Hunted

by Velvet Vaughn

  “I’ll take a shortcut.”

  Wyatt yanked the wheel and then they were bumping and jolting over a path that wasn’t wide enough for a bicycle, let alone a 1970’s era compact car. Grant held onto the roof for support. “What the hell, Wyatt?”

  “I studied the maps. This will get us there quicker.”

  Grant didn’t point out that it was an iffy proposition that the Orange Bomb…his nickname for the Gremlin…was designed for off-road activities. But he trusted Wyatt’s navigation skills implicitly, whether in the air or on the ground.

  “I need to get my brother on the line and we need to alert the neighboring countries. We don’t know who we can trust in the Coslos military. We’re going to need to pull together an international task force to handle the crisis.”

  By the time he explained the situation to Luke and Logan, and they utilized both his and Logan’s military contacts, Wyatt was pulling up to Municipal Airport. A crew of military personnel from several South American countries had mobilized and deployed to diffuse the situation. Still, it would be a couple of hours before the first wave of troops arrived. It would be up to him and Wyatt to hold down the fort.

  “Over there.” He pointed to a green semi tanker parked alongside a metal hangar. They’d been smart to park at the airport, where a tanker wouldn’t look out of place. But the two trucks that held jet fuel were smaller. They’d still have to check the other two trucks out, to be safe.

  Wyatt parked the Orange Bomb next to a pushback tug, the vehicle that shoved an airline back from the terminal for takeoff, and they exited the vehicle, both hyper-aware of their surroundings. The place was deserted. He thought there might be people trying to get out of town, but there was no activity around the small airfield. Were there even people left to flee?

  They casually strolled to the hangar next to the truck and when they ascertained it was clear, Grant climbed inside. Two gas masks were resting on the passenger seat, but there was no paperwork or any indication of what was stored inside the tank. He was hoping for a big old sign that read “Sarin Gas Here.” Ha. No such luck.

  He grabbed the masks and jumped down. “Nothing inside.”

  “I’ll disable it.” Wyatt disappeared inside and came back out with tools. He popped the hood, tinkered around a bit, slammed the hood and wiped his hands together. “Done. What now?”

  “Now we wait.”

  #

  Harlow was getting pretty damn tired of having guns pointed at her. But unlike the earlier encounter, this man looked calculating and capable. His finger was poised on the trigger and she had no doubt he was prepared to shoot. She widened her eyes and pointed over his shoulder, exclaiming in Spanish, “Oh my God!”

  The man spun around to investigate, giving Sawyer the opening he needed. He tossed Duke to her and she caught him in the air. Then Sawyer lunged forward and knocked the man off his feet. The gun went flying out of his hand as the two grappled on the ground. Sawyer was hindered by his backpack, but he still managed to land the majority of blows.

  With Duke tucked under her arm, she scurried for the gun. “Stop or I’ll shoot,” she ordered, pointing the gun at the fighting men. When the soldier looked over at her, Sawyer picked up his head and slammed it into the ground. Harlow winced at the sickening crack. Damn, he was getting good at that.

  Sawyer leapt off, grabbed the gun from her and took her hand. “I can’t believe your ‘look over the shoulder’ ruse worked,” he mused as they darted down the street.

  “Me, either,” she laughed, but her humor died in her throat. This part of the city was newer than what they’d just left. The buildings were made of steel and glass, most of which was blown apart with bullet holes.

  The damage was widespread and enormous. She wasn’t sure Coslos would ever recover. With a murderous drug cartel in charge, things were grim for the innocent citizens who called this country home.

  At the rapid pace Sawyer was setting, she was glad she stayed fit. His long legs ate up the concrete, but she was easily able to keep up, even toting a backpack full of supplies and a ten-pound dog. He paused in front of a bank and ducked into the entryway.

  She thought he might be tiring, but he wasn’t even breathing hard. He pulled out his satellite phone and answered. The conversation was one-sided but judging from the look of relief, Grant and Wyatt had found the truck full of Sarin.

