by Allie Adams
And now this. What drives a man to this point of lethal obsession? She shivered and struggled against her bindings. “Spencer? Where are you? I don't see you. I can't see you.” She heard the panic in her voice and drew a sharp breath. It was a little late in the game to start panicking.
“Oh, baby.” Spencer's voice shook and it drove her fear up a notch. He didn't think he'd make it. She heard it in his tone. If she could cry, she would. But she just didn't have the energy. “Hold on. Please. Just hold on for me.”
She fell silent and listened to the sounds around her. She thought she heard footsteps behind her and twisted around until the ropes cut in to her wrists. She cried out.
“What? What is it?”
“I,” she stopped and listened again. Those were definitely footsteps. “I hear something. Is that you?”
“I'm heading down the ravine now. I need you to key your mic to stay on. I'm going to use it to find you.”
“I can't. My hands are tied and he set the radio to voice activation.”
“Then talk to me. Just don't break transmission.”
She closed her eyes. The peaceful warmth surrounding her made her want to give in to the darkness. At least then the pain would go away. “I just want to sleep.”
Her lips quivered and the rest of her body started to shake uncontrollably. The darkness welcomed her, warming her in its embrace. She stopped shaking.
“Kathryn, stay with me.” When she didn't answer him, he barked, his tone sharp, “Kathryn? Kathryn! Don't you fucking hold your tongue now. Talk to me!”
She'd lost the fight. She wasn't afraid to admit it. Even Spencer knew she wouldn't survive this. She heard the fear in his voice. The elements tried to take her once, but fate had other plans. Now, she didn't even resist. Let the elements take her. They welcomed her like an old friend. It was so peaceful. No noises. No cold. Just quiet. She wanted to listen to it forever.
“Tell me a story,” Spencer said, his voice soft, so intimate. She loved his voice. “Kathryn. Talk to me, damn it. I have to find you. I need you.”
“Oh, Spence.” She wanted to cry, she really did. But her body didn't want to do much of anything, including expelling the energy needed to make tears. “Can we talk later? I'm so tired.”
“No, damn it! Talk to me now. We're at the house, talking over dinner. We have some smooth jazz playing in the background. We're sharing a bottle of wine. Now it's your turn.”
She drifted off again.
“Kathryn!”
“Stop yelling at me,” she whimpered. What day was this? Didn't she have a meeting with investors today? Her mind scrambled things around in her head and nothing made any sense.
“Then talk to me.”
“I'm cold,” she whispered.
“I know, baby. When I find you I'll warm you up personally. I'll put my arms around you so tight and never let you go. But you need to talk to me. Please,” he urged. The resolve in his voice gave her strength.
“I want to go home, Spence. I didn't think it would end this way. I wanted to grow old.”
“With me?”
She smiled and wished he were there to be with her during her last moments on earth. “Yes. I don't want to die.”
“You aren't going to die, Kathryn.”
“I'm sitting here tied to a tree, for Christ's sake. I can't feel my hands, I have no idea if my toes have fallen off from frostbite, and my nose itches! Why does your nose always itch when you can't scratch it?”
She swore she heard a faint high-pitched squealing off in the distance. Squelch? Her heart picked up a beat. Could Spencer be close enough so that his radio started to back feed? Wishful thinking or was her mind shutting down?
“Talk to me, sweetheart.”
Right. Talk. Her heart slammed into her chest as her blood pumped faster through her veins. “There's so much I want to say to you that I don't even know where to begin. I'm so sorry for how I've been treating you. You have every right to hate me.”
“I don't hate you,” he replied with such tenderness it almost hurt to hear.
“Do you love me?”
The high-pitched squeal increased and gave her the spins. What an annoying noise, but necessary. “I know you were only trying to protect me. I get that now. I just wish I could see you one more time, if only to say goodbye. I'm...” She faded. No matter how hard she tried to open her eyes, she couldn't. The darkness started to consume her and she wanted to just give in.
“You're what?”
