Page 123 of Tactically Acquired

“We couldn’t tell anyone,” Audrey argued. “The studio doesn’t know. There was too much at risk. There are things we need to do before?—”

I checked out as the radio burst to life. “Check your six. Check your six!”

I spun around, my eyes widening when I saw three vehicles barreling down on us. “Thumper, put your foot down!”

We jerked forward as he wove in and out of traffic. Fox was driving the other vehicle and swerved behind us, blocking us as best he could. We needed to get off this highway and find a place to hide out until we could figure out who the hell was after us.

I pulled my gun and checked the magazine, slamming it home when a thought occurred to me. “The studio…”

“What?” Thumper asked.

“The studio. Ginger talked to Woody. He wanted them found because he was losing money every day they were gone.”

“But why would he kidnap them?” Rae asked. “That wouldn’t make sense.”

“Because our lawyers got us out of their contract,” Spencer answered, his head flopping back against the seat. “The studio tried to pull some shit with us, and our lawyer was able to get us out of our contract after the next movie. It would cost them millions of dollars.”

“More than that,” Audrey whispered. “And Ginger helped them find us.”

“She probably didn’t know what was going on,” I tried to reassure her.

They wanted to kidnap them for the publicity. Sales would skyrocket when news got out that two superstar action heroes had gone missing. They needed to get their money back somehow, and this was how they planned to do it.

“Get on the phone with Lock. Tell him we need a safe house now!” Thumper ordered.

Rae was already on it, calling in for help. Fox was protecting us as best he could, but unless we got off this road, there was nowhere we could hide. We were sitting ducks. He jerked the wheel at the last minute, taking the off ramp. With any luck, it would buy us a little time.

The tires squealed as we took the ramp a little too fast, fighting to stay on all four wheels. I realized Audrey wasn’t buckled in and quickly pulled the strap, snapping it in place.

“Get your belt on!” I shouted at Spencer, grabbing my own. I twisted, looking out the back window again just in time to see Fox ram one of the vehicles off the ramp, but another swerved around him, hitting the gas and flying right at us.

“Punch it!” I shouted. “They’re gaining on us!”

“Shit, shit, shit! Hang on!” Thumper shouted.

My head snapped to the left just as a truck ran through the light and slammed into the front end of the vehicle, spinning usaround like a top. Thumper did his best to correct and get us moving, but we nearly rolled.

I grabbed Audrey and tucked her into my side just as the chase vehicle slammed into us from the other side, hitting us so hard that the SUV went flying onto its side, rolling once before it fell onto the passenger side with a crushing groan.

Shaking my head, I blinked away the fog filling my vision and jerked in my seat, wincing at the pain in my leg. Fuck, something was pinching my thigh.

“Audrey,” I whispered, turning to find her. She was leaning against Spencer, her eyes closed as they both rested against the door. I pressed my fingers to her neck and felt a steady pulse.

Glass was shattered all around us and metal was contorted and gnarled as steam rose from the engine. Rae was fighting to get out of the wreckage and Thumper was hanging from his seat toward Rae, his belt the only thing holding him in place. I had to get out of here and find the fuckers who hit us.

Gritting my teeth, I looked down at the metal piercing my thigh. It looked like it was just in the muscle, even if it did hurt like a bitch. There was no time to wait for a medic. I gripped the metal and yanked, biting back a curse as I tossed it to the ground.

I released the buckle and caught myself before I could fall on top of Audrey. “Rae, you good?”

“I’m almost out,” she grunted. “You?”

Voices just outside the vehicle interrupted me. Friendly or not, I wasn’t waiting to find out. I slammed my elbow into the already cracked window twice, ignoring the bite of pain as glass embedded in my arm. With my gun in hand, I popped up, ready to fire, and nearly had a heart attack when FNG stood just a foot away from the vehicle.

“Whoa, don’t shoot,” he grinned. “You may not like my face, but I swear, I’m a friendly.”

“Fucking hell, FNG. Are we clear?”

He nodded. “Fuckers bolted. Fox is running ‘em down with Max.”

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