CL Hart -From A Distance

by CL Hart

  The slight parting of Cori's lips was enough for Kenzie. She trailed her fingers downward until they rested just below Cori's chin, and then ever so tenderly tilted her face upward. Inclining her head slowly, Kenzie gently brushed her lips over those that had kissed her moments earlier. The connection between them was warm but tentative, and it only lasted a moment. Pulling back, she looked to Cori for a response. "But I'm not sorry that you kissed me."

  Cori reached up to touch Kenzie's face. The woman fascinated her. She didn't know why, but right now, she really didn't care. Mere inches separated them as Cori's fingers drew Kenzie down for another kiss. Their lips met with greater desire, and the intensity of the kiss grew.

  Kenzie's fingers were under Cori's chin, but she wanted more. Sliding her hand downward, she caressed Cori's body as their kiss became more impassioned and more demanding.

  The rough texture of Kenzie's battered hand only served to heighten the sensitivity of Cori's skin. Her breathing became shallow and quick. Pushing her body against Kenzie, Cori's fingertips inched toward the lean waist, drawing her closer. Then

  Cori's hand touched the cool metal of the gun tucked into the waistband of Kenzie's jeans, and the reality of it backed her away. "I...ah..." Cori swallowed her desire and looked away. Kenzie felt the movement of her gun, and was pretty sure its presence was the reason for Cori's sudden shutdown. "Hey..." she said, but then didn't know what to say after. Her past relationships had been based solely on a need for sexual release. Suddenly the world looked a whole lot different to eyes that had never known true passion. A slow, sly smile slid across her face.

  The swaying mirror behind Cori caught an image in its reflection and it instantly turned Kenzie to ice. The familiar face she glimpsed was not one she would likely forget. A flash of anger and a sense of dread churned within her as her past rushed into her present. It was him. Cobra! The mission, the memories, and the feelings of frustration flooded back to her.

  The last time she had seen him had been in a desert in the Middle East, when she had refused to pull the trigger on a target and the two of them had gotten into a fistfight. Kenzie had been winning until Cobra used the butt end of his rifle on her face. By the time she had recovered, the mission was over and the soldiers were dead. The wound he had inflicted was the one from which Cori had just removed the sutures. The scar would forever remind her of what they had done.

  In one fluid motion, she pulled Cori deeper into the dressing room. Clamping one hand over her mouth, Kenzie pulled the curtain closed. Cori's eyes were wide with shock and confusion as Kenzie put a finger to her lips.

  "Son of a bitch! Where the hell did he come from?" Cobra's appearance in Santa Rosalia couldn't have been a coincidence. Obviously Manuck had sent him to finish the job she had refused to do. But why? And more importantly, how had he found them? For the briefest of moments, she recalled the phone calls Cori had made in Mazatlan and on Manny's boat.

  Pulling her gun from her waistband, she racked a round into the chamber.

  "What...who?" The fear that had been momentarily forgotten hurtled back into Cori's life.

  Kenzie thought about her options. Looking at Cori, she realized following her instinct to confront Cobra was not possible, and her moment of doubt regarding Cori's innocence had to be wrong. There was no way she could have feigned that fear-filled response. So no, rushing out with guns blazing was not an option. She was now responsible for both of them, not just herself.

  "Someone I know," Kenzie said, moving the curtain aside. Cobra had stopped outside the shop on the sidewalk, giving her a chance to get a good look at him. Their skirmish in the desert had left a few marks and bruises on his face, she noticed with a smirk. It was obvious that he was looking for them. But how did he find us? And then another thought occurred to her. Where is his partner? Kenzie quickly scanned the area for Viper.

  "Here...in Santa Rosalia?" Cori whispered, her throat suddenly dry as her heart hammered against her chest.

  "Yes," Kenzie said, her mind spinning with options.

  "Who?"

  "A snake," Kenzie said as she looked around the small change room. It was only about the size of a telephone booth. How did he find us? She ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to formulate a viable plan.

  Cori looked at the ground in panic, expecting to see a slithering reptile. "Where?"

  "Not that kind of snake," Kenzie said, seeing the fear her comment had evoked. "The two-legged kind, and he's just outside the door of the store."

  Cori relaxed, but only slightly, as she moved to peer around the curtain.

