Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
B eckett
Danger.
I’d faced it countless times in my life, barely flinching when someone had a gun pointed in my face or when I was facing the throes of certain death with a knife driven into my jugular. Hell, even the two times I’d been arrested by a crooked cop, tossed in a jail cell as if I was an animal hadn’t bothered me in the least. I was a tough man, more so than almost any other.
But I’d been entirely alone in my endeavors and whenever I’d been forced to face my maker. Not so this time.
There was no time to waste. I was shocked the cabin hadn’t been overtaken by men wielding weapons. My only guess was that they were waiting until it got dark. That could provide them with an advantage. With only an hour of daylight left, I’d been forced to make a decision and act fast. We could either stay and face the music, which meant we’d be sitting ducks, or attempt to get the hell off the mountain.
I’d chosen the latter. There was too much to lose and my guest wasn’t prepared to face a fight.
It had taken me a few minutes to see the direction they’d come from. The fuckers had painstakingly covered their tracks, but I’d eventually discovered the deep grooves in the bottom layer of ice and snow from oversized tires. My question was what the hell were they waiting for?
The moment I burst into the front door, the level of fear I’d seen in Mallory’s eyes brought the strongest wave of rage I’d felt in all my years.
“Christ, Beckett.” She gasped for air.
“You okay?”
“Not really. I’m scared shitless.”
“We’re leaving,” I told her as I rushed through the house toward the hallway leading to my stash of weapons.
“What’s happening?” She trailed behind me.
“We’ve been made.”
“What does that mean? How?”
“The truck has been disabled. I can’t see how they managed it.” I bolted into my office, immediately yanking the closet doors open and yanking out a duffle bag that I’d put together well over a year before. The go bag not only contained additional weapons and ammunition, but items I’d need while on the move.
“Oh, my God. What are we going to do?” To Mallory’s credit, she was right there in my face, doing everything in her power not to fall apart.
I moved to my safe, not wasting any time unlocking it. As I tossed additional weapons into the bag, I finally heard Jax whining from behind us. Taking him with us would be difficult.
“We’re leaving. Once we’re off the mountain, we’ll be fine.”
“Fine? You have fucking killers coming after you. How in the hell is anything going to be fine? What are we doing, walking?”
I said nothing and she grunted.
“The snowmobile,” she half whispered.
“It’s the only way.”
“What then?”
I still didn’t answer.
She grabbed my arm, jerking me enough so I was forced to look her in the eyes. “What then?”
“Then I kill the motherfuckers.”
“What if they keep coming?”
I zipped the bag, taking a deep breath. We were running out of time. I felt it in my bones. “Then I’ll eliminate them as well.”
“And after that? We run? We hide? I can’t live life that way.”
“I know. One step at a time. Come on. You need to do as I say and follow my lead. Do you understand?”
She was shaking her head slowly. “They’ll just keep coming after you. Won’t they?”
There was no way of helping her understand this world. None. She’d asked the question before and as much as I wanted to tell her the nightmare would end, I knew better. It would take me finishing what I’d started, eliminating all those still standing in my way.
And that would not only take time, but significant cunning.
She remained quiet as I led her out the back, constantly scanning the area to ensure we hadn’t been further compromised. Snow was falling lightly, which would help hide our tracks, but at this point, I doubted it would matter. There was one safe way in and out. While the snowmobiles had more capabilities than my four-wheel drive, the drive down would still be treacherous no matter how I played it.
We both heard a crack and she slapped her hand across her mouth to keep from making a sound.
I gripped Jax’s leash, lowering my head so only he could hear. “Keep quiet. No sound.” I’d worked hard on training him to remain quiet when necessary. It was a tough trick to learn for a dog determined to protect his owner, but he complied.
“Good boy. Slowly,” I whispered more for her benefit.
I’d be damned if she didn’t try to skirt around me. I grabbed her arm, yanking her back, immediately crowding her space.
“You just don’t like to follow orders. Do you, Doc?”
“I thought I saw something.”
“You stay behind me. Period.” I’d thought about giving her a weapon, but knew that would only add an entirely different feeling of danger to the mix and one neither of us could afford. Our movements had to be precise, or we’d never make it out alive.
We moved forward as a team, heading toward the woods.
Crack.
A fallen limb from the weight of the snow. At least that’s what it sounded like.
Yet as the sound echoed in the air, I pulled her down to the snow, scanning the area.
“Stay here. I’m going to see what we’re dealing with,” I whispered.
