Page 69 of Dash

The guy didn’t get a second to reach for the trigger. I laid him down quietly to rest on the moist ground.May the gods have mercy on your soul. Killing was never my first choice, but Thena’s life was at risk and this crew had demonstrated that assassination was their MO.

With Stocky out of commission, I snatched the jammer and turned it off. Shoving it into my pocket, I put my blade away, grabbed the dead tango’s Uzi, and headed for high ground.

By the time the tangos arrived at the burning wreck, I was the proud owner of a prime piece of elevated real estate overlooking the burning limo and the gap where the little creek ran. The fire continued to roar. My senses worked to monitor my surroundings, noting everything. I checked my watch. Five minutes. That’s all the time that had passed between the moment I last saw Bozeman and now.

I was on schedule.

The tangos grouped together around the flames. The leader inspected the burning vehicle. A satisfied smirk parked on his face as he broke silence discipline. “Hard to think any of those fuckers survived this.”

“What’s that?” One of his scouts spotted the red blotch of Thena’s dress that I’d planted at the foot of the hill where I hid. “Looks like the woman may have survived.”

“Fuck.” Jaw clenched, the leader stalked over and untangled the fabric from the branches.

The rest of the thugs followed and gathered around Bearded Dude as he studied the red silk. Hidden behind the woods up in the hill, I paralleled their advance. His scout entered the dip between the hills and moved further into the gap.

“I got tracks,” the scout called back, detecting the footprints I’d made with Thena’s heels on the ground. “A shoe,” he yelled excitedly when he found my next gift. “Two shoes!” he announced, holding up the red stilettoes as if they were trophies.

Clenching the fabric in his fist, Bearded Dude stalked up the creek, followed by his posse. “Any signs of the men?” he asked when he reached his scout.

“None,” the man said. “It’s only the woman.’

“That lucky bitch has at least nine lives.” The leader turned his head to one side and spat on the ground. “But she’s about to run out of luck tonight.”

The hackles rose on the back of my neck. I forced myself not to shoot him on the spot. I needed information only he could provide.

“She can’t be very far.” The leader motioned for his men to follow him as he resumed his trek along the gap. “Let’s go kill the bitch so we can get paid.”

He walked straight into my ambush. At the top of the slope, I stepped out of the woods.

“It’s a fine evening for dying.” I looked down on the surprised tangos, casing them with the Uzi I’d borrowed from their dead colleague. “Set down your weapons. If any of you move, you all die.”

The men froze and looked at Bearded Dude. Holding his hands and his weapon in the air, the leader turned around slowly to face me.

“You’re one man with one gun.” His smirk expanded on his face as he openly studied me. “We’re many men with many guns.”

“Wrong.” I signaled.

My crew went from invisible to visible. Every operator was fully armed and wore the tactical vests and helmets we’d stored in the Suburbans as a precaution. Bozeman stepped out of the woods on the hill across from me, a giant of a man, aiming his carbine at the tangos. Shaw came up behind the men, lithe and quick, cutting off the possibility of a retreat. Ferranti parked in front of the group, blocking their way forward. Bearded Dude and his bunch were now inside my noose.

“Behind you.” Guzman announced as he stepped out from the woods. It was best practice to prevent friendly fire casualties, but I’d marked the moment he’d approached my position thirty seconds ago. He sauntered to me like the cocky jackass he was, and aimed his carbine at the group below.

“Here you go, boss,” he handed me an earpiece. “Line’s clear.”

“I’m aware.” I’d neutralized the jammer myself. “Weapons on the ground, now,” I commanded the tangos.

This time they obeyed me without hesitation. Moving slowly, they set their weapons down, and so did Bearded Dude.

I hooked the comms to my ear and clicked the line open. It didn’t surprise me that my crew had dodged the attack and evaded pursuit. Those were their orders in case of an ambush. In the time that it took these tangos to advance through the woods, Bozeman had rendezvoused with my team and relayed my orders to perform as per our contingency plans.

And now, it was time to get my answers.

***

Thena

From our spot hidden behind the rocks, Kai and I had anexcellent angle on the happenings across the slope. Even though Dash had pushed all the action away from us to the other side of the field, the flames illuminated the glut of our attackers as they entered the gap from where a small creek ran. I about lost it when Dash stepped out of the woods and casually loomed above the heavily armed group of thugs.

“What on earth is he doing?” I whisper-shouted.

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