  "No." Kenzie quickly stopped her. "I'm not sure whether he saw us, but if he did, he won't hesitate to kill everyone in here." Continuing her situation analysis, she noted that the walls of the change room did not go to the ceiling. "Come here," she directed as she slid her gun back into her waistband. "I need a boost. Can you make a stirrup with your hands?" Cori nodded and interlocked her fingers for Kenzie to use as a step. With one foot on an unstable small shelf and the other in Cori's hands, Kenzie reached for the dangling mirror and slowly lifted it above her head until the angle of the reflection cleared the edge of the wall. Cobra was still on the sidewalk, just outside the shop door. By the looks of his demeanor, he had not seen them, but he was facing in their general direction. At the moment, he appeared to be alone.

  "Okay." Kenzie jumped down from her perch. Landing with a jolt, she fought to ignore the sharp pain that ripped through her side. She drew her weapon and reached for the curtain. "Call to Fernando, not too loud, and make it sound sweet."

  Cori nodded her understanding, though she was not sure whether she could do it.

  Kenzie saw the hesitation. "Take a breath and let it out slowly. You can do it."

  Cori did as she was told, but it didn't stop the quaking in her stomach or the pounding in her chest. Taking another breath, she called out, "Fernando, dear, could you come here, please?"

  Waiting outside of the curtain, Fernando was a little surprised by the endearment, but he complied with her request. "Si."

  It was Kenzie's voice that came through the thin curtain in response. "Don't make it obvious, but there's a man on the sidewalk - military haircut, dark hair, a big thick neck supporting his fat head. He's wearing a jacket and looks very out of place. Do you see him?"

  It would have been hard to miss him. Kenzie's description was quite accurate. "Si, he's still there. Is that a problem?"

  "Yeah."

  Fernando glanced several times at the man on the other side of the window. "What do you want me to do?"

  "We wait. Don't suppose there's a back door to this place, is there?" Kenzie asked.

  "Si. It opens out to a small alley, but then what?"

  "You go out the front door and get your truck and take it to the end of the alley. Keep it running. We'll be there as soon as we can. How far is it to this plane of yours?"

  "Not far, about ten minutes. It's just up over the hill." "The hill? What hill?" Kenzie asked.

  "In Santa Rosalia, you have two choices - out to the sea or up the hill. We're surrounded by- Senorita, he's coming in," Fernando whispered quickly.

  Kenzie and Cori backed away from the curtain. Kenzie saw the color drain from Cori's face, and the unmistakable sway of someone on the brink of collapse. Kenzie took a step forward and wrapped a protective arm around her. She could feel Cori shaking. "Shhh, it's going be okay," she whispered into her hair. "He doesn't know we're in here."

  "But what if-"

  "Then that's why I'm here."

  Kenzie held her breath as she heard the sound of a set of heavy footsteps walking across the old wooden floor. They stopped just beyond the curtain. Cori must have heard them too, because she burrowed deeper into the security of Kenzie's embrace.

  The footsteps shuffled and scuffed on the other side of the curtain. Kenzie reluctantly released Cori and gently pushed the young woman behind her, putting herself directly between Cori and the gunman. Kenzie brought h
er gun up, ready for whatever might happen.

  "Excuse me, Senor, is there something I can help you find?"

  The voice was young and female, with a strong Mexican accent. Melita, the shop girl, Kenzie realized. There was no reply to her question, but the footsteps moved on, away from them.

  "Is this your first time in Rosalia?" Melita asked pleasantly. There was a muttered response, but it was impossible to discern what was said.

  There were sounds of footsteps shuffling about, and Kenzie knew Cobra was scanning the entire store. Their change room was an obvious spot for them to hide, but with any luck, Fernando's presence would discourage further examination.

  "Adios, Senor. Enjoy your visit to Santa Rosalia." Melita's voice signaled Cobra's departure.

  There was a long quiet moment, and then they heard Fernando's hushed voice. "He is gone, Sehorita, but just one momento before you come out. I will bring my truck to the entrance of the alley."

  "Be careful," Kenzie whispered. She turned around to face Cori, who was so scared she was visibly shaking. "Are you okay?" Kenzie tilted her head forward to look into Cori's eyes. She nodded, but turned her head away from Kenzie's scrutiny. "Hey, it's okay to be scared."

  "You weren't scared?"

