Chapter 283 Chapter 283
“Here’s good.” Deacon didn’t wait for the vehicle to come to a complete stop before he opened the door and checked the street before hopping out. “Stay close.” He put his earpiece in and looked back at the two women in the van. Shaelan was already moving to open a case and was hanging up an IV bag. Turning his hat around backward, he looked around. Creed was in his bird form and sitting on the end of the fence, the streetlight shining down on him. “If you see that bird,” he motioned to him with his hand as he made eye contact with Giana, “swoop down in front of the van, get out of here, it means someone is coming.” He made sure she acknowledged and then closed the door quickly.
Deacon didn’t look back to watch the van leave, he just moved fast into the shadows of the buildings. He spotted Calum crouched down beside a garden shed near the fence that separated the properties. Bear was a few feet from him, trying to keep his large body out of the illumination of the streetlights.
He knew York was somewhere nearby but didn’t pause to pinpoint his location. That went for Nox as well. He may be an overbearing jerk to his sister, but he was good at his job.
Calum looked over at him and nodded his head. Deacon felt a flush of pride move through him. To have Calum, of all people telling him to lead on something like this when he was involved, was pure gratification. Calum had always had faith in him, even when he had none in himself.
He touched his earpiece, “moving to disable the cars and breach garage.” He turned the mic back off.
“At the back door.” Jesse’s whisper came over the comm.
“We’ll give you the go once we’re in.” Calum’s calm voice came through the earpiece.
Deacon stayed low and moved along the fence until he reached the edge of the driveway. He felt someone move up beside him. Inhaling their scent, he identified it to be Bear. When this was over, he really needed to make inquiries as to what clan Bear was from, because he knew it wasn’t any of the bear clans.
He pointed to the closest truck in the drive and felt Bear move away from him. With the tranq gun in his hand now, he kept it aimed toward the door of the house.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder twice, telling him either Nox or York would take this position and allow him to move to a closer vantage point.
Deacon moved along the fence and stayed low as he went past the garage door. Once he reached the steps to the front door, he hunkered down and kept his eyes on the part of the door where the frame and actual door connected.
He heard movement behind him but didn’t so much as blink. He would only have a split second to react if that door moved and that left no time to look away. Inhaling, he pegged Calum as he moved silently by him. In the year’s Deacon had known him, he’d aspired to learn how to move without sound as his large friend and mentor did. He’d managed it eventually, and was almost invisible and unheard, but could never get as good as Calum. Deacon had to wonder if it was because of Calum’s cat he was able to do it. Deacon’s animal was not sleek and graceful in any way.
“Vehicles disabled.” Nox reported.
Nodding to no one in particular, Deacon moved to the bottom step and went up them with a swift movement. Calum came up beside him. The other two from his team, Deacon knew would be at the garage door.
“Breaching in three.” York’s steady voice came through the earpiece.
“Two.”
Deacon straightened and aligned his body with the side of the door the handle was on.
“One. Now.”
Sucking in a breath, Deacon used all his strength and kicked the door right above the handle. Wood cracked under the force and Calum moved to brace the door open as Deacon raised the gun again. With a nod, he told Calum to go in. He followed right behind him, looking in whatever direction Calum wasn’t.
As Calum checked, then moved past an open doorway, Deacon moved up to replace him. A movement out of the corner of his eye was the only warning he had before he turned and blocked someone swinging something at his head from around the corner. Grasping the crutch from the man’s hand, he jerked it from the other man’s hand and shot him in the chest with a dart.
The only thing the guy had time to do was look down at the dart sticking out of his chest, then he slumped to the floor unconscious. How the hell strong were these darts Illias gave them?
Squatting down, Deacon checked his pulse, while keeping his eyes and gun pointed back into the entranceway. Bear came into the room. Deacon stood up. “Carry him out to Shaelan,” he motioned to his leg wrapped in bandages, “stay with him and tranq him again if he comes to.”
Bear nodded and moved behind him, making sure not to obstruct Deacon’s line of sight.