  He ended the call and stashed the phone in a pocket of his cargo pants. “They found the truck and disabled it. Soldiers from neighboring countries have assembled and are on their way to guard it, so hopefully, crisis averted. Or this one, anyway.”

  “Thank God.”

  “Are you okay? Do you need to rest?”

  “No, I’m good.”

  One side of his lips quirked. “Yes, you are.” Then he bent down and brushed his lips across hers. When he lifted his head, she was breathless. The mad dash through the city hadn’t winded her, but one kiss from Sawyer had swiftly done the job.

  He reached into his pack and produced a bottle of water. After he twisted the cap, he handed it to her. The cool liquid felt good sliding down her throat. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was from breathing in all the smoke and dust. Sawyer had found Duke’s bowl and filled it with water from his bottle. She placed the dog down and he drank greedily.

  Once they finished, he emptied Duke’s bowl and shook out the drops before returning it to his pack. Then he lifted the dog and settled him into the sling. She helped, arranging his arms and legs so he was comfortable. If dogs could smile, she was pretty sure this one had a contented grin on his face being back in his spot against Sawyer’s chest. She couldn’t blame him.

  They came to another open-air market that looked like a tornado had hit. Display carts and kiosks loaded with wares had been overturned and trampled. Bodies were lying among the destruction. Why? Why murder so many innocent people? She hoped those responsible were caught and held accountable for their crimes.

  It was strange to be in an area designed for tourists and it be deserted. Silk scarves in a rainbow of colors blew gently in the wind from a booth that had withstood the barrage. She tugged Sawyer over and found a bandanna to replace the torn shirt they used as masks. She found one for Sawyer and another for Duke. She felt guilty for taking the items without paying, but it didn’t stop her.

  Once they’d exchanged the cloth, they continued through the market. Sadness enveloped her when they bypassed shattered pottery and broken glass. Artisans had spent hours creating their products and it was all destroyed in the blink of an eye.

  They came upon a seating area with a few trees that provided a little relief from the sun. Sawyer guided her to a bench against a wall. “This is a good place to let Duke stretch his legs and use the bathroom.”

  She was touched that he thought to take care of the dog. As much as she hated to think of giving him up, she wondered if she should let Sawyer keep him. She didn’t think Duke would protest. He had an obvious case of hero worship going on. As Sawyer filled a bowl of water for him, Duke stared at him with adoring puppy dog eyes. Duke was as much Sawyer’s as he was hers.

  “Can I try to call Carmen again?”

  Sawyer removed his phone from a pocket in his cargo pants and dialed the number, holding it out to her. Her heart sunk with the busy signal. “Still no service.” She glanced over at the buildings from where they’d just come. She wasn’t sure where they were, but she wondered if it would be worth it to go back to where the offices had been located to search.

  “She’s not there,” Sawyer murmured.

  Her head jerked to him. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

  “The look on your face.”

  “Where is she? I just abandoned her.”

  He sat beside her and placed his arm over her shoulder. She leaned against him, grateful for the support. “You didn’t abandon her, you were saving yourself. There’s a difference.”

  “I’m not sure she would agree with you, depending on what she’s
going through right now.”

  They sat in companionable silence, watching Duke run around and sniff at everything. He was much more active than when they first rescued him, but he didn’t stray far from them.

  After Duke did his business he scratched his paws in the grass and then rushed over and plopped at their feet, gazing at them expectantly. Sawyer reached down and picked him up to settle him back in the sling. As they shouldered their packs, Harlow glanced at the side of the building and noticed a large poster. She walked over for a better look. “It’s a map of the city.”

  Sawyer joined her and they studied the picture, her shoulders dropping. “I didn’t realize the city was this large.” The star that indicated where they were was right in the center. “Do we have to cross this river?” She pointed to the line of blue that ran along one side of the map.

  “Yes.”

  She hoped they hadn’t bombed the bridges.

  “The other side of the river is mostly jungle. We should be safe there.”

  A loud noise had them both jerking around. A group of red-beret wearing, gun-wielding troops had entered the open-air market and were headed directly for them.

