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Nick drove into the garage and parked. The got out of the car and checked their pistols.
"How do you want to do it?" Selena asked.
"We have a couple of advantages. One is that they don't know we're here yet. We have a little time."
"You said a couple of advantages. What's the other one?"
"They can't be familiar with the building. They'll expect us to come up the regular way, either the stairs or the elevator from the lobby. They won't know about the service elevator. We'll use that to get to the loft."
Each floor of the building had one unit. Each unit had two separate means of access, although no one who didn't live there would know that. The front door was reached by the main elevator or staircase. In the back of each unit was a small service elevator, used mostly by catering services on special occasions. Inside the loft, the door to the elevator could be mistaken for a pantry or closet. The entrance to the service elevator was in the basement.
"And when we get there?"
He held up his pistol.
"That's when all that practice with these pays off. Makes me glad we installed the lasers. We can't mess around with these guys. I don't know how many there are, but we take them down. All of them. We can't give them a chance to respond."
"A lot could go wrong."
"I know. But I don't see what else we can do. Negotiation isn't going to work."
"What if they're holding the twins?"
Nick looked at her. "You can't think about that. Shoot past them. Shoot to kill."
"Oh, Nick."
"I know. Come on, let's go."
They entered the basement through a door in the garage, walked past the elevator and saw the body of the janitor.
Nick bent down and felt for a pulse. He looked up and shook his head.
"Bastards," Selena said. "His granddaughter was graduating from college next week."
They went to the other end of the building where the service elevator was located.
"When the door opens up there, we don't know where they'll be," Nick said. "With a little luck, they'll be all the way in the front and they might not hear us. If that's the way it turns out, we move front until we have a shot. Worst case, someone's there when we come out of the elevator. We take him out. It would be better if we can do it without noise. If not, do your best. We'll have to move fast. You ready?"
She nodded. Nick called for the elevator. The door opened, and they stepped in. Nick punched the button for their floor.
The elevator rose slowly toward the top of the building.