She opened her eyes at the sound of Spencer's voice. Then she turned her heard.
And there he stood.
It had to be the most glorious sight she'd ever feasted her eyes upon. Storming smoky eyes. Rich, dark waves of hair. Undeniably male. She blinked twice to make sure he was real. When he bent down and untied the ropes, she knew she hadn't imagined him.
Kat collapsed into his arms, this time finding the strength to cry. “I didn't think you'd make it. I thought I was going to die.” She ripped at the vest.
“No,” Spencer grabbed at her hands. “Becker rigged the vest to blow if we try and remove it.”
“Oh shit,” she whimpered. Spencer took his jacket off and wrapped it around her before lifting her into his arms and starting back up the hillside. “Spencer, what if we don't make it?”
“We will.” The steely determination in his voice convinced her that they would.
She nestled into his arms and held on as he raced them back. Spencer kicked the door to the cabin open and set Kat down on the bench. Travis jerked his head up, his eyes wide as dinner plates, clearly shocked that they were there. Thank God Spencer had duct taped him to a chair. He whimpered when Spencer marched over and ripped the tape from his mouth.
He gasped and pulled in a deep breath. “Jesus, Spence. Are you trying to kill me? I couldn't breathe.”
“Tell me how to disarm it.”
“It doesn't work that way. Untie me and I'll disarm it.”
Spencer grabbed Travis by the throat. “Fuck you, Becker. Tell me now or I'll just get someone from TREX's bomb unit up here.”
“Suit yourself.” He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. “Of course, since you've only got…” he glanced at the wall clock. “Seven minutes, give or take, you should probably call TREX's coroner unit instead. With the number of bodies your agency accumulates, you must have a unit like that, right?”
“You'd be killing yourself, too.” Kat pointed out as, little by little, she began to thaw out.
“With a mess like that they don't even count the body parts. Besides, Salazar was the only one who knew about my involvement aside from you two. Since he won't be talking, and soon neither with either one of you, they wouldn't even know to look for me. I'll be long gone.”
“Fine,” Kat spoke, her voice growing stronger and stronger as her strength returned. She met Travis's eyes with an intense loathing. “I'll come sit on your lap until it detonates. Oh, come on. Don't look at me like that. It's what you've always wanted, right? With us together? We can die together when the bomb goes off.”
“Tempting, Juliet.” He turned to Spencer. “Untie me. I'll disarm it.”
Spencer hesitated and worked his jaw.
“Tick tock.” He smirked.
Clearly against his better judgment, Spencer ripped the tape off Travis's wrists and ankles. “Now do it.”
Travis nodded, stood, and approached Kat. She tensed, readying herself to attack him if he did anything other than what he said he'd do. He pushed a few buttons on his remote, then reached around her and pushed a few buttons on the vest. The beeping silenced. She ripped it off and threw it across the room.
Spencer charged. Travis jumped aside, rolled on the floor, and came back up with a gun, pointing it directly at Spencer. Kat found the strength to stand even though her legs wobbled. “Travis! No!” She scrambled and stood in front of Spencer.
He pushed her out of the way and charged at Travis again. He fired, hitting Spencer in the sh
oulder. The impact spun him around backwards. Spencer charged again. Another shot rang out.
And Spencer went down.
“Spencer!” Kat screamed and fell to her knees at his side. Oh Jesus God. Not the head. Blood surrounded them, pooling beneath him and covering her as she pulled his limp body into her arms. His eyes were closed. He didn't respond to her voice, her touch—nothing.
No.
Please God. No!
“Turn around and face me,” Travis ordered in such a callous voice that it shocked her. Kat ignored him and hugged Spencer's head to slow the bleeding. She heard the distinctive cock of the gun. “I said turn around. Now.”
Kat faced him, her rage for this man burning inside her. She'd never hated another human being as much as she hated Travis Becker right now. “How could you do this? Think of your wife. Your girls.”
“Come on, Kat. There never was a wife. And I sure as hell don't have any kids, at least that I know of. How about I fill you in on everything Spencer never told you before I kill you.”
