by Rebecca Deel
“Christine, get down in the floorboard,” Remy said.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Roadblock. Probably federales. They’re not too fond of us and would love nothing better than to see us rot in jail for a very long time. We may take gunfire. You’re safer on the floor.”
With a moan, she slid off the bench seat. Rio snatched the blanket and spread it over her, covering her head. “This will keep flying glass from nicking your skin.”
Up ahead, Alex gunned his SUV off the road to the right. He swerved onto another dirt road and floored the vehicle. Lily followed in his wake. As they left the federales behind, the men were scrambling into their vehicles. “Remy, we’re going to have company.”
“I’ll be ready.” He unzipped his Go bag. “Rio, you take the left. I’ll cover the right.”
“Copy that.”
“Josh,” Lily said. “The federales are headed our way. Three Jeeps loaded.”
“Copy. Concentrate on keeping your SUV on the road, but keep your weapon handy in case one of them comes up on your side. Rio and Remy can handle whatever those boys dish out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“When the road widens out, pass us and we’ll take the rear position. We need as much metal as possible between Mrs. Wilder and the federales’ bullets.”
“Here they come,” Remy warned. He reached over the back seat. A sound of tools clanging together filled the SUV. “I’m taking out the back window.” He gripped a lug wrench in one hand, swung hard, and shattered the glass.
Lily floored the accelerator, hoping to gain a little more distance and a little more time before the soldiers engaged Fortress. She glanced in the mirrors. The Jeeps were in single file, though the drivers of the second and third vehicles shifted as she watched, one on each side of the road to allow more weapon coverage. Her hands clenched on the steering wheel. Lily concentrated on keeping her SUV’s four wheels on this lousy road and preventing the Jeeps from coming around the sides of their vehicle to force them off the road. If the federales came along side and a bullet hit her, she could lose control of the SUV and end up killing all of them. The idea of hurting Remy and the others almost made her heave. That couldn’t be allowed to happen. She unsnapped her thigh holster and made sure she could reach her weapon easily.
Rio unbuckled his seatbelt and lowered the passenger-side window. He twisted in his seat, weapon in hand.
Lily glanced again in the rearview mirror. Crap. “Josh, they’re moving up to engage.”
“Road’s still too narrow to pass,” Alex said. “Remy, try a grenade. Slow them down.”
“Copy that.”
He thrust his hand into his bag and pulled out a grenade. He pulled the pin, waited two seconds and lobbed the black object out the back window. The weapon exploded just as the middle Jeep rolled over top of it. “One Jeep is toast.”
“Straightaway coming up,” Alex said. “I’ll pull to the far right, Lily. You scoot past me.”
“Copy.”
Two hundred yards further down the road, the lead SUV shifted to the right side, hugging the almost nonexistent shoulder. Lily floored the accelerator and edged past Alex. The other SUV moved behind Lily’s. From her rearview mirror, she saw Josh and Nate lean out the side windows and begin firing. Quinn, who had also knocked out the back window, shouldered his AR-15 and joined the gunfight.
A second Jeep veered off the road, struck a tree and exploded into flames.
“Two down.” This from Josh.
Up ahead, Lily spotted the black ribbon of an asphalt road. That’s where they would have been driving if they hadn’t been diverted by the roadblock. “Alex, blacktop in one hundred yards.”
“Copy. Turn right.”
She slowed enough to skid onto the asphalt and punched the accelerator again. Another explosion lit the night sky behind their SUV. Her heart leaped into her throat. “Josh?”
“Three down. Quinn got tired of exchanging pot shots with the clowns and lobbed a grenade.”
Lily grinned. “Copy that.”
“Hey,” Quinn snapped over the comm system. “They were aiming at your ugly mug, Cahill. I’m not explaining to your wife why you have an extra hole in your head. Del is one scary woman when she’s ticked off. Besides, if she’s mad at me, who’s going to keep me supplied with books? And if that’s not bad enough, I refuse to go up against your mother and sisters. That is my worst nightmare.”
Laughter sounded over the comm system. Remy and Rio chuckled.