  #

  As Sawyer watched the troops approach, he debated on where they should go. They were hidden for the moment behind the building, but if the group came closer, they’d be discovered. As he watched, a man came out of nowhere, staggering towards the group. He held out his hands in entreaty. Clearly injured, blood covered one side of his shirt and he could barely stand upright.

  When Sawyer realized what the man lifting the rifle was about to do, he yanked Harlow to him and covered her eyes. The loud retort of the rifle echoed through the open market. The man fell to the ground and the troops all laughed. One even walked over and kicked the corpse. My God, they were heartless. Ruthless. He had to get Harlow out of here. If they were spotted, he had no doubt the troops would mow them down with a spray of bullets.

  When the group stopped at one of the toppled booths to paw through what was left of a display of assorted baked goods, he urged Harlow along the side of the building. They needed to find a place to hide until the group left. There was a battered door and he tested the knob. Open. Leading with his SIG, he pushed it open and peered inside. The scent of gasoline and motor oil pierced his nose. It was a storage space for the market. He ushered Harlow inside and he decided to leave the door open. He tried to justify it to himself by thinking that they didn’t want to be locked in with the noxious fumes and also, if the troops came by, they would see that the room was empty. They would hide behind the lawnmower and assorted tools and supplies. It wasn’t that he was afraid to be closed into a dark room.

  Harlow obviously had the same idea as she hurried to arrange assorted items for them to hide behind. Rows of shelves lined both walls. He swiped a stack of tarps off a shelf and draped one over two trash cans. Another he placed on the concrete floor. Once they were settled against the back wall, he made sure he had a clear view of the opening so he could fire if needed.

  While they waited, they shared a lunch of bananas, fig and nut energy bars and water, while Duke munched on bacon-flavored treats. The troops were loud and obnoxious, and they hadn’t left the market as Sawyer hoped. Though it wasn’t as urgent since Grant and Wyatt had found the stash of Sarin gas, he hoped to be out of the city by now. If they could cross the river to the forested area, he could arrange for his coworkers to pick them up. His only goal was to deliver Harlow home safely.

  “Thank you again for coming for me.”

  Sawyer glanced down at her. “Any time.”

  “I’m not really surprised Zoe called Kai. She hasn’t said so, but I’m pretty sure she has a huge crush on him.”

  Sawyer smiled. He adored the kid.

  “She was bummed to learn he had a girlfriend.”

  Sawyer’s brows lifted. “Kai has a girlfriend? First I’ve heard about it.”

  “Yeah, Zoe said her name is Lauren.”

  Sawyer barked out a laugh. “Lauren?” She nodded. “Lauren is Kai’s babysitter.”

  Harlow’s brows shot up. “Babysitter? Really?”

  “Her family was involved in one of COBRA Securities’ first cases. Lauren was kidnapped by a woman who was trying to destroy her father, a former NFL superstar.”

  “Oh gosh, what happened?”

  “It was before my time, but they were able to recover her without harm and catch the perp. Then a few weeks later, Lauren was shot when she saved Logan Bradley’s daughter from a killer.”

  Harlow’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my goodness, she sounds amazing. Like an older, female version of Kai.”

  Sawyer chuckled. “Yeah, she does, come to think of it. I have heard him refer to her as his girlfriend. I thought he was just joking.”

  “According to Zoe, he’s serious.”

  “Well, you can assure her it’s one way. Lauren is six or seven years older, and when you’re that age, the difference matters. She thinks of Kai like a little brother.”

  “Zoe will be relieved.”

  Duke had climbed on his lap and fallen asleep.

  “I think you should keep him. He loves you.”

  Sawyer shook his head. He’d never had a dog before. Though the compound was extremely animal-friendly, he lived in a small apartment. He’d already purchased a plot of land to build a home and Reed Steele was working on the blueprints. He didn’t want his coworkers gobbling up all the prime real estate. If his house had already been built, he would consider taking Duke. He’d have a large yard to run around in and plenty of doggie buddies. But Harlow had heard his cries. She was the one who crawled under the dumpster and rescued him. He’d always think of him as her dog. “He belongs with you.”