“Like hell I will.” Her defiance surfaced at the worst times. “You’re not leaving me alone.”
“Goddamn it. Then stay low.”
At least she followed my orders, staying as low to the ground as possible. The snow was deeper, making it almost impossible to advance. When we finally were just inside the clearing, I pressed my finger across my lips, shaking my head then pushing her behind me. I kept close to the trees, ready to fire if necessary.
Then I exhaled, shoving the weapon into my jacket. There was no sign of any activity even though I knew it was only a matter of time.
Tick. Tock.
“They’re beautiful,” she whispered, remaining close to me as she peered out at the extensive clearing. A family of deer was nibbling off some fallen foliage near the edge of the woods.
The snow created a blank space, no sight of anything including wreckage, but we were able to catch a glimpse of the mountains.
“The area is gorgeous,” she said under her breath as she flanked my side.
“Yeah, that may be true, but we’re all sitting ducks at this point. Stay alert.”
“I am,” she whispered, her tone filled with anxiety.
The chill in the air was biting, wind kicking up from the incoming backside of the storm. Seven miles to get off the damn mountain. Seven. Not fifty. Yet the situation seemed dire.
We weaved our way through the trees, the light beginning to fade into darkness. When we both heard a distinctive sound, I gripped her arm, nuzzling into her ear. “You’re going to run. Do not stray from the path. Do you understand?”
“Yes. Yes.”
We took off running. I muddled our path, shifting back and forth to try to keep the tail from finding us. I needed a few minutes inside the hidden shed alone.
By the time we reached the locked secure building, my instinct told me there were at least four of them. The bounty on my head was higher than I’d expected. I almost grinned at how much I was worth.
Twilight had settled in, the cloud cover creating a series of ominous shadows. I’d always enjoyed them before, but the shapeless forms held hiding places, chances for the fuckers determined to end my life to lie in wait.
I’d been a fucking fool to think I could ever find normalcy again. I’d gone after the wrong men, believing I could beat them at their own game. Lesson learned. I had to be even more cunning and ruthless than they were.
From what I could tell, the building hadn’t been found and the lock was intact. A little luck was on our side.
“We need to hurry. They’re coming.” I tried to keep all emotion from my voice, but it was impossible to keep anger from reaching the surface. Thankfully, Jax remained quiet. He’d been trained for something exactly like this occurring. However, the pup was exhausted, worn out from the day’s adventure. Getting him down the mountain would be another challenge.
I swung our gear onto the back, wasting no time tying it down. All the while, Mallory was studying me, her body shaking. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her, telling her everything would be okay, but at this point, I was having doubts that it would be.
I grabbed the harness I’d created several months before, worried something of this nature would happen. “Put this on.”
“Why?”
“Because Jax isn’t strong enough to run down the mountain himself. You’re strapping him to your chest. It’s the only way to keep both of you safe.”
She darted her eyes down to Jax who was staring at her with adoration in his. I would have enjoyed the touching moment had there been more time. My gut told me the fuckers were closing in.
I lifted Jax, instructing her how to tighten the harness. Other than a single whine, Jax didn’t complain or try to break free. Her breathing remained ragged and as soon as the last clamp was in place, I cupped her face.
“We’ll be fine. Seven miles and we’re off the mountain.”
She tried to smile, but it waned. “Just tell me one thing. How did you save the woman? What happened?”
Huffing, I heard a sound and every muscle tightened. “I was sent to kill her for theft. What I found was a single mother struggling to make ends meet because the man who’d spawned her child had no fucking decency inside of him. I gave her a new life and ended his.”
“Who was he?”
“Don Valenti’s soon to be son-in-law. He was also once my best friend.” We were done talking. I lifted and placed her onto the seat, turning out the light and opening the shed door as quietly as possible. “Mask on. Whatever happens, stay with Jax. He will make certain you get to safety. Do you understand me?”
“Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Just promise me, Mallory. Get off this mountain. Stay with Jax. He’ll guide the way.”
“Okay. Fine. But you’re scaring me.”
“Good.” Jax would know what to do. He was a good boy. He was the best boy. He’d keep her protected.
I grabbed a third set of goggles. There was even one for Jax. I waited until she adjusted both, making a plan of how I’d head off the property. After moving to the location, I’d forged a different path in case something like this occurred. It could be tricky to get to, but once there, the path down would be shorter. I slung the holster of the crossbow across my chest, snagging the bag of ammunition as well. We certainly couldn’t be too weapon-heavy.