“Lily, how’s it look up ahead?” Alex asked.
“Clear. Not much traffic this time of morning. No sign of more federales.”
“I’ll come around you. Be alert the closer we get to the plane. It’s been on the ground long enough to attract attention.”
“Copy.”
She eased up on the accelerator a little and scooted to the right. Alex’s SUV zoomed past. She dived back into line behind them. Lily glanced at the speedometer. Winced. They were traveling at more than 100 miles per hour. Good thing traffic was sparse. She didn’t relish weaving in and out of heavier traffic at this rate of speed, though Alex looked like he was out for a Sunday drive instead of barreling down the roadway. Josh would be glad to know her checkered past was further away than she’d thought. At least her driving skills hadn’t suffered too much over the years.
A few minutes from the plane, Josh’s voice came over the comm as he called the jet’s pilot. “Gage, it’s Josh. We’re ten minutes out and coming in hot. The jet needs to be ready to roll as soon as we’re on board. We’ve worn out our welcome.”
A garbled response from the pilot drifted through the comm link, then Josh said, “Figured. Thanks for the warning.” He sighed. “Listen up boys and girl, our pilot says a handful of soldiers is on the edge of the tarmac. Look like we have a welcoming committee.”
“What’s the plan, Major?” Nate asked.
“Alex, Lily, turn off the headlights in two minutes. We’ll stop a quarter of a mile out and walk the rest of the way. I’d prefer half a mile, but I’m afraid Mrs. Wilder can’t make it that far on foot. We’ll scout the airstrip, make a plan based on where the soldiers are positioned.”
“Copy that,” Lily murmured. She glanced in the rearview mirror. Remy’s expression was grim. She just hoped Christine could make the short walk without one of the guys having to carry her in. They might need every gun they had. Just because the pilot saw a handful of soldiers didn’t mean there weren’t others nearby that he couldn’t see.
At the two minute mark, she turned off the lights as did Alex. Talk about nerve-racking. The road was not well lit and the moon was mostly hidden behind clouds.
After driving a few hundred more yards, Alex pulled into thick underbrush. Lily followed right behind him and parked. “Stay still a minute, Christine. We have to make sure we don’t have unwanted company before you get out.”
The three of them climbed from the vehicle and met the rest of Durango waiting a few feet away.
“Quinn, you and Alex scout the area,” Josh whispered. “We need to know how many soldiers are waiting and where they are. The rest of us will stay to protect Mrs. Wilder.”
A minute later, the two men melted into the darkness.
“How is your principal holding up?” Josh asked Remy.
“Ask Rio.”
The team leader’s eyebrows shot up at his curt tone. He shifted his gaze to the medic.
“In shock, but she’s dealing.”
“Can she handle walking to the plane?”
He shrugged. “Every step she takes on her own is one less we’ll have to carry her. We have to let her try.”
“Keep an eye on her. We need to move fast. If the soldiers get a chance, they’ll call for reinforcements. I want off the ground before the others come to play.” He grinned. “Ethan told me to take another week off for my honeymoon. I plan to take him up on the offer.”
Lily smiled. Must be nice to be so in love with a spouse. Her g
aze shifted to Remy. A shiver raced over her body when she noticed he was watching her. What she wouldn’t give to have a relationship like that with Remy Doucet. And that’s when she knew. She’d fallen head-over-heels in love with the Cajun. Whether he abandoned her or not, she knew without a doubt he was the only man for her. He was quite simply her perfect balance. He told her he’d always love her, would never abandon her. It was time she took a leap of faith and believed him. Remy had never lied to her. She knew soul deep he was a man of his word.
“Get the gear from the SUVs. We need to be ready to roll.” Josh strode toward his vehicle and started unloading packs.
Lily and her teammates returned to their SUV and started unloading.
“Christine, you can get up now,” Remy murmured as he shrugged into his pack. “Be as quiet as you can. Sound travels at night and the soldiers aren’t far from here.”
“Why didn’t we just drive up to the plane?”
“Federales are waiting on the tarmac. We’d rather take them by surprise.”
