Page 100 of Maddox

“I can’t leave you,” she gritted out.

“Do it! I’ll come find you.”

The quick look into each other’s eyes was all the time we had. I pushed her gently and she took off running. I waited until she was hidden in the trees before racing toward the dumpster.

Footsteps were getting closer. As soon as two men came into view, both holding assault rifles, I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. One went down immediately, the other managing to survive. While hit, he’d lunged forward at the last moment and it appeared I’d gotten him in the shoulder.

His shots pinged off the metal. Before I could raise my weapon again, another asshole came, tossing his body against mine. The blow was brutal, knocking us both to the pavement.

We pitched and rolled, the assailant managing to knock the weapon from my hand. He was a strong motherfucker, slowly twisting the barrel of his handgun toward my face. We were both straining and the streetlight above highlighted the evil grin on his face.

I smiled given the pressure, few seconds left since the other jerk was standing over us, waiting in case the first gunman failed. I threw my leg over his, pitching him over onto his back. With one hand I grabbed my fallen weapon. With the other I gained control of the trigger on his weapon.

There was no time to second guess my decision.

I fired both, jerking back as blood and brain matter splattered my face.

Hissing, I rolled off, prepared to shoot again and watched as the last of the six men dropped to his knees going face down.

Well, fuck me.

I rolled over on my back, knowing that within minutes someone would call the police. The shots had been loud.

This wouldn’t be easy to explain, nor could I take the chance the reason our position had been compromised was because of a leak in either the justice department or the FBI.

Scrambling to my feet, I rushed back to the room, collecting the bags and heading to the vehicle. What I’d left on purpose were the clothes that had been brought with the Navy SEALs when they’d extracted us in Honduras. While I’d prefer taking theitems with me and ripping them to shreds until I found the bug, I couldn’t risk the possibility I was right.

Someone had been a step ahead of us the entire time.

With time of the essence, I gunned the engine, praying to God Charmaine had followed my command.

I was out of the parking lot within seconds, rushing toward the convenience store. Before I pulled to a stop, Charmaine rushed outside. She knew better than to hesitate, jumping into the passenger seat. Less than a minute later, we were headed west. Away from the city.

Away from the carnage.

I continuously glanced into the rearview mirror, slowing only as two police cars rushed by with their lights flashing.

She said nothing, but the scent of her fear was palpable. I pressed my hand against her leg and she finally allowed a soft shudder.

The darkened road greeted us, no one following. At least for now, we were safe.

“Are you okay?” I asked gently.

“I don’t know. What happened?” She turned her head toward me and a quick glance told me she already knew the answer.

There was no sugarcoating the situation in the least. “They’re dead. But there will be more.”

“What do we do?”

I took a deep breath, yanking my phone from my pocket. “I’m contacting the one person I know I can trust without issue. And you’re going to do exactly what I tell you to do.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “Whatever you say.”

Charmaine

Danger had seemed just a part of my life, at least to a point. While a few articles had taken me close to the depths of treachery, there was no denying that this time I’d been tossed into a particularly vicious trap.

And the predators just continued to slip from the shadows.

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