“Guess they figured out I’m not with them anymore.” A bullet hit the phone on Casey’s desk, shattering it into bits of plastic.

“You think?” Max stated sarcastically.

“Shit.” KC aimed and fired at one of the Bandits who had gotten brave and was attempting to get closer. He fell to the floor, a bullet hole through his gut. “Never could stand that son of a bitch!”

And everyone thinks I’m the crazy one, Max thought.

Two more tried to get closer, but he and KC both fired, making them retreat.

“I have to get out of here before the cops get here.”

KC had been the only one smart enough to put a bandana across the lower portion of his face.

Max used his foot to slide Casey’s chair closer. “Cover me.”

Max waited a second for KC to begin firing a spray of bullets before standing and picking the chair up, smashing it through the bullet-ridden window to the outside.

“Get your ass out of here!” Max shouted, dropping back down behind the desk.

“I’m not going to leave you!”

“Go! I’m going to be right behind you,” Max lied.

KC didn’t argue, taking a flying leap out of the window. Max saw him hightail it across the parking lot.

The cop lying on the floor next to him groaned in pain, regaining consciousness.

“Lay still.” Max pulled him closer to his side, seeing X trying to crawl through the bank to get closer. Two others were coming at him from different directions.

“Motherfucker!” Max fired at the one who was almost on him then shot again to make sure he wouldn’t be getting up. Nothing happened; he was out of bullets. Reaching down, he slid the knife he had in his boot out. If he was going to die, he was going to take at least one more with him.

The sound of crunching glass had him jerking around to see Ice, Buzzard, and Stump coming through the window.

Ice handed him a gun then took another from behind his back.

“Where’s Jackal and Fade?”

“They made it to the back of the bank with Casey. Everyone else managed to get to a room at the side of the bank,” Max quickly filled them in.

“I’m going to kick your ass for this, Max.”

“No shit,” Max answered, finally getting a bullet in X’s shoulder, but it didn’t stop him. At least he was backing off to try a different tactic.

The sound of the police bullhorn from the outside heralded the first time that Max could remember he was glad the cops had arrived.

“How are we going to let them know we’re not the ones who started this crap-fest?” Buzzard looked at Ice for the answer that would keep them alive.

Ice took his cell phone out of his pocket. “Never thought the day would come that I’d have to call the cops to explain myself,” Ice said ruefully, making the call.

Max listened as Ice told the dispatcher that Max had come into the bank and seen the robbery in progress then taken defensive action.

Max knew the dispatcher was questioning Ice about the cop lying on the floor when Ice’s cold gaze flickered to the unconscious man.

Max answered his unspoken question. “He’s alive.”

Ice relayed the information. “We’re not putting our guns down. Your men can come in the side window. We’ll cover them. Lady, if we put our weapons down, we’ll be dead before they can get their asses in position.” Ice released a frustrated breath before hanging up. “Not only are we in a standoff with the Bandits, but thanks to you, Max, we’re in one with the cops.”

“Could be worse,” Max said, shooting another round off.

“How the fuck could it be worse!” Ice snapped.

“I could be dead.” Max gave his president a shit-eating grin. “We’ve been wanting to give these pussies the treatment for a while. Now’s our opportunity.”

“I don’t mind killing the fuckers. I just didn’t want to do it with the cops at our back. One of these days, I’m going to kick your ass, Max,” Ice threatened.

“Can you do it later? I have four fuckers after it now. X is pissed off I put a stop to his withdrawal.”

Max leaned to the side of the desk, trying to find someone to shoot as the Bandits had all found hiding spots and were lying low. The constant blaring from the police outside was getting on his nerves.

“I’m going to go outside and shove that bullhorn up his ass if he doesn’t shut up.” Max shot someone’s foot that was peeping out from behind an overturned bench.

He smiled evilly when a loud scream filled the lobby.

“He won’t be doing any running anytime soon.” Buzzard laughed, shooting at the bench.

“Let’s get this shit-fest over.” Lifting his gun, Ice fired a round into the glass partition between Casey’s office and the one beside it. “Get ready. Stump, you go through there. You should be able to hit the one behind the teller’s desk. I’m going after X. Buzz, you take the one behind the bench. He might not be able to run, but he can still shoot.”

“What do you want me to do?” Max asked.

“I want you to get him out of here. The cops won’t shoot at you if you’re carrying one of their own.”

“I’m not going to miss taking X out.”

“Do what I tell you to do.” Ice’s sharp voice let Max know he didn’t want his orders questioned. “If he dies, the cops will have us all up on charges. None of us can carry him. He’s almost as big as you. Try not to get him shot on the way out.”

“Then make fucking sure you watch my back.” Max crawled closer to the downed officer, readying himself.

As Ice rose, preparing to rain hellfire at the Bandits, Max handed him his gun back. He wasn’t stupid enough to go outside with a gun in his hand, even with a cop hanging on his shoulder.

“Go!” Ice yelled. “And break that fucking bullhorn.”

Chapter 22

Casey felt herself lifted off the floor and placed on a gurney. Her head turned to the side to see Jackal and Fade talking to a police officer. The EMT pushed the gurney through the vault door and out into the bank where the lobby and the surrounding offices had been destroyed. Casey tried to rise to her elbows to see the devastation.

“Miss, you need to lie back. We’ll have you in the ambulance in a few minutes.”

“I don’t want to go to the hospital. I’m fine. Where’s Max? Is he okay?” Her hoarse voice came out as a strangled whisper.

“I’m here,” Max spoke from the head of the gurney.

“What happened?” Casey couldn’t miss the coroner’s van as they loaded a body inside.

“You don’t want us to take you to the hospital?” one EMT asked.

“No, I told you I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt.” Casey managed to make her voice sound firmer.

“At least let us check you out.”

She suffered through being checked out, and they placed a small bandage on her cheek where the leader had struck her. There was an ugly bruise on the side of her neck, but they confirmed that she was fine.

After she signed a release, Max helped her out of the ambulance. Casey opened the bottled water the EMT had given her, drinking it thirstily. It soothed the raw ache in her throat.