Cops had what was called the 21-Foot Rule, developed from a training drill that had a “suspect” charge an officer from inside that distance. That was close enough that in many cases the officer was unable to draw, aim accurately, and discharge his sidearm before the attacker reached him.

The leader’s pistol wasn’t holstered, but he had flung his arms out while he was yelling, so the Glock wasn’t pointed at Jake. The distance between them was only half of the distance involved in the 21-Foot Rule, as well. In that split second, Jake realized all that and allowed his instincts to take over. If he could get hold of the leader and take that gun away from him, then he’d have a hostage of his own. He didn’t know if that would make the others back off, but the guy seemed charismatic enough it was worth a try.

Jake lunged forward.

The guy saw him and tried to swing the gun toward him again, but Jake had already left his feet in a diving tackle.

Jake crashed into him. He was considerably bigger and heavier than the leader, so the impact drove the man off his feet and toppled him over backward. He landed hard, with Jake slamming down on top of him. Jake hoped it broke every one of the bastard’s ribs.

He made a grab for the wrist of the leader’s gun hand and closed his fingers around it. As Jake bore that hand toward the floor, he reached across his body and clamped his other hand on the 9mm’s slide so the man couldn’t fire it. Problem was, that meant both of Jake’s hands were occupied, so he couldn’t throw a punch. He drove his right elbow at the guy’s jaw, though, and connected solidly.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to knock him out, and even though Jake was bigger, the leader was wiry and strong. He brought a knee up sharply, aimed at Jake’s groin, but it caught him in the abdomen instead. Hurt like hell and knocked some of the wind out of him, but it didn’t incapacitate him as it might have if it had landed on its target.

Jake wrenched at the gun. The leader’s grip on it seemed to slip a little, but he didn’t let go of it. He tried to wriggle out from under as Jake attempted to plant a knee in his belly and pin him down.

Jake was vaguely aware that a lot of shouting was going on around him, but no guns had gone off—yet. He heard one man yell for somebody to stay back, and another cried, “Don’t shoot! Hold your fire!”

That was what he wanted to hear. They weren’t going to blaze away at him for fear of hitting their boss. If he could just get that gun loose and hold it to the guy’s head . . .

The leader’s grip slipped again, and this time Jake was able to rip the gun away from him. Because of that, Jake didn’t have to hang on to the guy’s wrist anymore. He balled his left hand into a fist and brought it over in a short but powerful blow that rocked the man’s head to the side. Jake shifted his hold on the Glock and grabbed hold of the leader’s shirtfront with his other hand. He surged to his feet and dragged the guy up with him. He swung the man in front of him and rammed the pistol’s muzzle against his head, just above the right ear. At the same time, Jake’s left arm went around the man’s neck and tightened to hold him in place.

He caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of his left eye and glanced in that direction to see that Natalie had moved up beside him. The unexpected sight of her made alarm go through him.

“Natalie, get back,” he snapped. “Find some cover and get down!”

He turned swiftly, hauling the stunned leader around with him so the man’s body was between him and the other gunmen. Would they drop their weapons, or would they shoot through the man who had planned this operation and brought them here today?

- Chapter 31