47 #2
“I’ve got some tape,” said Wagner, checking his pockets.
He updated Mariota and ripped off several generous pieces of tape, fastening Noelle’s and Royce’s shirts in place.
“Hang on,” he told Crystal. “They’re calling for a medevac, and I’m going to look at your back.
” She gave a tearful shriek as he rolled her to one side. “No exit wounds,” he said grimly.
Also not good.
“What happened?” Noelle asked Crystal, her anxiety spiking. “Is Emma with him?”
“Yes. He has her.” Crystal struggled to speak.
“I knew he’d be up here. The top of that ridge is where he always took me on walks.
Said it was his favorite place because of its amazing views.
There’s a direct way from the CCC building, which I took.
When I got here, I spotted him and Emma still heading up the ridge.
I had a perfect shot and I missed. He shot back, hitting me a few times, and I ran until I couldn’t anymore.
” She looked at Royce, shame in her wet eyes. “I stole your gun.”
“I know. It’s okay.” His hands shook as he pressed against the bloody shirts. He was nearly as pale as she.
“I wanted to kill Drew,” Crystal whispered. “Besides killing Sydney, he destroyed my life and haunted me for the last ten years. I had to make it stop!”
She’s getting weaker.
“You’re sure he went that way?” asked Noelle, standing and putting her vest back on.
“Yes, he pulled Emma in that direction with him.”
“Royce, stay here. Wagner, with me,” she said.
“Tell Emma I’m sorry,” Crystal whispered.
Noelle nodded and headed off to track down Drew.
Hopefully she can tell Emma that herself.
“Jesus,” said Max as he and the other two SWAT team members found Crystal and Royce. Royce was almost as bloody as Crystal, and the woman’s breathing was rapid and shallow.
“The medevac is on its way,” said Mariota.
“She’s going in and out,” said Royce, deep concern wrinkling his forehead. “Do you have anything to stop the bleeding?” he begged the men, who all shook their heads.
Tunsil kneeled and checked the bloody bandage.
That’s Noelle’s shirt.
“Where’d they go?” Max asked Royce.
“Toward the top of the ridge. Noelle and Wagner went after them. Crystal said it’s a spot he goes to all the time.”
“He’ll know the ins and outs,” Mariota told Max.
“Then we better get going,” said Max.
Noelle heard Drew before she saw him.
She and Wagner were nearly to the top of the ridge. Ahead she saw that their forest cover gave way to a wide swath of pale stone, and beyond that the ground simply disappeared. It was the edge of a cliff.
She paused behind one of the last trees before the ground became stone and watched.
Drew was rambling, telling Emma how much he’d missed her and then in the next breath saying how angry he was that she’d left him.
But he kept calling her Crystal. He had one arm locked around her neck and steadily moved the two of them closer to the edge of the rock cliff.
His gun was jammed under her chin. It looked oddly small in his huge hand.
“Did you really think you could leave me? You were meant for me. You have to be with me or no one!” His tone shifted between love and hostility, over and over.
He’s losing it.
Noelle exchanged a look with Wagner. If they stepped out from the trees, they’d be exposed. She was a good shot, but with Drew’s jerking movements, there was too much risk of hitting Emma, who was clasped against him.
“He’s moving around too much,” Wagner said softly.
Emma had a gag in her mouth, and her wrists were loosely tied together.
Drew had her back pressed against his front with one arm as he paced back and forth on the edge.
He was much bigger than Emma, and her feet were often off the ground.
The gun never left the underside of her jaw, and occasionally Drew would pause and look over the edge.
What is he thinking?
“You shouldn’t have left me, Crystal,” he growled. He angrily shook her, and Emma slid out of his grasp a few inches. Her feet scrambled to find purchase on the gravel at the cliff’s edge, making them shoot out from under her and causing Drew to lose his balance.
He’s going to make them fall!
Noelle lunged out of the woods, her gun trained on Drew. Then slammed to a halt. She had no shot. And now she was exposed to him.
Drew caught his balance and swung his gun in her direction, his hand shaking. Emma was still clasped to the front of his chest. “Back up or I’ll kill her!” he shouted at Noelle.
Wagner doesn’t have a clear shot either.
Drew suddenly jerked his gun and fired to Noelle’s right.
Wagner gave a loud “Oof,” and she knew he’d been hit, but Wagner immediately fired back, and Drew lurched to one side, blood staining his hip.
Emma screamed, her mouth open wide around the gag.
Something behind Noelle made a scratching, falling sound, but she couldn’t turn around, her weapon and gaze locked on Drew.
Wagner went down.
Emma shrieked again and tried to fling herself to one side. She nearly broke free, but Drew grabbed her hair and slammed her back to him. Wild rage shone in his eyes.
She distracted him from me.
But I still don’t have a shot.
Then she realized the blood on Drew’s hip was coming from Emma’s side.
Max crested the ridge, his weapon forward, and saw Emma and Drew in a dangerous dance on a cliff’s edge. Noelle was completely exposed on the smooth rock with her weapon trained on Drew, and Wagner lay on the ground, his hands clasped to his bleeding thigh, his face twisted in pain.
Then Max locked eyes with Emma and relief flashed across her face.
She and I have been in this situation before.
But I don’t have a rifle and scope.
He couldn’t be as accurate with his pistol. Which meant he might hit her instead.
Drew looked up, spotting Max. “Get the fuck away! Crystal can’t go with you! She’s mine!”
“Drew!” shouted Noelle, her weapon following his every move. “Let her go!”
Emma is blocking her shot. And mine.
“No one can have her!” He jerked Emma tighter, and the gun moved to her throat.
Noelle took one step, and Drew locked his rabid gaze on her.
Turn a little bit, Drew. Give me that shot.
Drew’s face grew bright red, and spit flew from his mouth as he screamed at Noelle. “I said get back!”
Then Max saw it. That subtle shift in Drew’s eyes as he made a decision.
“No!” he shouted at Drew. “Don’t!”
Drew gave Noelle a huge grin and pulled his trigger.
Blood flew from Emma’s neck, and she went limp. Drew dropped her to the ground as if she disgusted him.
Max fired. And fired. And fired.
Drew jerked as bullets entered his chest, throwing his arms wide. But he didn’t go down.
Noelle was firing too, striding closer and closer to the man with each shot.
Bloody holes covered the big man’s torso as his head tipped back and he screamed at the sky.
Then he fell backward. His skull bounced on the smooth rock and he went still.
Noelle dropped next to Emma, screaming her name, and Max reached her a heartbeat later.
There’s too much blood.
Blood flowed from Emma’s mouth, covering her cheek and running down her neck, forming a pool beneath her. Noelle tried to stop the bleeding with her bare hands, telling Emma she’d be okay. The young woman’s eyes were open and focused on Max but full of confusion.
I let her down this time.