“I don't care, you son of a bitch. If you're going to kill me, why does it matter?” She focused on Spencer. His breaths came in shallow gasps, but at least he was breathing. She stole a glance to Damon Salazar's body in the corner. Good. One down.
One to go.
“Pay attention, Kat.” Travis came closer and fisted her hair. Pain screamed along her scalp but she refused to give him any satisfaction and make any noise. She fought him, but couldn't kick and twist the way she wanted to or she'd hurt Spencer.
Travis gave her a jerk and she pulled away from Spencer, dropping his head onto the floor with a thud. He groaned out his favorite cuss word. At least he reacted.
“Let me go, you bastard.” She turned out of Travis's grasp and elbowed him in the balls. He howled and kicked her ribs, shoving her away. Kat went flying and landed on the floor next to Salazar's body, the breath knocked from her lungs. She gasped but couldn't pull in any air.
“I love it when you're feisty. I've wanted to fuck you for years, but I always knew your little boyfriend there would cut off my nuts if I so much as hinted at it.”
She glared at him as she coughed to catch her breath. “He's not the only one.”
Spencer made a gurgling noise and she scurried over to him. His breathing had grown even more shallow and he'd lost a lot of color. And blood. So much blood. The copper smell sank into her senses.
Travis grinned. “It seems Spencer is taking a bit longer to die. Oh well.” He chuckled as she released a sob, a hand on Spencer's chest.
“How could you?” Kat whispered and lowered her head. She was helpless except to hold Spencer in her arms as the life slowly slipped out of him.
“This last search really set everything in motion. I needed to find Sam Green before TREX did. Thanks to you, that didn't happen. Do you have any idea how much you've fucked up our plans, Kat?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You found Tommy Miller alive, which pissed us off. But we could still work that angle. Miller has several other weaknesses to pick off. When Salazar and Green got into a shooting match, I was ordered to kill them both.” He grinned. “So I did.”
“Why does any of that matter now?” She squeezed Spencer's head, not giving a shit who the 'us' was in this scenario. “You've won, Travis.”
“Not yet. There's still one more loose end to tie up. Once I broke into your apartment and saw the information on the Order, I knew Sam had told you too much. The senator gave me the order to kill you, too.”
She didn't care in the least about any of that while the man she loved died a little bit more every second in her arms. “And Spencer?”
“I threw that one in for free. One less TREX agent I have to worry about finding me after I disappear.” Travis pointed the gun at Kat's head. She closed her eyes and prayed for a direct shot so she died without any pain. “Goodbye, Kat. It's been a pleasure knowing you.”
“Can't say the same.” Spencer mumbled.
Kat fell back as the gunshot rang in her ears. Another shot from Spencer's gun had her scrambling back, then another and another echoing through the cabin.
Travis fell to his knees. He stared at Spencer in disbelief. One more shot, this one to his head, and he collapsed face down on the floor, dead. Blood pooled around him as it drained from his body.
Kat scooted to Spencer, pulling him into her arms. He dropped the gun and collapsed against her.
“You did it, Spencer.” She smiled down at him and wiped away a tear as it streamed from the corner of his eye. He smiled weakly and brought a hand up to her cheek.
“We did,” he rasped. He searched her eyes and drew in a labored breath. “I love you, Kathryn. With all that I am. Don't ever forget that. I just wish—” he grimaced and Kat tensed. He finally said the three words she'd wanted to hear for over a year. Hearing them now twisted in her heart. She sobbed. “I wish we had more time.”
“Spencer, don't you dare talk like that. You are not going to die.” Burning tears swelled in her eyes and spilled over. “I won't let you leave me.”
“I'm sorry.” He closed his eyes and a tear escaped. His hand slid down her face. She took it in hers and gave it a firm squeeze.
“You promised to stay by my side.”
He looked up at her, sorrow swirling in his watery gaze.
“You promised me, Spencer. You promised,” she sobbed.
“There are some things even we can't control.”