All the while, Mallory was watching me, the reality of my world finally sinking in.
After climbing on behind her and donning the goggles, I squeezed her arm before starting the engine. Thankfully, the security system had kept the fuckers from hijacking the only way off the mountain.
The engine roared to life and there was no time to waste. I sped through the opening. I knew the area like the back of my hand, once again weaving my way through the dense foliage as I headed for the newly formed path.
I pressed down on the accelerator, constantly scanning the area in front of us. The foreboding remained, the intensity furrowing in the back of my mind. Something caught my eye and I slowed, shifting in an arc and finally idling as I looked back from where we came.
“What?” she asked.
“Hush. Listen.”
She craned her neck, hugging Jax tightly. I licked my lips as I tried to catch my breath.
“So dark,” she whispered hoarsely.
I could see nothing out of the ordinary. Then suddenly there was a light from the distance. Not bright, but distinct.
With my foot on the gas pedal, I took off once again, shifting around one tree then another. I had one arm wrapped around the two of them as I maneuvered, fighting to gain as much ground as possible before we were trapped.
We were almost out of light and I was forced to turn on the headlights. As soon as I did, I sensed I’d placed a target on our backs.
Sounds roared from what seemed like every corner, engines roaring as vehicles of different types approached.
“What’s happening?” she yelled.
“We’re surrounded. Hold on tight, babe.” My throat remained tight, enough so a lump had formed from the extreme tension. I managed to keep my full concentration. Until I heard a gunshot. There was no other sound like it, the distinct noise cutting through the din of the engine with ease.
She didn’t budge and I certainly couldn’t hear any sound coming from her. I pressed on, reaching the path without incident.
But they were closing in on us. Lights were off to both sides as the assholes did what they could to cage us in. I wasn’t going to allow that to happen. I hit the accelerator again, pushing the beast I’d all but built from scraps of fucking metal, ultimately putting in a supercharged engine to replace the one I’d considered subpar. I was grateful I’d done that. Wind whipped at us as I turned toward the main path, forced to keep my concentration solely on the road.
We were gaining some headway, one mile turning into a second.
But our luck was fading, the lights on both sides appearing closer. The fuckers were taking extreme chances, which meant they were reckless as hell or knew the area. I refused to back off, glancing over my shoulder every so often.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
The pinging sound meant at least one bullet had hit the back of the snowmobile. I gritted my teeth, veering off the path once again, weaving around tree after tree.
They kept coming. There were at least four of them. I had to lighten the odds, or we’d never make it.
“Don’t move!” I yelled as I slowed the vehicle, the skid skating to a stop. I jumped off immediately, thumping down in the snow. I grabbed the small flashlight from my pocket, taking position with my weapon and the light cradled in both hands. Thankfully, I didn’t need to wait long.
An ATV came roaring out from the shadows. I flicked on the light. All I needed was a couple of seconds.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
I powered off four shots in a row, all direct hits, including hitting the driver right between the eyes. Shit, the fucking machine kept coming. He was slumped over the console, his foot obviously stuck on the gas pedal.
And he was coming right this way.
Another series of gunshots proved at least one of the two fuckers was alive.
I managed to jump to my feet, pitching my body to the side a split second before the ATV came roaring over where I’d just been squatting. The recreational vehicle was picking up speed. Seconds later, it hit a fallen tree limb and was pitched into the air. I followed the trail as the ATV flew over my head, the rider tumbling to the earth.
I wasted no time, racing toward where he’d fallen, firing off several shots directly into the man’s face. My actions had been quick enough I was able to catch the bright orange ball of fire seconds after the engine had exploded.
Stretching, I wiped my face as I took a deep breath. But it was short lived. Another vehicle, this time a truck was headed in my direction. This one would be a long shot. I raced toward the sound, trying to keep my arms steady as the driver rounded a corner. I swung the light onto the windshield. From what I could tell, there was only a driver.
Not for long.
Three shots later, the windshield shattered, and the truck veered off toward a bank of trees. The sound of shattering glass and crumpled metal could be heard over the roar of wind. Spinning around, I rushed toward the snowmobile, gripping Mallory’s arm as I hopped on.
She was shaking, her breathing irregular.
“We got this, baby. Close your eyes.” I wasn’t certain if she’d obeyed me and I had no time to stop and comfort her. Within seconds of taking off again, I realized the last two vehicles wouldn’t be so easy to deal with. They were both high-powered snowmobiles. I could tell by the sound of the engines.