  “I live in a New York City apartment,” she protested. “Even if they allowed dogs, he wouldn’t be happy locked up without a yard and trees. Besides, he obviously prefers you.”

  “He’s just used to me since I’ve been carrying him. He’s your—”

  The voices outside grew louder. Closer. Even Duke lifted his head. They were huddled as close as possible and Sawyer arranged the last tarp to blanket over them, but it was small and didn’t reach all the way to the floor. There was a small gap that allowed light in.

  He gripped the gun when bodies crammed inside the small room and Harlow clutched his arm harder. He kept one hand around Duke, praying that the dog didn’t growl and give them away now that he was showing signs of life.

  When feet stopped directly in front of them, he lifted the gun and prepared to fire.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Grant flexed his shoulders, trying to ease the knotted muscles as he lay in wait for the members of Dominar to arrive for the gas. He and Wyatt had split up, each taking a position to watch the truck. He had his sniper rifle positioned but hesitated to use it. He didn’t want a stray bullet piercing the tank and inadvertently releasing the gas. Wyatt was stationed inside the maintenance hub, dressed as a mechanic. From Grant’s vantage point, he had a clear view of the space and could eliminate a threat if necessary.

  “Incoming,” Wyatt said through the comms.

  Grant lifted his head to see a black Ford pick-up truck bumping along the road in excess of the speed limit, kicking up a trail of dirt. The driver whipped the pick-up to a stop beside the semi, the back end fishtailing before it came to a stop. Two men jumped out, both dressed in the unmistakable red berets that proclaimed them members of the infamous drug cartel, and they both carried machine guns.

  One man opened the driver’s side and jumped in, while the other rounded the hood and climbed into the passenger seat. When the driver turned the key and nothing happened, the driver cursed. Grant kept his laser trained on the man’s forehead as he gestured wildly with his hands. Finally the passenger threw open his door and slid out. He stomped to the maintenance building. Wyatt had him unconscious within seconds and tied up a moment later. He dragged him out of sight and waited for the next man to come inside.

&nb
sp; After a few minutes, the driver threw up his hands and then opened his door and jumped to the ground. He marched to the building, calling his friend’s name. He didn’t see Wyatt, either. His coworker rendered him unconscious in moments.

  Grant hopped up from his hiding spot, slung his rifle over his shoulder, and jogged over to the building. The men had left the keys in the Ford. He rifled through the glove box and console, looking for any incriminating evidence. He pocketed the notes and then started up the truck. He pulled it out of sight in case other members of the cartel arrived to see what was going on.

  By the time he jogged back to the maintenance building, Wyatt had the two men stripped to their skivvies and tied up, their backs propped against the wall.

  “Nothing on them,” Wyatt announced.

  “I found this.” He held up the documents that gave the instructions on where to find the truck and how to disburse the gas.

  One of the men started to come around. He rolled his head and when he realized the situation, his eyes widened. They spent the next thirty minutes trying to extract information from the men, but they refused to talk. Short of torture, they were out of options. Grant had just suggested tossing them inside the tank full of gas to make them talk when the loud rumble of vehicles shook the ground.

  “More incoming,” Wyatt proclaimed unnecessarily.

  After quickly gagging the men so they couldn’t call out, they grabbed their weapons and took defensive positions along the door. Judging by the sound and the huge cloud of dust, it was a massive number of troops.

  Green Humvees rumbled up to the hangar and came to a stop, followed by at least a dozen more vehicles. Troops poured out. He and Wyatt looked at each other, nodded, and walked outside with their hands in the air.

  #

  “Look, a volleyball set,” one of the voices said in Spanish.

  Harlow remembered seeing the ball and net on the shelf above them when they came inside. Feet shuffled closer. There was a small gap between the bottom of the tarp and the ground and when those feet came into view, she held her breath. She and Sawyer were curled up as tight as possible, but Sawyer was a big guy and he wasn’t exactly yoga-flexible. She feared one of the people would inadvertently step on him.