Buried With You

Chapter Twenty One

Tim and Lucy stepped out of the elevator, they had successfully made it to the penthouse floor. There was one final door they needed to go through before all hell broke loose. Lucy was tense, every muscle in her body was on edge. She reached for the keycard Wisco had programmed for the room. She had to admit their plan was good, not perfect though. Danger and death were imminent, she just hoped it wouldn't be Tim or herself.

A warm hand grabbed her wrist before she unlocked the door. "Lucy," Tim's eyes were full of hesitation and concern. "Please be careful in there. I need you to be at your best and focused on yourself, not me." He was whispering but Lucy could still hear his voice catch. "If I tell you to get out you go, without any hesitation, do you understand?"

"Wha- Tim, n-"

"You will not argue with me on this, I'm your superior and you will do as I say." He sounded harsher now.

"Tim, I can't leave you." Lucy had finally been able to express some of her feelings towards him, she couldn't lose him now... not that she ever could.

"I need you to be okay, Luce." Tim leaned down and put his forehead to hers. "I need you to tell me that you'll get out when I tell you to."

Lucy sighed. "Only if you promise that you'll be right behind me." She then leaned up and kissed him. It was quick but she couldn't resist. "Now, we need to go in otherwise we'll ruin everything."

Tim nodded, he then slipped the keycard out of her hand and maneuvered in front of her. He gave her the look he always did when they were going into something dangerous. The one that looked stern and serious but told her that he would have her back no matter what.

Lucy watched as Tim readied his weapon then he slid the card and opened the door.

Their element of surprise only benefited them for a couple of seconds. Fortunately, it was enough time for Tim to ram the back of his gun into one of the men's temples knocking him unconscious. There were four other men in the room. Lucy dodged a punch directed towards her temple and fired a shot into a man's knee. He fell to the ground where she elbowed him in the temple, knocking him out cold. Lucy picked up his gun, looked around, and aimed at a guard who was raising his gun at Tim.

Tim was in a physical fight with the biggest guard. He was holding managing well but he hadn't noticed the man behind him. Lucy raised the two guns and shot two bullets, one hitting the man in his right shoulder and the other in his abdomen. Tim turned just then and elbowed the guy in the temple. He shot a quick glance at Lucy and then returned to his fight with the large guard.

Lucy's eyes scanned the room trying to find the remaining bodyguard. She spun around just to be met with the barrel of a gun. There was a grunt behind her followed by a thud. She could only hope the body hadn't been Tim's.

"Stop." The man aiming at her face bellowed. "Throw your guns to the side, now." He didn't yell but his voice was strong and commanding, similar to Tim's"

Lucy felt her heart leap when she heard Tim speak from behind her. "Okay, okay. Just don't shoot her."

No! Lucy thought. Tim couldn't put his gun down, that would definitely lead to their deaths. She heard him throw his gun to the side.

"Very good." The man in front of her smirked. "Now, I'd love to kill you quick and easy but I have some questions I need answered first." The man kept his gun focused on Lucy while he handed some zip cuffs to Tim. "The girl first, then yourself."

Tim did as he was told, he moved towards Lucy and gently rubbed her wrist reassuringly, he then placed the cuffs on and tightened them just enough to look like she was restrained but loose enough that she could get out if needed. Lucy's eyes found a wall clock to her right, they had three minutes to knock this guy out before the others arrived.

"Now." The man coughed. "Who do you work for? My employer has many enemies, I'm sure he would love to know which one failed at crippling his operation."

Lucy thought for a second, they could reveal Hajek as their "boss", possibly putting him out of commission. That would however cause who knows how many casualties. She took a deep breath. "We're independent hires. We're not told how hires us, just what they want us to do."

"Oh, is that so?" The man cocked his head at the same time he cocked his gun. "I don't think I believe you but I'll play along. What were you going to do with Madris?"

Lucy steadied her breath and attempted Sava's level of sass when she responded. "Who said we wanted something to do with your mucus? That's nasty."

"Oh, you think you're funny." The man was starting to get aggravated. "I can be funny too, want to see?" He shifted his stance, clearly intending to hit her. Lucy saw her chance, she flung her foot out aiming for the man's groin, he went down swiftly accidentally shooting his weapon which clipped her left ear. Lucy whirled around to check on Tim, thankfully he was fine.

"I-" Tim stuttered. "I'm amazed that somehow worked." He then sprung into action skidding off his zip cuffs and putting them on the guard.

Lucy slipped off her own cuffs and put them on the man she'd shot in the knee. "There doesn't seem to be any more guards, they probably would have run out with all the commotion we made."

"I'll check just to be sure." He handed her their burner phone. "Contact Lopez, and confirm our location and room number." He then slipped down the hall.

Lucy sent the text before smashing the phone and throwing it out a window. If Lyon or Wisco found a phone on them their deaths would be quick.

Tim returned a minute later with a short mousy-looking man in tow. "Sava, I'd like you to meet Leonard Madris."