Page 74 of Corrupted Lies

Seventeen

October 20th

2:54 P.M.

So close, and yet not close enough.

At the sound of the gunshots, Alannah cried out, turned around, tripped, and went down.

At least Jake hoped she only went down because she’d tripped because the alternative was that she’d been hit.

Diving toward her body, he covered it with his own, offering the only protection he could.

While he’d hoped they would both make it into that boat, he was prepared to give his life to save Alannah. Or even just to give her a chance. It wasn't even about being prepared, he would gladly do it. Even if things hadn't changed between them over the last couple of weeks, he would be more than willing to sacrifice his life for hers.

She was his best friend, and the vow he’d made as a five-year-old was one he had honored into adulthood. Alannah was his to protect, his best friend, but maybe there had always been more there and he just hadn't seen it.

“Are you hit?” he asked, trying to keep the panic from his voice.

“No. At least I don’t think so. I just tripped. Are you hit?”

“No. Just worried about you.”

“They’re shooting at us.” Alannah said it like she couldn’t quite grasp it, even though they’d both known the risks when they made a run for it. She was in shock, but as he glanced over his shoulder, he could see the men shooting at them were still quite a way down the beach.

There was still a chance.

At least for Alannah.

“Get up, sunshine, get onto the boat and get out of here, I’ll hold them off for as long as I can.”

“No.”

The word was said firmly, and her hands fisted in his shirt, gripping him with a ferocity that surprised him even though it shouldn’t. His sunshine had learned to be tough the hard way, and even though she was terrified, she wasn't going to just give up.

“I'm not leaving you to die for me, there has to be another way.”

Was there?

Was there something they could do?

If he could get his hands on one of those weapons, they would at least stand a chance. The boat was tiny, so he didn't think there could be more than six people searching the island. If he was armed, he liked those odds.

But trying something meant allowing Alannah to stay in the line of fire.

“Jake, we’re in this together,” she said firmly. “A team. I won't let you sacrifice yourself.”

Running through scenarios in his head, he knew he had to come up with something fast, their window of opportunity was quickly diminishing.

For now, there were only the two men, but if more were on the island the gunshots would have them zeroing in on this location. If they were going to do something, it had to be now.

“We’re going to get back up and run for the boat. When we get to it, you're going to jump in, and I’m going to push it into the water. Then I’m going to fake being hit and go under. You’re going to stay in the boat until they get close. When they’re distracted, I’ll make my move.”

This was risky.

The riskiest thing he’d ever done.

He’d been in more dangerous situations in his career, but none of them had involved his best friend putting her life on the line.

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