But Ainsworth simply smiled. “You had promise, Brody. Real promise. I’m just sorry you never learned what being a true teammate really meant. Maybe someday.”
He began moving backward. Not toward the ladder, but toward the roof’s shallow ledge. Slow, purposeful steps that brought him closer and closer to escape. Only…
There’s no way down from there. He’ll have to jump.
Understanding struck in an instant. Ainsworth wasn’t trying to escape. Not anymore. Men like him didn’t want to be caught. Guys like that would rather die than go to prison.
Which meant…
“Don’t do it, Michael! Don’t you fucking do it!”
“Nice knowing you, Brody. While I have to admit, I hadn’t planned on her surviving, I think you learned the lesson I was hoping for all the same. Keep watching out for that lady of yours. You never know what other enemies may come knocking.”
Everything happened at once.
Ainsworth climbed up on the ledge. Brody and the others sprinted towards him, their shouted orders to get down filling the breezy night air. Ainsworth lifted a foot off the ledge.
He raised his gun. Started to point it in Brody’s direction. Brody and the team opened fire, and the man who’d trained him to be the best damn SEAL he could be…fell.
Son of a…
Brody and the others closed the distance between them and the ledge. They all looked over and saw exactly what they expected.
Master Chief Michael Ainsworth. Former decorated Navy SEAL and leader of SEAL Team 1. Dead on a broken sidewalk in one of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago.
“Damn.” Cade stared down at the dead man. “I really didn’t think he’d do it.”
“I knew he would.” Brody turned away and headed back from where they came. “He wasn’t going to prison. Not Ainsworth.”
“Did you know he had cancer?” Christian asked as he stepped in line beside him.
“Not a clue. But I haven’t talked to the guy in forever, so…”
Jagger snorted. “Yeah, doesn’t sound like he was the type to have you over for Sunday tea.”
“No, but the cancer makes sense.” Brody approached the window. “I’m sure we’ll find out once they do an autopsy, but if he was sick…if the guywasterminal…that may be what spurred him on in his plot for revenge.”
“How so?” Cade followed him through the window.
“Probably wanted to get his payback before he died.”
“I can buy that.” Christian agreed. “Plus you saw the way he was at the end. One foot off the ledge. He was going off that roof whether we shot him off or he jumped.”
“I think you’re right.” Brody hurried down the stairs to get back to Ro. “But I think, there at the end, he didn’t have the guts to jump.”
“That’s why he raised his gun,” Cade agreed. “Suicide by cop. Well…not cops. But you know what I mean.”
Yeah, Brody did know. He also knew Ro’s nightmare was over. This part of it, anyway. The rest would depend on how well she recovered from the trauma of being kidnapped, beaten, and stuffed in a goddamn trunk and left to die.
She did die. For at least a few minutes, Ro was no longer with him. And that was a memory Brody knew he would never, ever forget.
He made his way into the room where she still lay. Only now, she was on a gurney, and about to be wheeled out into the ambulance.
“Wait!” He ran to her side.
Foggy blue eyes fluttered open and lifted to his. “B-Brody.”
“I’m here.” He took her hand and kissed her lips. “I’m right here.”