Page 27 of Once a Hero

“It’s a good long way out.” Beatrice removed her backpack. She handed Jake and Earl bottles of water, and then went to work making a splint for Earl’s ankle.

Raynelle helped her to duct tape around the two small travel pillows.

Jake’s eyes were on the third person, a heavily armed man. He hadn’t removed his night vision goggles or his ski mask, and he hadn’t said a word.

This must be the mystery third person on Beatrice’s team.

More twigs snapped.

Jake drew a deep breath. “They’re back.”

Beatrice’s hand reached for her semiautomatic bullpup rifle hanging over her shoulders on a strap.

Jake placed his hand on her arm. “Let me.”

Beatrice frowned.

“Let him have it,” the silent man finally said.

“Don’t side with him, Ken.”

Ken.

Jake remembered now. Back at the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Beatrice had told someone named Ken to call 911 after the sniper fired into the crowd.

“Give him one of yours,” Beatrice ordered Ken. And he did without a complaint.

Jake didn’t have to show off that he could handle practically any weapon like a pro.

“If you want to come with us, one of your people can stay with Earl,” he said quietly to Beatrice.

“Ken and Ray are better shooters than I am,” Beatrice reply. “I’ll stay with Earl. Please be safe.”

“I will.” Jake wanted to hug—or maybe kiss—her to show his appreciation, but it was probably too soon.

Still, the fact was undeniable. She had come to his rescue yet again.

If they kept crossing paths and heading in the same direction anyway, maybe they ought to work together and consolidate resources.

If they survived tonight, Jake would suggest a collaboration, if not an alliance.

After all, they seem to be on the same side now against a mutual enemy: Molyneux.

Chapter Twelve

With her flashlights turned off, Beatrice sat in the dark with Earl. Her night vision goggles revealed Earl’s foot sandwiched between the two travel pillows that she would have to replace for her van.

Earl closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree trunk.

All around them were giant trees that were wider than Beatrice could stretch out her arms. By eyeballing, she roughly estimated that the girths of those trees were even bigger than the one they were hiding behind.

Beatrice closed her eyes and found her other senses enhanced in this dark night. She heard the close combat battles happening on the other side of the tree they were leaning on.

There must not be much room to maneuver on the narrow forest trail. The driver they had thrown into the SUV earlier had said that two men entered the forest, but perhaps he lied. It shouldn’t take Jake, Raynelle, and Kenichi this long to handle only two men.

The smell of pine was strong in Beatrice nose, as was the smell of dirt and muddy soil after the heavy rain earlier in the night. She smelled upturned dirt.

Plus human sweat.

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