Page 4 of Until the End

“What’s the Sentry?” Bravo asked.

“I’ll tell you when I see you in hell,” Jasper said. “The bottom line is Kit was right.”

“Speaking of the lovely Kit, I’d hoped she’d join us. Where is she?”

Tension rocketed through Kit’s chest.

“Why?” Jasper sucked in a shuddering breath. “Why do you want Kit?”

“She’s a loose end,” Bravo said. “Tell me where Kit is, or I put a bullet in your groin.”

Two minutes ago, Kit wanted to be rid of Jasper so badly, she’d tasted the hatred. And the animosity was mutual. Now Jasper had to choose between giving her up or suffering a painful death.

No contest. She was screwed.

“Quick and painless. Or slow and agonizing. The way you die is your choice, Jasper.”

“Kit wanted to stay as far away from you guys as possible.” Jasper’s voice was shaky but had never sounded stronger. “I’m glad she doesn’t know what Tim and Lincoln did.”

Bravo pointed the gun at Jasper’s crotch. “Where is she?”

“At the loft,” Jasper said, “waiting for us to finish this job.”

She stifled a sob of regret for not giving Jasper more credit. Maybe this nightmare could’ve been avoided if she’d been able to talk the team out of working for these evil SOBs.

“Charlie, go to their apartment,” Bravo said. “Take care of her and make sure none of these whiz kids left any traces leading back to us. We’ll clean up here.”

The tall one with dark hair nodded, his back still turned to her. “On it.” He disappeared from her sight. The click of the front door shutting followed.

“She was always smarter than me,” Jasper said. “Told me you guys were a disaster waiting to happen, but I never would’ve guessed you were terrorists.”

What had the Outliers been working on? What were these men so desperate to cover up that they’d kill a bunch of hackers rather than pay for silence?

“This is your last warning.” Bravo pressed the muzzle of the silenced gun to Jasper’s temple. “Be quiet, and finish the code for the scheduled broadcast of the video.”

“You’re going to kill people,” Jasper said, “with some Z-1984 shit—”

A pop split the air of the compact space like a thunderclap. Blood sprayed from the opposite side of Jasper’s head.

Kit slapped a palm over her mouth to kill the scream that nearly burst from her dry throat.

“No!” one of the guys gasped.

Jasper collapsed on his keyboard, his eyes cold and lifeless. Blood trickled down the side of his ghost-white face.

Bravo snagged Jasper’s collar and tossed his limp body out of the chair.

Her stomach convulsed. She wanted to vomit but locked her lips, straining to stay quiet.

“Delta, get him up,” Bravo said, gesturing to Tim.

A bearded man yanked hard on the back of Tim’s Trekkie For Life T-shirt, forcing one of Kit’s best friends up onto his feet. Tim’s eyes were wide with terror.

Delta shoved Tim toward Jasper’s workstation.

In twenty feet and ten seconds, she and the hallway would be in their direct eyeline.

Dread uncoiled in Kit’s chest. She scrambled backward and groped behind her for the door handle to the mainframe room.