Free Hard Case V: Blood and Fear (A John Harding Novel Book 5) by Bernard Lee DeLeo

keep her alive so we didn’t have to deal with those nasty unintended consequences. I put my arm around Jafar. “You have my permission to be first at the door on either side. Would you like that?”
    Jafar vehemently shook his head. “I want you, Casey, and Lucas first in line.”
    “Lucas and Casey will have one side. You and I will have the other side, little brother. We will see the brave parakeet through this most dangerous endeavor, despite her questionable decisions.”
    That prompted a gasp from Samira, followed by a long cursing diatribe in Pashtu. I enjoyed it, but Jafar liked it even more as tears of laughter streamed down his cheeks, bent over at the waist. She was of course cursing me out. I understood Pashtu though, and reminded her of a duty one who loves has to a mate in Pashtu.
    “Only the fortunate sometimes journey through their lives with one beloved beyond all things. To discard such a gift without thought is a mortal sin, punishable beyond imagining.”
    That sobered my little parakeet to reality, with Jafar gripping her hand with both of his. “It is just so, my love. This is not a game, and everything will not always come out right.”
    Samira patted his hands. “Step up, Homey. We’re goin’ ta’ war, baby.”
    She nailed us good with that one, but she saved a final hug for Jafar, clinging tightly to him, tears running down her cheeks. “I know what loss is, my beloved. I will not lightly weigh my loss on you, but I must do this.”
    Jafar simply hugged her. “I know.”
    “Sorry to break this up, but we have a bad guy possibly holding onto much invaluable information. Let’s go introduce him to Lynn Light.”
    While we laughingly strode off the pier Samira glanced back at me as I followed. “Your proverb will not be forgotten. There will be blood.”
    I nodded meekly in agreement. Such is life in monster world. We sometimes deal with situations where killing and torture have no part. It’s an inexact science as a group leader. It was true what Jafar told his mate about our oddball group. We have the skills to react to any threat, but shit happens. When the BBC woman from my past and her asshole terrorist partner entered my home and took Lora and Al prisoner, only combat skill freed them. Lynn made their deaths legendary. Denny covered the act with a fatal car crash with the bodies burned beyond recognition. Luck played a part, but we do reduce the luck factor as much as humanly possible. I watched Jafar and Samira wrapped together as they walked along with some uneasiness. As Samira said when speaking of retaliation to my Pashtu reminder that there would be blood. When you care about someone, no matter what kind of skilled monster you are, there will also be fear.
    * * *
    We drove by the house Edoja and Azi shared. Not wanting a blood bath either in the house or on the street located in the Oakland hills, Laredo coordinated real time satellite imaging to Jafar in our ready van. I watched him closely as we passed the old house built on the steep slope of Lawlor Street. Jafar did not look happy with what he was seeing. At a glance, the only promising factors were the house had a ramshackle redwood fence shielding the front from the street, and the large gate did not have a lock on it.
    “You have your game face on, little brother. What’s the problem?”
    “I’m getting four heat signatures. Edoji is not alone.”
    Casey, networked in with Jafar, pointed out a few possibilities. “It still looks good, John. There are three in the back part of the house, on the lower floor. I see on the plans, a long staircase separates the two house floors. Lucas and I can take the lower part. We’ll approach alongside the house by that steep driveway. You and Jafar take the upper front where the porch is. The moment Samira gets a guy to the door, zap him, and throw a couple of flash-bangs down the staircase. Lucas and I will take it from there.”
    “I like it, Case, but we won’t have as much