Fuck!
This had turned from dicey to next to impossible. Yet I kept going, once again using tactical maneuvers, weaving from one side to the other. Gunfire could be heard coming from both sides, but I continued driving, making it down the mountain by another two miles if not more.
“They’re gaining on us,” she yelled.
I already knew. I’d felt the rumble of the engines in my gut. A sick, cold feeling swept over me. There was no doubt what had to occur. It was a single chance and the only one I was willing to take. Ignoring the gunfire, I powered down the mountain, trying to get as close to civilization as possible.
When I finally noticed a road sign flashing by, I knew the main road heading into town was just up ahead.
I managed to make some headway, able to pull to a stop behind a dense clump of trees.
“What are you doing? They’re coming for us.” She was closer to becoming hysterical. I jumped off, immediately reaching inside the duffle bag and grabbing one of my other handguns.
“Listen to me. Take this,” I told her.
“I’m not taking a gun.”
I grabbed her arm, slapping the weapon into it. “Don’t fight me. Take Jax and head to the road, but stay out of sight. Do you hear me?”
“What are you doing?”
I pulled them both off, unhooking Jax so the harness remained, but she was able to use the leash. “I’m going to take care of them. I’ll find you. Okay? Just keep heading into town. Do it. Please.”
“I don’t like this.”
I cupped her face, leaning over and kissing her forehead. “It’s going to be okay. They’re searching for us and the element of surprise is going to help. Plus, I don’t need to worry about you. Okay?”
She gripped my arm, tilting her head. “I don’t want to.”
“Please.”
“Okay. Just don’t get yourself killed. Okay?” She gripped my jacket, pulling herself closer to me. As she kissed my lips, I felt once again time wasn’t on our side. The snowmobiles were zigging and zagging the area in a desperate attempt to try to find us. Lights appeared and disappeared like clockwork. She had to follow my orders, or the world would lose a brilliant veterinarian and an incredible woman.
The kiss was soft, sweet, and a reminder of all the things I’d given up freely to save one little family’s life. I would do it all over again. But not at the sake of losing something like Mallory.
I pulled away, giving Jax a quick look. “Here’s a flashlight. Now, go. Just stay off the road as long as possible. Okay?”
“You promise you’ll find me?”
“I promise.”
She shook her head as if about to refuse, but Jax tugged on his leash, whining only once as he looked back at me.
I waited as she walked away, doing what I could to keep my shit together. Anger furrowed inside of me. The fuckers would go down. I added a fresh magazine, slapping it into place and returned to the snowmobile.
There was no sign of either her or Jax as I re-entered the clearing. I took off, heading in an entirely different direction to give her time to get to the main road.
My thoughts shifted to killing the fuckers, using the rage and rush of adrenaline to keep my concentration exactly where it should be.
I sped up until I neared an area the locals liked to call Danger Pass. Then I slowed, baiting them by purposely choking the engine.
The two assassins flanked my sides with their vehicles. This had to be handled meticulously. As soon as they were close, I pressed down on the accelerator again, heading directly for them. The game of chicken often caught enemies off guard. This time was no exception.
When I was close, I jerked the vehicle to the side, kicking up a wave of snow against one driver before speeding away. The few seconds of a blind spot was all that was necessary.
I dashed around a tree, slowing just enough to watch the driver careen off the edge of the mountainside.
Half laughing, I wiped my mouth and scanned the area. The other driver had also slowed. Now it was down to one. The odds were better, but I needed the fucker alive. I revved the engine, laughing softly as I adjusted the goggles.
The moment I pressed down on the gas pedal, so did the fucker charging me. We were coming at each other at full speed. We both almost wrecked when we passed.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Bullets whizzed by. I roared around another group of trees, holding my weapon out. One more pass. That was all I needed.
I went again, this time keeping the weapon pointed directly at the man. When he whipped his weapon into view, I fired off two shots, but not before he managed to fire a single bullet. There was no doubt that at least one of mine was a direct hit, the fucker almost losing control of the vehicle.
Pain tore through me, white hot and gripping my breath. But I kept going, shifting at the last second just as he lifted the weapon again. Only this time, I hit something under the snow and the snowmobile was launched.
It felt like I was flying, the cold air filling my lungs refreshing. As I came down from the deep arc, images of Mallory’s face flashed into the forefront of my mind.
Now she was safe.