  Kenzie could not help the small smile that lifted the corner of her mouth. She turned Cori's head and looked into her eyes. "I'm a highly trained professional, with years of experience under extreme conditions." Kenzie brushed the hair back from Cori's face and smiled. "Besides, who says I wasn't scared? My heart was pounding pretty good there, too, you know."

  "I couldn't tell."

  "You're not supposed to. If I wasn't scared, then I would be concerned," Kenzie said candidly. Feeling enough time had passed, she slowly moved back the curtain and looked about the store. Melita motioned them out of the hideaway with a wave of her hand. Taking Cori by the elbow, Kenzie moved beyond the curtain. Moving closer to the window, she scanned the street and the nearby stores, "Which direction did he go?"

  "Left," Melita replied.

  "Where's the back door?" Kenzie asked, keeping her gun close to her hip and out of sight.

  "Back behind there." Melita pointed toward the far corner of the store, where a large blanket concealed the door. Kenzie nodded a thank you as she motioned Melita back to her position at the front of the store. "You stay here and keep an eye out. Don't do anything that might put you in danger." Melita nodded her understanding.

  Guiding Cori by the arm, Kenzie moved them toward the exit. At the last moment, she turned back to Melita. "Gracias, for the clothes...and your help."

  Pulling back the blanket, Kenzie uncovered an old plank door. "Just wait," she said to Cori as she turned the handle slowly. Kenzie cautiously peered out into the alley. It was narrow and littered with debris, but it appeared to be empty.

  Kenzie moved out and away from the door, gun at the ready, as she looked left and right. There was no sign of Cobra or Viper. "Come on." She motioned Cori forward. "This way."

  To the right was the ocean, and to the left was their escape, although at the moment it was partially blocked by boxes and broken crates. Looking beyond the barrier, Kenzie watched for Fernando, but so far there was no sign of him or his truck.

  "We need to move that junk." Moving toward the pile of debris, Kenzie held her weapon in one hand and pulled at one of the crates with the other.

  Cori quickly joined her. All she wanted was to be out of Santa Rosalia and far away from the man chasing them. She tried to ignore her shaking hands as they pulled the boxes and crates away as quietly as they could, opening their road to freedom. A rumbling motor echoed off the narrow walls as Fernando arrived in his pickup truck at the end of the alley.

  "Let's go." Kenzie tossed the last crate out of their way, but the wooden box slipped off the pile and crashed loudly to the ground. The splintering sound resonated down the alley, and Kenzie knew it was enough noise to attract some very unwanted attention. Cori moved toward the truck as Kenzie glanced toward the seaside end of the alleyway. There was no one there and for that, she was very grateful.

  She turned back to the truck and was about to follow Cori when something in the distance raised the small hairs on her neck. She stopped. If Cobra was not there, he was close. Bringing her gun into firing position, she shot a glance behind her for Cori, but the young woman was too far away, beyond her protection. "Cori?" she said as she kept her eyes and her gun trained on the distant entrance to the alley. When she didn't answer, Kenzie turned.

  Cori was picking her way through the debris to Fernando's truck and had obviously not heard her over the sound of the motor. Kenzie wanted nothing more than to follow her, but her instincts dictated otherwise. Turning her attention back to the seaside end of the alley, the world slowed as Cobra's head moved into her crosshairs.

  "Cori, get down!" she yelled, her 9mm shattering the quiet of the small town.

  Cori screamed as she ducked down, instinctively covering her head with her hands.

  The swelling in Kenzie's hand caused her to fire just an instant too soon, and the bullet intended for Cobra slammed into the concrete wall next to his head. Shattered pieces of stones, sprayed across his face, ripping at his skin. The concrete dust kicked up, stinging his eyes. He swore loudly, moving back behind the edge of the wall and out of the line of fire.

  Keeping her gun pointed down the alley, Kenzie moved backwards toward Cori as quickly as she could. The moment she reached her, Kenzie grabbed her arm. Fernando's truck was too far away, and there was only the unacceptably rickety pile of crates for them to hide behind. Their best chance was back in Melita's store. Kenzie swore under her breath as she all but dragged Cori back into the store. "Are you okay?" Not waiting for an answer, she moved them past the frightened storeowner and out onto the main street.

