Page 111 of Tango

The fire responders were using the battering ram on the door.

Tango was licking Gator’s face.

Jay was still on the ground, but looking at Ethan as the smoke billowed up the stairs.

“I won’t let you burn,” Ethan called out as he kicked the door shut to buy them more time.

As soon as the fire responders burst through the door, Ethan gave them a quick rundown of what he thought had happened to Gator and Jay and what was happening upstairs. He hadn’t seen Jack. He had no idea what was going on.

Ethan shifted Piper in his arms. “I’m taking her to my truck, and I’m heading to the hospital.”

In his head, Ethan thought he’d beat the other drug cases in, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be in line with the normal heart attacks and stabbings. It was a full moon.

As soon as they reached the parking lot, Ethan’s comms crackled in his ear.

“Iniquus comms, this is Ethan Osbourne. Do you read me?” He called toward Tango.

“Iniquus comms, we have Tango on our board. Can you update us on the situation at Harcourt Alabaster?”

Ethan told her everything he knew from the point where the drones were in the air, the comms were down, the doors were locked, and the champagne was drugged.

At his truck, he leaned forward, trapping Piper between his chest and the door so he could fish out his keys and unlock the door.

“Two gurneys are going in. One must be for Gator,” he called toward Tango.

Iniquus read off the hospital that Gator was going to. “We suggest you follow behind.”

“Wilco. Should I sign off?”

“We’ll monitor this channel. If you need anything, speak up.”

Ethan climbed into the truck, positioning Piper as best he could. Tango jumped in and sat on the passenger floorboard, but she rested her chin on Piper’s chest and stayed vigilant. “Good girl, Tango.” Ethan fired up his engine and shifted into gear as they loaded Gator into the back of the ambulance, his massive boots hanging over the end of the gurney.

“Osbourne, Gator’s ambulance is pulling out now. I’m behind them. Over.”

“Copy.”

“Ma’am, I wonder if you could do me a favor. I have Dr. Piper Phillips with me. She’s unresponsive. I think she’d want to have family at the hospital. She lives in the same apartment as a woman named Chanti Gupta. Is there any way someone could contact her? Over.”

“I have it. I’ll reach out to her with the details about the hospital.”

“Thank you.”

“Strike Force will meet you at Emergency. Ares, Cerberus Team Bravo, is coming to take control of Tango.”

“Someone told Creed and Auralia about Gator?”

“Immediately, sir. They’re on their way.”

He felt Piper stirring beside him. “Piper lay still. We’re on the way to the hospital.”

“Poison,” she whispered. “Antidote.”

“I’ll take good care of you,” Ethan said, his hand on her heart. “I promise.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Piper