Page 176 of Uprising

I flatten myself into the tree, avoiding the bullets as they come flying, taking aim at whoever the fuck was shooting at me.

At us.

Someone slams into me, bringing me down. I use the butt of the gun straight to their face and they slump.

They’re dressed in winter camo. Clearly Darius was waiting for us and that thought gives me no comfort.

I stare around trying to see where Rose is and another man launches themselves at me. His bullet misses my head by the smallest of margins. I slam my fist into his face, breaking his nose and his blood spurts out all down his face.

But another replaces him.Fuck, how many men are here?

I kick, I fight, but they’re overpowering me.

And then suddenly they slump. One after another. I groan as I take the weight of both of them making me infinitely aware of how much strength I still need to get back.

I roll the first off and then the second.

A shadow falls on me and I reach out to grab my gun, to take aim.

“No need to shoot me.”

I look up seeing Hastings stood there and I frown.

“What the fuck?” I say.

“You need to be careful who your friends are.” He replies.

“What does that mean?” I snap.

He holds his hand for me to take. “You had a breach in your security. The same breach that allowed Carla to get into your house.”

“And you knew?” I spit getting to my feet.

He smirks. “Come on Roman, don’t be so surprised. We’ve both been playing games. Did you think we wouldn’t be watching you? Did you think I actually believed you both when you said you didn’t know where Darius was?”

I don’t know what to say to that. If we had a breach then Darius knew hours ago that we were coming which certainly explains how they managed to overpower us.

I snarl slamming my fist into the tree. We had a plan. A good plan. A logical plan and now all of it has gone to shit.

My eyes scan the space around us. Half my men are dead. All of Darius’s are too. But I can’t see Rose. I can’t see her anywhere.

My heart races, I starting walking, rolling bodies over, staring into dead mans faces. “Where the fuck is she?”

“He has her.”

I turn staring at Hastings. No. No Fucking way.

“One of his men got to her before we did.” He states. “They carried her off before we could stop them.”

“We have to get there. Now.”

Hastings tilts his head, grabbing me, like he thinks I’m an idiot. “She’s in the cabin. We get her when we get him.”

“He’ll hurt her.” I reply.

He turns his back on me, starts barking orders and for a second it feels like my world collapses. I stare at the blood covered snow. He has her. I promised her and once again I’ve left her in danger.

I shut my eyes, focusing on the ear piece. I don’t know if it still works. I can’t hear anything because there’s too much fucking noise now.

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