She cried and threw herself down on his chest. “Don't you dare die! Please! Please stay with me. I love you.”
“Now you tell me,” he whispered and did a failed attempt at a smile. Kat lifted off his chest and looked at him. His eyes were open again, but he'd paled even more. “I have one hell of a headache.”
“We need to stop the bleeding,” she said, coming to her senses, and grabbed for anything she could find to push on his pressure point. “And we need to get you warm.” She set him down gingerly and ran over to her binder. It wasn't quite what she had in mind when she set out to have her system save lives, but it just might work.
She ran back to him and lifted his arm, then cringed when Spencer let out a weak roar of pain. “Sorry,” she said and rolled the contents of her binder under his arm. “Hold your arm really tight against this.”
“I can't.”
“Turn to your side.” When Spencer didn't respond, she pulled him onto his injured side. He grimaced and made a face.
“Jesus Christ, woman. Are you trying to kill me?”
“I'm trying to save you. Does it hurt?”
“Well of course it hurts. In case you missed it, I've been shot.”
She ripped his shirt open and pulled it off him. He cringed. “Sorry,” she offered and wrapped it tightly around his head.
“Easy,” he ordered weakly. “You hurt worse than the goddamn bullets. Did you ever think of using your shirt?”
She dropped her gaze to her bloody tank top. She knew better than to move the patient, let alone literally tear the shirt off his back, but she had no choice. Her tank top didn't have enough material. “Sorry. There. Does it hurt to breathe? Is it better?”
He took a few breaths and they seemed stronger. “Better.” Kat removed Spencer's coat from her shoulders and draped it over him. He tried to lift a hand to stop her. “No, you keep it. You need to stay warm.”
Leave it to him to fight her as she tried to save his life. “Stay on your side. Do you have your radio with you?”
He mouthed the word, “no.”
And they couldn't use the radios Travis had. They were two-way and wouldn't reach anyone. Kat wanted to scream out her favorite curse when his pocket rang. She recognized the ring tone and her heart skipped a beat. Reaching into his pocket, she pulled out her cell phone.
Oh, thank God.
“Rand!” she cried when she answered it.
“Kat! Are you okay? I heard Spencer calling for you on the radio. What the hell is going on? Whe
re's Spence?”
“Rand, I need an air vac immediately.” Kat rested her hand on Spencer's chest, feeling his heartbeat and concentrating on the THUMP thump, THUMP thump.
“Oh, sure you do. I have half a mind to—”
“Rand! No time. I need that air vac. It's Spencer. He's been shot.” She choked on a sob. “Multiple times.” Kat looked at Spencer. His eyes were closed as he fought to breathe.
“Oh, shit.”
“Now get that air vac up here. We're at that damn cabin in the Black Hills.”
“Stand by.” Rand paused briefly and Kat heard him speaking, but not into the phone. “Alpha-Whiskey-Four-Five-Eight. Walter Adam Randall. Emergency air vac. We have an agent down. Alpha-Sierra-Two-Three-Seven. Spencer Robert Allen. One civilian with him.” He gave the coordinates to whoever he talked to before coming back to Kat's call. “They're on their way.”
She closed her eyes and the tears streamed down her cheeks. Clutching her phone for strength, she whimpered, “Please hurry. He's been shot in the head.”
“Stay with him. They'll be there before you know it. I have to make a few more calls.”
“No,” she cried, her panic taking over. She couldn't lose contact with another human. That would send her over the edge. “Please don't leave me, too.”
“I'll call you right back. I promise. You stay strong and let TREX help you.”
“Why TREX?”
“An explanation best saved for later. I'll call you right back.” Rand ended the call.
Spencer attempted to move but she stopped him. He tried again and she held him down. “Save your strength. You just lie there and let me take care of you.”
He nodded slightly but didn't speak. He wiggled his fingers and Kat laced hers with his. With a weak smile he nodded again. He looked up at her. There was such a powerful mourning in his eyes. Kat couldn't bear to see him in this much pain—physically and emotionally.