Chapter 3 #2
God, I know I'm not the best at this, but we're going to need Your help to get out of this. Ever since his encounter with Nalani and Paul, he found his faith waking to life again. He still wasn't sure if he could forgive himself for all of the things that he did, but he was working on it.
Movement to his left had Kam crouching behind the underbrush beside him. He pulled the NVG from his leg pocket and trailed the man through the forest. He would disappear behind each successive tree, making his way closer to the safe house. To Taylor.
The person was wearing all black, which made it impossible to make out any identifying features. The SPD officer was posted outside, but Kam saw him leave.
Kam's phone vibrated in his pocket, but he ignored it. He needed to get inside. Whoever else was out here did not have Taylor's safety in mind.
He closed the distance to the back side of the house. These old homes had cellar doors on the outside. Kam cleared away brush and hoisted the large door. He slipped into the basement. The smell of damp dirt and musk greeted him as he edged his way through the space.
He took the stairs, praying that they wouldn't give away his presence until he was ready to be seen. He nudged the door open slowly. He stayed low, melting into the shadows of the darkened kitchen. Now he needed to find Taylor and get her out of here before that other guy got to her.
"Don't move."
Kam put his hands up. "A man is approaching from the south. He'll be here in minutes. We need to move Taylor."
An alarm sounded from a computer in the dining room. Agent Schulz bore his gaze into Kam. "You've got thirty seconds to convince me not to shoot you and take Ertz to safety myself."
His phone vibrated again. Max would only contact in an emergency, but first Kam had to persuade Schulz to trust him.
"My name is Kam King, but I'm assuming you already know that."
Davin didn't move.
"I know that Taylor is being framed, and I'm going to prove her innocent."
"Why does she need to go with you?"
Kam pointed behind them. "Unfortunately, your safe houses aren't safe from these people. Their reach is far, and I have my ways to keep her safe."
"Why did you leave in the first place?"
Not the question he was expecting. Kam clenched his jaw. "I did it to keep her safe."
Something shifted in the agent's gaze. He holstered his gun and nodded toward the dining room.
"She's sleeping for now, but we need to eliminate this threat first."
Davin walked over to the computer with multiple screens and pulled up the camera feeds. "One day you'll have to show me that blind spot you slipped through."
Kam smirked. "Here." He pointed at the middle view where a shadow dashed behind another tree. Kam pulled his phone out of his pocket.
He had four messages from Max.
Got a ping.
contract out for Taylor Ertz
1.5 million
is this your girl?
Kam cursed under his breath.
Davin snapped his gaze up. "What?"
"That is most likely an assassin coming to capitalize on the contract that was put out on Taylor."
Davin's eyes widened for only a moment before his face went stern. "You get her out of here." He tossed him a SAT phone. "Check in when you're safe."
"Where are you going?"
Davin opened a case sitting on another chair and pulled out a rifle. "I'm going to buy you guys some time. And, King."
Kam froze in his tracks.
"Thanks for keeping Nalani safe. I expect you to do the same with Ertz."
Kam could only nod. When Ian had forced him to kidnap the journalist, he knew that he had to do everything he could without blowing his cover to save her. She was innocent. Enough innocents had suffered at the hands of Spartak.
Now the woman that he never stopped loving was their next target. He would never let them win.
Kam reached the door to the bathroom and heard water running. Should he go in or knock? The door flew open, and Taylor stood there, gun raised, wet hair dripping water on her face.
Her shoulders relaxed. "Kam?"
"We've got to go."
Her gun never lowered, and the hope that she would trust him started to embrace the same fate as the Titanic.
Kam took a step closer.
"Don't," Taylor barked. "Why are you here?"
Taylor always appreciated the truth without any pretense, so the harsh reality of what they faced was the only response he knew she would believe. "There is an assassin approaching the house with you as their target."
He reached up and lowered the gun. "You're just as beautiful as I remember."
She deflected his touch and shoved him into the wall. Putting her arm across his chest, she got in his face. "Why should I trust you?"
"I've spent every day for the last three years fighting so that one day I could be with you again. If it wasn't too late."
She growled out of frustration and pushed herself away from him. She made it two steps down the hall before doing an about-face.
Before his brain could process what her intentions were, she was kissing him hard. His body didn't have time to react because she pulled away just as fast as she started the kiss. She dashed into one of the bedrooms. Kam stood in the doorframe, trying to wrap his head around her reaction.
She still had some feelings for him, but his absence hurt her. He fisted his hands. If only he could go back and change the past, but he couldn't. The only thing he could do now was protect her and hope that the pain of the past wasn't too great for them to overcome.
Taylor threw the backpack over her shoulder and pushed past him. Back to being cold. Or maybe just focused. Taylor was the same in many ways, but there was an edge to her now. His gut clenched at the thought that he caused that change in her.
Taylor reached the end of the hall and stopped. "Did you know about this?" She hitched her thumb over her shoulder.
Davin appeared in front of them. "He's our best bet at keeping you safe."
Bullets started to spray the front of the house. Kam grabbed Taylor and shoved her toward the kitchen.
Davin shouted over the noise, "Get her out of here."
Kam took Taylor's hand and led her out the way he came in. She didn't let go of his hand when they reached the bottom of the stairs, which he didn't mind in the least. The muffled sounds of Davin's return fire seeped through the floorboards.
Kam looked at Taylor. "When I throw open the door, you run straight into the woods and keep going. I'll be right behind you."
Taylor nodded. He dropped her hand and hoisted the old door open, praying that the sound of Davin's fire would cover the noise they were making. With one last look at him, Taylor took off up the steps and dashed into the woods.
Kam prayed as branches snatched at his clothes and smacked him in the face. They needed some of God's protection right about now. He kept his eyes on Taylor as she ran. Now that they were back together, he wouldn't let her go again.