From A Dream

by Jacqueline Paige

  Troy’s low voice came back to him “On it.”.

  He reached and ran his hand over Jennah’s gun in his vest pocket. He would personally put it in her hand.

  “We’ve got two out of the vehicle. I can’t get clear sight inside.” Troy sounded like he was on the move as he spoke.

  “I’ve got it,” Tess rasped in a breathless voice. “Vehicle is empty.”

  Dom focused on the side of the house away from the driveway. “Are we in the clear to go?”

  “We’re clear,” Brody confirmed in his deep voice.

  “Move.” Dom growled low. He glanced once to the opposite direction he was heading and then bolted toward the cabin. His long strides ate up the distance, taking him to Jennah. “Now.” He warned her, knowing the rest of the team would almost be on the doorstep by now.

  Two loud shots echoed through the air from the other side of the cabin just as he slid to a crouch around the corner of the small building.

  * * * *

  Jennah heard the shots and then feet shuffling across the floor. She moved quickly over to the corner. She heard something clatter on the floor above, and then she was in complete darkness after the door slammed shut. She crouched into the corner and reached for the penlight clipped to her shirt. She clicked it on and shone it on the cot she’d moved the furthest away from her present location. She shrugged at her handy work, deciding that in the low light, it would look like she was under that ratty old blanket.

  Clicking the light off, she placed it back on her shirt and grasped the leg from the cot in one hand and the knife in the other. She was as ready as she’d ever be. She strained to hear something through the floor. Anything to let her know what was taking place above her. She could make out the shuffling of feet, but couldn’t hear if anyone spoke.

  There were more sounds of shots being fired. Although it was muffled by her closed-in space, she could still distinguish that sound. A loud thud had her ready to stand and move from her safe spot. Digging deep, she found the determination to stay where she was. She was staying right here until she heard Dominic’s voice, and not inside her head. She bit her lip and wanted to reach out for him, but she knew that she could end up distracting him when he needed to be alert and aware of what was going on around him.

  That left her alone and cowering in her corner in the absolute darkness, waiting. There were loud steps on the floor above her, everywhere. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on picking out any sound she could identify totally, but she couldn’t.

  There was more shuffling, followed by light shining through the hole when someone opened it again. She could hear feet moving in different directions still. The ladder was dropped down and hit the floor with a hollow sound. Clenching her jaw, she slowed her breathing and focused on the ladder. Legs started to come down it, and then the person jumped to the floor. It was a big man, about Lester’s size. She waited until he went toward the cot before she leaned forward, ready to spring.

  The light shining down the hole outlined his shadow as he bent over the cot. She watched him reach slowly toward it, and then jumped across the floor, already swinging the piece of metal in her hand. It connected with his thigh, and she moved back to be ready to swing again. He cursed and spun on her, his hands out and ready. He turned, and the light hit his hands. There was no weapon in them.

  She swung at him again. He ducked to the side and the leg barely missed him. Her heart was racing so fast, feeding the adrenaline through her at lightning speed. She rushed him again and slammed him against the wall. He was tall enough that he hit his head across one of the boards in the ceiling and cursed loudly one more time. She spun the knife in her hand and held it flat against his throat.

  He raised his hands up and away from him. “Jesus, Jennah! It’s Brody,” he croaked.

  His words registered and she jumped back, removing the blade from his skin. “Brody?” She gasped to breathe.

  “Yeah.” He rubbed a hand over his throat.

  She continued to grasp the leg in one hand and the knife in the other. “Sorry. I was told you’d let me know it was you before coming down.”

  He hissed out a breath and rubbed his hand over his thigh. “Things went to shit up there.” He shook his head. “Hold on.” He felt around on his throat until he touched the mic switch. “I’ve got her.” He straightened and drew his gun before touching the collar again. “Shit! Go, I’ll get her out.”

  He reached around behind him, pulled a second gun out, and held it out to her. “You might want this instead of your club. They’ve got that Lester character, and the driver, but the others just took off through the trees.”

  She dropped the metal bar and accepted the gun. Going over, she pulled her coat out from the blanket and quickly put it on. As she zipped it up, she nodded toward him. “Let’s go.”

  “Jennah?”

  She could tell by the way her name came out that he was focusing on running at the same time. “I’m okay.”

  “Go with Brody.”

  She smiled. “I am.”

  “See you shortly.”

  “Be careful.”

  His chuckle was her only reply.

  Brody paused at the ladder and frowned at her. “I was told to get you out and away. You do know that?”

  She nodded. “Yes. But away doesn’t mean we can’t be close enough to see if they come back for their car.”

  He sighed as he headed up the ladder. “Dom is going to kick my ass,” he muttered.

  She smirked and followed him up, grasping the gun tightly in her hand as she went. Nothing was stopping her from getting out of this place.

  * * * *

  Jennah stayed low in the snow. The trees were more than enough cover, but she was cold and starting to feel tired. She glanced over at Brody, who was looking at her.

  “You okay?”

  She nodded and looked back toward the cabin. “Where are they?”

  “In the bush. They’re heading somewhere. We just don’t know where.”

