Page 36 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
J.J. ripped away from Renee’s arms. “J.J., get back here.”
“No, I want to stay with Uncle Trev.” J.J. curled up under Trev’s arm, his small arms wrapping around his stomach.
“J.J., Uncle Trev is injured,” Cody tried to reason. The kid only buried his head.
Trev held up his hand to stop him as Cody stood to grab J.J. “He’s fine. We’ll all be fine as long as Arek doesn’t blow us all up as he exterminates whoever that is. Just get me a gun and go make sure he doesn’t shoot the house down.”
Arek picked that moment to march into the bathroom, and it was Renee that swore first. His sister’s expression said it all as she took in her fiancé. Arek looked like he just stepped out of the Terminator movie. His face was painted in black stripes while an assortment of guns and knives hung off his body, his eyes wild. “Here.” Arek held out a gun to Trev.
“Where are they?”
“Your office for now. Delilah had the police dispatched to the other side of town to buy us time.” They shared a brotherly moment to which only they seemed to be privy.
“We’ll be fine. I have a lot of enemies as an attorney. We can spin this if they show up. Just maybe don’t greet them looking like that.” Arek smirked at the jab. “Don’t die out there.”
“Keep them safe.”
“With my life.”
Arek turned that death glare on Cody. “Let’s get you ready. I plan on making sure no one walks out of here alive.” He stomped back out of the room.
Trev grabbed his arm before he could stand. “Stay safe.”
He nodded, and Trev let go. Jumping up, he closed the bathroom door and made his way over to Arek who was holding out equipment for him to put on.
“Is this a normal Friday for you guys?”
“Only since I met your family,” Arek shot back, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.
“You worry me, Arek.”
“I know, I like it that way. Now put this on.” He held out a bulletproof vest and a sleek-looking band with the same eyepiece as on the helmets. As soon as he was suited up, Arek handed him enough weapons to take out the whole block. “Alright, let’s party.”
“We need to work on your definition of party.” Cody shook his head as he followed Arek out the bedroom door. The closer they drew to the stairs, the easier it was to hear them talking. “What are they looking for?” Cody asked as something crashed that sounded a lot like a desk being flipped over.
“Not sure. Delilah, give me a visual of the office.”
The screen flashed, and suddenly, Cody was staring at the office in real-time from a camera that was obviously hidden. He had to wonder just how many other cameras were hidden in this place. The morning in the gym flashed through his mind.
“Those are more of Alejandro’s men.” Arek looked back at him. “Did you miss one?”
“Don’t look at me. I made sure every last one of the Streetlores in the warehouse was dead,” Cody whispered. “Wait, that guy, the one that just walked into the room. That looks like the guy Trev said was the one harassing Sally.”
“He’s after the money and drugs to take over the number one spot. Fucking hydras. Delilah, how many are around the house?”
“There are four hostiles outside and six on the lower level,” the AI responded.
“No need for stealth. Shoot first, ask questions later.” He opened his mouth to ask what exactly that meant when Arek sprinted down the stairs, guns blazing.
I guess that answers that question.
Cody gave chase and reached the bottom stairs, having to step over a body just as the house plummeted into darkness. The lense turned to night vision without him asking, and once more, he marveled over the tech. A man came bursting through the splintered and off the hinges front door, white shirt under his fancy suit practically glowing. Cody fired as the guy reached out for the railing to the stairs, and the front of the shirt was suddenly not so white.
“Shit.” He dove behind the hallway wall as a bullet smacked a little too close for comfort beside him. Drywall dust and bits of wood coated him as more bullets flew in the front door.
“Delilah?” he whispered tentatively.
“Yes, Master Cody?”
