Free Face to Face by CJ Lyons Page A

sounds in the room the whoosh of the respiratory therapist pumping air into Mary's chest and the steady rhythm of the cardiac monitor. Cassie stared at the man almost twice her size, felt his anger coil into a tight fist. "Help me help her."
    Slowly his eyes refocused and he nodded. Cassie turned back, her team knowing what to do, all hands feverishly working to save the little girl who'd already been through Hell.
    In the end, when they'd lost Mary, the Lieutenant vomited into the scrub sink.
    The gunfire in the alley increased, snapping Cassie back to the present. The barrage of noise made Cassie curl her body over Baby Jane's even tighter. Then, sudden silence. The smell of gunpowder mingled with the other odors of the Stackhouse. The heat and humidity added weight to the stink, clogging Cassie's lungs.
    "We want the girl!" a man shouted.
    Cassie risked a glance beyond the threshold. Tagger had crawled under the van, now riddled with bullet holes, while Tony had positioned himself with the engine block between himself and the GG's car.
    "C'mon out, Athena! You know what we want!"
    Athena. They were after Athena. What could a pregnant teen have that the Gangstas were willing to kill for?
    Gunfire erupted from above as Tagger made his move and jumped into the van. Whatever Athena had, the Rippers were also willing to kill for. Or they were pissed at the outsiders trespassing on their turf. Or maybe it was simply too damn hot and target practice made them feel better. 
    Whatever the hell it was, Cassie wasn't about to wait around to see. Tagger pushed open the rear van door and beckoned her. Tony fired at the Rippers above, providing cover. Cassie hauled in a breath and ran for it, crouching low to the ground, body between Baby Jane and the bullets.
    Sirens screamed in the distance, but neither the Rippers nor the Gangstas seemed to care. Tagger slammed the door as soon as Cassie cleared it. Tony jumped into the driver's seat and gunned the engine. In reverse. "Hang on!"
    Athena lay motionless on the floor, blood seeping from between her legs. Cassie clutched the baby tight with one hand and tried to hold on to Athena with the other. Tagger's one arm dangled useless, tears of pain streaking his face, but he didn't make a noise as he grabbed the inside door handle. 
    "Were you hit?" Cassie asked, reaching for his arm. There was no blood, but it was obviously broken.
    He shook his head. "Fell."
    Tony finished reversing then rammed the gearshift into drive and took off, tires peeling, aiming directly at the Gangsta's BMW blocking their way.
    The windshield cracked as bullets hit it, but the BMW's driver must have cared more for his car than stopping them because at the last possible moment he tore off down the street, one tire bumping over the curve as the van clipped his rear bumper. 
    The van took the corner too fast. Cassie's stomach lurched into freefall, the floor and ceiling tilted as the van's wheels left the ground, then bumped back down to earth. 
    "Next stop, Three Rivers," Tony shouted.
    His only answer was the gurgle of Baby Jane's cry. 

 
     
    Chapter 10
     
    When they returned to the House, Jimmy took all of Drake's notes and sequestered himself in the interview room, his favorite hideout when he needed to get work done—leaving Drake to field the routine stuff, including a phone call from Monica Burns asking him what brand of locks to buy. 
    After half an hour fending off her inane questions and hints at meeting outside of work, he finally referred her to Tony Spanos' security company, hoping maybe she'd transfer her attention to the ex-cop. He was still pissed at Spanos for the scene with Hart this morning at the Liberty Center, figured he owed Spanos a little payback.
    Just as Drake was seriously considering leaving early, Jimmy returned. "Think I got a line on your stalker." 
    Drake looked up, made sure no one was within listening distance. Everyone was out, seeking solace by grabbing any case that