She glanced around. “How far is it from here?” Worry clouded her eyes. “I’m not sure I can make it far, Remy. My stamina isn’t what it used to be.”
“Understandable. We’ll help you if you need it. We’re about a quarter of a mile from the plane.”
Lily strapped on her pack and checked her weapons as she listened to Remy and Christine’s conversation. Her heart ached at the control in Remy’s voice as he talked with Christine. The other woman had hurt him. Though she hadn’t said as much, Christine lumped Remy and the rest of the Fortress team into the same category as thugs.
Lily’s lip curled. These thugs were putting their lives on the line to get her home in one piece. Innocents needed people like Fortress to survive the land sharks, predators who took what they wanted from those weaker than themselves. “Christine, sit in the SUV until the others return. Conserve your strength.”
The other woman nodded and climbed back into the SUV.
Remy turned away from Christine, his expression bleak. He checked his weapons and put fresh magazines in each.
Lily rounded the hood of the SUV. “Remy.”
He glanced over. A small smile appeared. “I’m okay, Elf.”
She shook her head. “You’re more than okay. You’re amazing, baby.”
He holstered his weapons and wrapped his arms around her. “Hmm. Did you mean that endearment?”
She leaned up, brushed her lips over his. “I’ll tell you when we’re back on our home turf.”
“Something to look forward to.”
Quinn and Alex returned.
“Sit rep,” Josh said.
“Ten men,” Alex said. “Five on the tarmac. Five hidden around the area. Couple of sharpshooters.”
“Weaponry?”
“AR-15s and handguns.” This from Quinn.
Josh pulled out his cell phone. “Here’s a map of the airstrip. Where are the men set up?”
Alex pointed out their positions.
“We need to take out the five hidden guys first. Quinn, Alex, get a bead on those sharpshooters. Nate, Remy, and I will take care of the other three. Lily, stay with Mrs. Wilder. If the tarmac boys figure out their buddies are in trouble, you may have company.”
“I’ll be ready.”
He slanted a hard look at her. “I hope so, because you’ll be outnumbered five to one.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Remy’s jaw tightened. Lily was tough, but even she couldn’t take down five men at once. He reached for her hand, squeezed. She looked over and winked. Made him smile until he glanced at Christine. Her gaze was on their clasped hands.
His smile faded. “Christine, do whatever Lily tells you. She’ll keep you safe.”
“Why can’t you stay with me instead of her?”
“Josh assigned me to take down a big bruiser. Don’t worry. Lily is more than capable of protecting you.”
“Remy,” Josh said. “Take the soldier at the north end of the strip. Nate, you have the south end. I’ll take out the man in the middle. Alex, Quinn, wait for my signal, then take down your targets. As soon as you fire, we’ll go for the men on the tarmac. Rio, around the back.”
Remy moved in silence through the trees, circling around to the north end of the airstrip. The smell of cigarette smoke drifted on the early morning breeze. Nice. Helped pinpoint his target’s location, not that he needed the help. His quarry hadn’t tried to hide his passage through the terrain. He crept up the sharp rise. Behind the cover of a bush, he peered over the edge. Ten feet in front of him, a soldier leaned against a tree, smoking.
A scan of the area showed the best approach was to come from behind. There was a thick stand of trees to use as cover. Provided he didn’t step on any dead branches and announce his approach, he should be able to get to the soldier before he realized he was being stalked.
He eased back down the slope and moved fifty yards to the left. A little flatter than his previous approach, Remy covered the ground quicker. He hugged the shadows, choosing his steps carefully.
Five yards from his target, he drew his Ka-Bar.
“Middle target down,” Josh whispered over the comm.
The soldier straightened from the tree, suddenly alert.
Remy froze, his hand tightening on the hilt of his knife. A rustle from the underbrush near the soldier’s feet. Another rustle. Then a small animal darted from the cover of leaves. A cat. Good enough distraction for Remy.
He punched his target in the kidney. He knew from experience the pain the other man felt was excruciating as he dropped to his knees. Remy hit the soldier with the hilt of his knife and eased the unconscious man to the ground. A zip tie and a gag finished his job. “North target down.”