  Kenzie scanned the area and the people nervously looking about. The moment people started pointing, she knew they would have to move, and fast. Kenzie hurried them along the street, past a group of people standing in line at a taco pushcart. Not wanting to draw further attention, she nevertheless chanced a few glances over her shoulder as she suppressed the urge to run. "Cori?" she questioned without looking.

  "What?"

  "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine," Cori said in a surprisingly strong voice, "but I'm getting a little sick of people shooting at me."

  "I know the feeling." Kenzie brought her gun in tight against her thigh, hoping no one was paying them close attention. "You need to get to Fernando's truck and get the hell out of here."

  "I know," Cori answered as they hustled along. "What do you mean by 'you'?" She stole a quick look at Kenzie. "We need to get to Fernando's truck."

  "Yeah, yeah," Kenzie answered agreeably.

  A surge of defiance flashed through Cori as she slowed to a walk. "We...we, Kenzie, we are in this together."

  "Fine, we, as in we don't have time for this." Glancing back over her shoulder, Kenzie saw Cobra emerge from around the distant corner. "There he is... Move it."

  She propelled Cori forward, confident that there were too many witnesses for their assailant to attack them in the street, but apparently, Cobra wasn't so concerned. He brought up his weapon and aimed in their direction. "RUN!" Kenzie ordered. There was no sound of a shot, no pre-warning, just the feel of a bullet zinging past her. The corner was close and they turned it just as more bullets whizzed by them.

  Fernando's truck was about a hundred feet in front of them, but in Kenzie's mind, it was too far for them to make it without putting them at risk.

  "Go, get in the truck," she said as she turned back to face Cobra.

  Cori took several steps before she realized Kenzie was not with her. Fear and panic gripped her. "You said 'we'!" she screamed in accusation. "Kenzie, you said 'we'!" It shocked her to realize that there was no way she wanted to keep going without Kenzie by her side.

  "I'll be there, just go! Tell Fernando to take the next left, and to have that truck moving the second
he sees me." She saw the hesitation on Cori's face. "Go. I'll be there. I promise."

  From her vantage point at the corner, Kenzie watched Cobra moving swiftly in their direction. For a man of his solid stature, he had good speed. There were just too many people milling about for her to get a shot off. The pedestrians had apparently not heard the shots, but they seemed to sense panic in the air. Cobra was rapidly closing in on her and Kenzie knew she had to do something. Glancing back at Cori, she was thankful to see her just within reach of the truck. Kenzie waved for them to go and, as the truck moved away from the curb, Kenzie turned back to her target. It was an impossible shot, made even more so because of her damaged hands, so she did the next best thing. With her gun above her head, Kenzie squeezed off several rounds into the sky, creating instant pandemonium with the boom of her 9mm.

  A screaming mass of people stampeded for cover as the ringing sound of gunfire reverberated through the sleepy little town. One of the taco handcarts fell over, entangling the people who had been standing in line in front of it. Locals and tourists alike found themselves in the midst of the maelstrom. Diversion accomplished, Kenzie took off running after Fernando's truck.

  Cobra swore under his breath as he pressed past the frightened people. The sight of his gun added to the panic as he pushed his way down the street. He made it to the corner just in time to see Kenzie turning down the next road.

  She knew Cobra would be right behind her, so she pushed her body to its limit. Ignoring the stabbing pain in her side, she raced toward the moving pickup.

  Fernando's eyes were wide as he watched her approach in the side mirror. Lifting his foot off the gas, he slowed the truck, giving her a chance to get on.

  Kenzie waved him forward. "GO...GO!" she yelled, urging him to pick up speed. A few more steps and her fingertips touched the rear of the truck. With one last bound, Kenzie reached for the tailgate and pulled herself from the road just as Cobra turned the corner behind her. The first thwap of a bullet hitting the tailgate was all she needed to launch herself into the bed of the truck. She grimaced as her body slammed to safety. Two more thwaps hit the box of the truck, and she slapped her open hand against the rear window. "Go go go!" Rolling over, she raised her gun and fired the last of her ammunition back at her assailant. Cobra buckled and collapsed to the ground, but as the truck rounded the next corner, she saw him slowly rising to his feet. With a deep sigh of relief, Kenzie leaned her head back against the truck and closed her eyes. They were alive, and for that, she was grateful, even if she did feel like crap.