  She looked back at the cabin. “Where are your vehicles?” She turned to see him pointing in the opposite direction. “Okay.” She started to stand.

  He jumped up. “Where are you going?”

  She motioned toward the warden’s SUV. “I’m going to disable that so we can go get the car and go help.”

  He shook his head and cursed under his breath as he felt for the mic on his collar. “Tess, are you still on the west side.” He looked back toward the cabin. “Move in and cover me. I’m going to put the SUV out of commission.” He took two steps toward the cabin and then stopped and turned to glare at her. He pulled off his glove off and hit the collar again. “She won’t, Dom! We’re well back just keeping an eye out.”

  She smirked at the pleading look on the man’s face. “Dominic?”

  “Why aren’t you sitting back at the house drinking tea?” He sounded out of breath.

  She shrugged. “I’m not thirsty. I feel bad for almost crippling Brody and slicing him up. I wanted to stay and help in case they double back.” She kept her voice soft and pleading.

  “I’m fine, just a little battered.” She heard Brody mumble. “I will. I’m going to go disable the SUV and then head for the cars.” He turned back to her. “Cover me.” She nodded and knelt down and started skimming for movement in the trees along the cabin.

  “Babe, you watch his ass, and then get yours back to the car.”

  “Yes, dear.” She heard his exasperated sigh.

  She saw a movement in the trees and it wasn’t in the direction Tess was supposed to be in. “Dom, tell Brody to get down.” As soon as she’d said it, a shot rang out. She looked quickly toward the direction Brody had gone in. “Someone doubled back. Brody’s been hit.” She moved as quickly as she could while staying low to the ground.

  “Tess is on it.”

  “So am I. Tell her they’re in the trees to the southeast. I’m heading to cover Brody.” She cleared the trees as she said it and ran as fast as she
could toward the snow bank between her and where she’d seen the movement.

  “Shit!” was the reply she got.

  “Is Brody all right?”

  “He’s pissed, but will live. He says he sees you coming and you’re covered .” He growled. “I am going to kick someone’s ass when this is over!”

  She smirked, but decided she’d better not comment. “Does Tess have him?”

  “No. I’m heading back that way. I’ll be coming out of the bush on the northeast side .”

  She ducked down behind a mound of snow and looked to where Brody was laying flat and with his gun aimed at the trees across from him.

  “First I beat him and try to slice him, and then I let him get shot!”

  Dom’s chuckle filled her mind. “He needed to be taken down a few pegs, babe. Don’t let it concern you.” She carefully scanned the trees.

  “Tell Tess I’m going for him.”

  “Damn it!”

  She jumped up and headed straight for Brody. Sliding in beside him, she flipped and aimed her gun at the trees. “You looked like you needed company.”

  He snorted and moved his weapon down the line of trees. “I could use a beer, too. Did you bring any?”

  She sighed. “Sorry, small pockets.”

  “Figures.”

  She chanced a quick glance at him. The pain was evident on his face. “How bad is it?”

  “It’s my thigh—the one you didn’t beat the shit out of.”

  She smirked. “At least I didn’t shoot you.” She got up on her knees and aimed, steadying the gun with both hands.

  “You didn’t have a gun. Thank God for that!”

  She was done being jovial. “Can you move?”

  She heard him grunt. “Yeah, just don’t let my ass catch a bullet.”

  She crouched and got ready to cover his movement.

  “Let’s go.” She heard him grunt again as he tried to get up enough to move. Without taking her eyes off the trees, she backed away in the direction she heard him heading.

  “Jennah, Tess has him. He’s aimed right at you.”

  “Where?” She took a few more steps back. “Tell me when you’re in the clear, Brody. We’ve got company.”

  “I’m good.”

  She headed in the direction of his voice.

  “He’s heading slowly to go around the cabin and come out behind you.”

  The way Dom’s voice had dropped made her heart thud a bit harder. “Got it. Where are you?”

  “Few minutes out. I was doubling back when they hit Brody.”

  She glanced quickly to see where Brody was. He was leaning against the tire on the back of the SUV. She looked at the blood on the snow. “Tell Tess to get here and look after Brody.” There was no way she was going to sit here and let Dom come barreling out of the trees into the open and possibly get shot.

  “Where the hell are you going?” She didn’t need to see him to know he was not happy.

  “To cover the corner. He should be sandwiched between us then.”

  “Dammit, Jennah!”

  She knelt by Brody. “Tess is on her way. Be right back.”

  Brody raised his eyebrows at her. “I heard. You are just rubbing him into a wonderful fury.”

  She smirked. “He’ll be fine.” She looked around to see a woman with bright red hair hustling toward them. “Your nurse is here.” She moved along the side of the vehicle as far as she could.

  “Dom is going to lock you up,” she heard Brody whisper.

  She looked over her shoulder at him. “He can try.” With that, she took a few deep breaths and then bolted toward the side of the cabin. If she had this figured out right, Dom should clear the trees just as she got into a good position to cover him.

  “Where are you, babe?” He sounded worried.

  “I’m almost to the small snow bank at the back corner. I’ll have you covered by the time you get here.”

  “That will be in about a minute.”

