifts my hand, and roars toward the cops, “Are you not entertained?”

“Yeahhhh!” Both cops and Harknetts scream and cheer.

“Leif, get the hostage,” I order, and he runs inside.

Iacob laughs as he comes over and offers me his hand.

“That was incredible.”

“I can say the same, Iacob.” I shake his hand. “Great form you’ve got there.”

Damián walks over and pats Iacob’s back. “Don’t feel bad, Chief. Did we annihilate your team? Sí… but you guys lasted longer than most of the cartels we run into.”

“I'll take that, and thanks so much for doing this favor, Damián.”

“Are you kidding? Björn is talking about making this into a yearly thing.”

“Thanks to all of you,” I tell the forty-plus cops who are covered in red and now gathering around us. “It was fun doing this simulation raid with you, and I gotta say, you guys are a tough team to beat.”

“Thanks, Knox!” “Thanks, Harknett!” They clap and cheer.

“Oh, my Gods! Look at this treasure!” Leif bursts out of the bunker holding a life-size cardboard cutout of Chief Iacob, one of those PR cutouts they put in cities.

And he looks happier than ever.

“Found the hostage!” Leif says.

Iacob turns to Leif and stares at the cutout, then at his cops. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“I want it!” Björn runs to his brother, and they both fight over who is more deserving of it.

Damián shakes his head. “Sorry, Iacob, that thing will probably be put in the conference room or the fika room.”

“Burn it whenever you get the chance,” the Chief says, and I laugh.