Page 60 of The Hunted

25

Knox

Icrest the hill with one last glance back at Raven. Standing in the moonlight, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I linger when I probably shouldn’t, but I have very little hope I’ll make it out of this alive. I’m damn good at what I do, but my father no doubt brought along a small army of his best men from within the organization. He isn’t foolish, so I have no delusions that he would come alone.

I stalk through the forest, searching for tracks, when I hear footsteps rustle the fallen leaves around me. I sprint through the dense underbrush, seeking shelter as bullets begin to fly past and lodge into the trunks of the white oaks and maple trees that surround me. I duck behind a large oak and pull out my piece as I slowly begin to edge around the tree. A bullet hits the tree right above my head.

“Fuck.”

They’re all over me. I run, darting to my left behind another tree and fall to my knees, then roll onto my stomach and let the bullets fly.

I cap one fucker in the throat. I guarantee these men are wearing vests under their camo. Another stops dead in his tracks as his pal hits the dirt deader than four o’clock. I take that opportunity to pop one between his eyes.

The crunch of leaves behind me has me rolling over, but it’s too late. Two red lasers are sighted on my head. The next thing I hear is a crack and then blackness is all I know.