  “Can you see him?” She crouched down behind the snow and listened for sounds of movement.

  “No—wait.” There was a long pause. “He’s on the opposite corner, just looking to head your way.”

  She nodded, even though she knew no one could see. “How do you want to do this?”

  “I want you to go home and drink bloody tea!”

  “We will, after.”

  He huffed out a breath. “Just keep an eye on him. I’m going to be in the open shortly and there isn’t anywhere to hide.”

  “I’ve got you covered.” She turned onto her stomach and slid to the bottom of the snow she hid behind. Lying as flat as she could, she inched her way until she could see the man pressed tight against the wall. He was looking to her right, at the corner of the cabin. It was her buddy with the broken nose. Where was her metal stick when she needed it? She’d like to break it a bit more just for making her lie in this cold snow.

  She wanted to glance in the direction she knew Dom was coming from, but her training was still very much a part of her and she kept her eye on the threat. He stopped suddenly and crouched a bit. She looked at him over the end of the gun. He was still looking in the direction of the corner. Had he heard Dom coming or was he just getting jittery? He continued to move toward the corner. The hand with his gun was dropping lower. It was obviously cold. He stopped again, switched it to the other hand, and rubbed the one against his pants, which confirmed her thoughts.

  How far is he away? She bit her lip and guessed ten feet now. She wasn’t in the mood to lie here, freezing for much longer. She made the decision and moved in one, quick motion up onto her knees, aiming directly at him. “I think that’s far enough.” She kept her voice low and steady as she stood, not taking her eyes off him.

  His startled look spun to her and the gun wavered in his hand. He moved it in her direction.

  “Don’t even think about it!”

  Dom’s deep command broke the deafening silence, and she could see him moving in behind the man. She kept her gun on him. “Drop it. Now!” She widened her stance and looked down the barrel at him.

  He lowered the gun slowly and then tossed it a few feet away from her. He dropped down to his knees and then was pushed down further by one of Dom’s big hands.

  Dom held the man down while he looked at her. He moved his eyes over every inch of her, assessing for himself that she was fine. His chest was heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He looked ragged and tired, but his eyes were lethal.

  Tess appeared beside her and rushed forward to cuff the man whose face Dom was still holding in the snow. “I’ve got him, Palmer.”

  He nodded and stood up. “How’s Brody?” He didn’t look away from Jennah as he began moving in her direction. The way he looked at her made her heart quicken and it was all she could do to stop herself from running into his arms.

  Tess chuckled. “He’ll live.”

  Jennah took a deep breath just as Dom stepped in front of her and grabbed a hold of her. He crushed her into his chest hugging her. “You and I are going to talk about a few things,” he said, taking a ragged breath. She could feel his heart pounding against her cheek.

  She knew he was trying to sound stern, but she grinned and looked up at him. “Says one adrenaline junky to another?”

  He huffed out a breath and grinned down at her briefly before his eyes softened. “You scared the shit out of me!” His words were a whisper.

  She heard laughing and looked around. Brody was hobbling toward them. “Scared the shit out of you? Next time you need someone to rescue her, you go into the dark hole and try to do it without injury. I came damn close to needing rescuing from her!”

  Dom wrapped his arm around her and headed toward him. “You don’t look too worse for wear.”

  Brody raised his chin. “Is there a slice across my throat? There was pain, and a few seconds more and my head would have been on the floor!”

  Dom looked down at her. “You scared Brody.”

  She could
see the pride shining in his eyes, and she had to clear her throat to keep things light in front of the others. She gave him an innocent look. “He didn’t announce himself.”

  Dom looked over at the other man and shrugged. Releasing her quickly, he went over to Brody as he started to slide down over the side of the vehicle. “Let’s get you to the hospital.” He pulled him upright and then looked at her. “You too. You’re getting checked out from head to toe.”

  She grimaced. “But I’m fine.”

  “You’ll do it, Jennah, and make sure.” His voice was rough. “Please, babe, for me. Just make sure.”

  She closed her eyes briefly to hide the tears she felt coming on from the tone he used. She sighed. “Okay. Has anyone heard from the rest of your team?”

  Tess came up behind her, pushing the man along in front of her. “No word yet.”

  She let out a slow breath. “Shouldn’t we stay and help?”

  Tess nodded, but the words she was trying to say were voided by Dom and Brody’s loud, “No!”

  From A Dream

  Chapter Seven

  Jennah watched Dom’s feet under the curtain that hung around the bed she’d been put in when they’d reached the hospital. She gave it five more minutes, and if the doctor or nurse didn’t go out and tell him she was all right, he was going to get even more agitated than he was.

  As if on cue, the curtain flew back and he stood there looking larger than life. The doctor looked up from the pages he’d been writing on with a very apprehensive look in his eyes. Jennah hid a smile behind her hand and met Dom’s eyes. “You’re scaring the medical professional that is checking everything but my shoe size.”

  “I don’t care. I have been standing on the other side of that damn curtain for almost an hour!” He returned his serious eyes back to the doctor.

  The doctor straightened away from the counter and turned to look at Dom. “Mister Palmer, we’re almost through. If you’d like to . . .”