Duty Bound (Blackthorn Security Book 1)

Chapter 28

Blade was about to pull the trigger, when he heard a familiar voice yell, “Get down!”

He threw himself hard to the ground.

A volley of shots from behind drilled into the two guards, sending them flying. The next minute, an arm reached out and grabbed him.

Stitch.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he snarled, grimacing at the pain in his side. “You’re supposed to be with Lily.”

“Relax. Lily’s fine. She’s on her way to Kabul.”

He crumpled, leaning against his friend.

“Christ, they’ve done a number on you.”

He grunted in response.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Stitch helped him back to the Land Rover parked around the corner, out of sight.

“You crazy bastard, you were going to go for it, weren’t you?”

Blade gave a snort. “Always wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.”

Stitch shook his head. “Get in, this isn’t over yet.” Shouts and gunfire sounded behind them. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Stitch put his foot down, nearly flattening two Taliban fighters in the process. They dived out of the way just in time.

The Land Rover raced down the suburban street, spraying their pursuers with dust and pebbles. Blade turned and saw the two soldiers pick themselves up off the ground. Soon, they were joined by two more. All four raised their weapons and fired at the speeding Land Rover. The back window exploded, shattering glass fragments over the back of his head.

He ducked, groaning at the pain in his rib and shoulder. His left arm hung limply at his side. Stitch gave a cackle and gave them the finger.

“Thanks, pal,” Blade said, once they”d put some distance between themselves and the house where he”d been held captive. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t mention it. You’d do the same for me.”

It was true, he would. In a heartbeat.

“How”s Lily getting to Kabul?”

“I”ve arranged for another ride.” Seeing Blade”s concerned look, he explained further. “I paid an Afghani couple to take her. It”s safer this way. They won”t draw as much attention as an American SUV barreling down the road.”

Blade gave a gruff nod.

“Don’t worry, I gave them more than enough so that they wouldn’t turn her in.”

“Thanks, I’ll pay you back.”

He waved a hand in the air.

“How”d you track me down?” Blade inquired.

“I figured they”d stash you somewhere close until the security services could pick you up, so I doubled back and tailed them to the safe house then waited for the perfect chance to make a move.”

“I had it handled,” he said through a grimace.

“Sure.” Stitch glanced over at him. “Looks like it.”

He coughed and held his ribcage. “I’ve had worse.”

Stitch shook his head.

“To be honest, I was expecting more of a beating, but they didn’t realize I was Special Forces.”

“Not yet,” Stitch said grimly, checking the rearview mirror.

Blade nodded. “Yeah.”

A cacophony of sirens wailed in the distance. They were coming.

“We’ve gotta get this car off the road,” Blade muttered.

Stitch ground his jaw. “I know that. I’ve got a plan.” He floored it down the Kabul road, swung hard into the rest-area, then parked behind the fruit store.

Blade, unable to move, watched as Stitch jumped out, approached a man with a shitty Toyota—literally the worst car in the spot—then offered to do a swap.

The man stared at him, like he was nuts.

Stitch gestured with his hand, urgent and impassioned. The dust hadn’t even settled around the Land Rover yet.

With a sly grin, the man agreed. Stitch handed him the keys, raced back to the SUV and helped Blade get out.

Once they were firmly in the Toyota, Stitch took off out of there, passing a swarm of police vehicles racing in.

Blade ducked, breathing hard from the effort, as Stitch laughed and turned onto the Kabul road. The move wouldn’t stall them for long, but it would buy them some time.

“I told him not to say anything,” Stitch murmured, checking the mirrors again. No cop cars were giving chase.

The road behind them was blissfully silent.

“You think he will?”

“Maybe. No one wants to mess with the Taliban-run police force. He’ll know it’s not in his best interests to keep quiet. But by the time they figure out we’ve switched cars, we’ll be somewhere safe.”

“Safe?” Blade glanced over. He was wheezing heavily now. “Aren’t we going to Kabul? They’re just going to put up another roadblock on the outskirts of the city.”

“No, my friend. We are not going to Kabul. That would be suicide.”

He leaned back against the headrest. “Then where are we going?”

“Somewhere I can take a look at that broken rib, and every other part of you they’ve kicked to shit.”

“I’m fine.”

“Like hell you are.”

“I just need to sleep.” He started drifting off.

“Wake up, Blade.” Stitch tapped him on the leg.

“Huh?”

“Can’t sleep yet, buddy. Not with that concussion.”

“Fuck off,” he growled.

“I can’t believe you pulled that stunt back there. What the hell, man?”

He knew Stitch was keeping him talking so he could monitor him for signs of a cranial bleed or loss of orientation. Anything that would signal a traumatic brain injury. “Couldn’t risk you and Lily getting shot.”

He thought he was making sense.

Kind of.

“We might have made it. There were only ten of them.”

Blade laughed, but it hurt so damn much, he coughed instead. He couldn’t see shit out of one eye, either, but that would just take time. “Where are we headed?”

“I’ve got a contact.”

“Good to see domestic life hasn’t made you soft.”

Stitch grinned. “Farzaad is a good man. He’ll have our backs.”

Blade offered a half-nod. He trusted Stitch.

The beat-up Toyota chewed through the miles. There were no more sirens. Blade closed his eyes, only to get another jab from Stitch.

“You must really care about Spade”s girl to put yourself on the line like that. I know it wasn’t just for me.”

It was a loaded question, meant to stir him up. Meant to keep him awake when all he wanted was to crash.

It was smart too because he didn’t have the energy to dispute it.

“Yeah.”

Stitch glanced over at him. “She’s vulnerable. You know that, right?”

“I know,” he growled. “That’s why nothing happened.”

Not strictly true.

“I’m sorry for what I said before.” Stitch kept his eyes on the road. “I was out of line. I didn’t know how strongly you felt for her.”

Blade closed his eyes. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. She’s Spade’s girl, remember? I did this for him.”

“She was Spade’s girl, but from what I could see, she’s now very much yours.”

“What?” Blade squinted out of his good eye. “You’re full of it.”

“No, man. She wanted to go back for you. That was real emotion I saw there, not just heat-of-the-moment crap. She needs you.”

Blade mulled it over.

She needed him.

Out here, yeah, but what about back home? Would she need him then? He was nobody. An out of work soldier with PTSD. Didn’t have a job, nor any likelihood of getting one. Weren’t many jobs for former soldiers.

He didn’t have engineering skills like Joe or medical training like Stitch. All he knew was how to kill, and he was damn good at it. Problem was that didn’t translate into civilian life too well.

He had nothing to offer a woman like Lily.

Weariness and pain overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t stay awake. He heard Stitch talking, but the words were a jumbled mess.

The Toyota turned off the main road onto a dirt track, and the jolt made him catch his breath. Waves of nausea flowed over him. Darkness pulled him down, and he couldn”t keep his eyes open anymore.

“Blade!” Stitch’s voice barely registered.

He was losing the battle.

Thankfully, the pain started to diminish, and then there was nothing.