Page 40 of Gone
“My friends,” smiled Erin. “Lena? Peter’s been shot. Can you help him?” Lena kneeled beside the man, and Frank pointed his weapon at her.
“You shoot me, and this man dies. You’ll be charged with murder, as well as whatever else you’re running from.”
Frank was breathing heavily, then realized if she were a doctor or nurse, she might be able to help him.
“Fine. Look at him, then help me,” he said.
“In due time,” said Lena.
“Listen, bitch,” he started. Sara, Lauren, and Grace stood in front of him, blocking his path to Lena.
“You call my friend a bitch again, and you and I are going to get to know one another real well,” said Sara.
Frank stared up at the woman, realizing that she was nearly six-feet tall. He was only five-ten, and it felt as though she towered above him.
In fact, other than the doctor or nurse kneeling, all these women seemed bigger than they should be.
Lena dug out her medical kit from her backpack and tore open Peter’s shirt. She pressed the gauze to the wound, instructing Faith to firmly hold it in place.
The perspiration on Frank’s forehead told them he was losing strength. And patience.
“Leave him!” he yelled. “He’s fine. Help me.” Lena stood, staring at him, the other women doing the same.
“No,” she said confidently.
“I’ll kill you!” he said, pointing the gun with a shaky hand at her.
“You kill me, you really won’t have a chance. Put the gun down, and I’ll take a look at your wounds,” she said calmly.
“Bitch, you can’t tell me what to do,” he smirked.
“You call my wife a bitch again, and I’ll snap your nasty body into little bitty pieces.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Frank turned quickly to see the dark gaze of the giant in the tree line. Sly stood next to him, several of the others lined up with him. Panicking, he gripped the hair of Erin, yanking her toward his body, using her as a shield.
“Very courageous of you,” said Gaspar. “I guess that’s how you win, right?”
“You. I saw you on the ridge. Who the fuck are you? Where is my money?”
“You have no money,” said Nine, staring at his wife. She had the audacity to mouth ‘I love you,’ and he wanted to jump out of his skin. “You have nothing. The FBI has your wife in custody.”
Frank was visibly shaken by that, the blood at his shoulder seemingly coming faster.
“Let the woman go,” said Ghost.
While they kept his attention, Sara, Lena, Faith, Grace, Lauren, and Tory were gently pulled back by the others. He never even heard them.
“No,” he said, shaking his head vehemently. “No. She’s my ticket out.”
“You’re not getting out,” said Ghost. “Don’t you get it. We all have you in our sights. We’re bigger, faster, and better equipped.”
“One bullet will kill her,” he said, pulling her back again. Erin knew they wouldn’t risk her life, but if someone could get a shot from a different angle, she had a chance.
“I didn’t say I’d shoot you,” said Nine. “Family. Family is good to have.”
That’s when Erin knew. Trak was nearby. She heard it. The whisk of wind hitting steel as it flew through the air. The gurgling sound of the man behind her, gagging on his own blood. His hand released her hair, gripping his throat as the blade exposed itself through his Adam’s apple.