“Copy. Lily, move the principal into position.”
“Moving now.”
A couple minutes passed. Then, “South target down,” Nate whispered.
“Hold.”
Five minutes passed before Lily said, “In position, but the principal’s winded.”
“Copy. Alex, Quinn, go.”
Rifle fire echoed in the night. As if waiting for that signal, the jet’s engines fired up.
Over the comm system, Josh said, “Tarmac.”
With a last check to be sure his soldier was still down and trussed, Remy sheathed his knife and drew his Sig. He covered the remaining feet to the airstrip. From the shadow of a tree, he targeted one of the five remaining soldiers, and pulled the trigger, hitting him in the chest. The soldier sprawled on the tarmac, struggling to lift his weapon. Another shot and he stopped moving. More shots rang out around the tarmac.
A woman screamed.
Remy’s blood ran cold. He raced toward the plane, firing on another soldier as he ran. The other man hit the ground.
“Targets are down,” Josh said. “Lily, sit rep.”
“Reinforcements. I took down one. There are two more headed your direction.”
“Copy. Remy, you and Lily get the principal on the plane.”
“Copy that. I need cover fire.”
“Go,” Alex said.
With steady rifle fire from him and Quinn, Remy raced around the nose of the plane and sprinted for the other side of the tarmac. Lily helped Christine to her feet as he reached the edge of the airstrip.
He reached down, lifted Christine in his arms and, with Lily by his side, ran toward the jet. More shots rang out. A bullet whizzed by Remy’s head. Lily turned and fired multiple shots behind her. At the foot of the steps to the plane, Remy set Christine on her feet. “Lily, go.”
Drawing his weapon, he fired off round after round, using gunfire and his body to cover the women. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lily hustle Christine into the cabin of the plane.
“On board, now,” Josh said. “There are several vehicles closing in fast.” The team’s leader streaked across the tarmac, firing as he ran, laying down cover fire for his team.
Rio, Nate, Alex, and Quinn ran to the plane and up
the stairs. Brush moved on Remy’s right. He swiveled to fire when he noticed another man taking aim at Josh’s back. Remy aimed at the team leader’s attacker and pulled the trigger.
Two seconds later, another shot rang out, this one from the target on Remy’s right. A bullet slammed into Remy’s lower right side. He flew backward onto the tarmac, flat on his back. Pain wracked his body. He struggled to breath.
“Remy!” Josh sprinted to Remy’s side. “Alex, I need cover fire, now!”
Shots rang out from the plane. Josh got Remy on his feet and practically carried him up the steps. Agonizing pain ripped through him as his friend propelled him to safety. Rio met them at the top of the stairs and helped Josh haul him inside. Much as he wanted to help them, his legs wouldn’t hold him up anymore.
“Remy!” Lily’s voice was choked.
“Lay him down,” Rio snapped.
“Gage,” Josh said, “Get this bird off the ground.” He secured the cabin door. “Mrs. Wilder, fasten your seatbelt. Same for everybody else. Rio, what do you need?”
“Mike bag.” The medic unfastened and removed Remy’s bullet-proof vest. Rio pulled up his shirt. “Crap. Bullet hit him below the vest. Josh, help me roll him to his side.”
Durango’s leader dropped to his knees as the plane taxied down the runway and lifted off the ground, and maneuvered Remy onto his side.
He clenched his jaw. Pain washed over him in tidal waves. In the distance, Remy heard Christine weeping and one of the Fortress men talking to her in low tones. A small hand gripped his. Lily. He tried to squeeze her hand, to comfort her, but it was as if his hand belonged to someone else. It just wouldn’t respond.
The medic hissed. “Bullet went all the way through. He’s losing a lot of blood. Probably nicked his liver.”
“Can you do anything for him?” Lily asked.
“Josh, find out from Gage how long it will be until we’re in U.S. airspace. Lily, you squeamish?”
She shook her head.
“Good. He needs pressure on this wound. It’s going to hurt him. Can you handle it for a couple minutes?”
“Yes.”
Rio showed her what to do.