Page 21 of Delta Mission
“Let’s move.” I handed Makenna the kid’s weapon, and we raced away from the village, sprinting over jagged rocks and loose sand, and heading toward the giant mountains in the distance.
With every step, I expected bullets to slam into our backs and I prayed we’d make it out alive.
CHAPTER 7
Makenna
My heart wasin my throat as we charged up a steep slope. The uneven terrain made running a contest between balance and brute strength. At the top of a ridge, we lay on our stomachs next to a rock as big as a trash can and peered down at the village.
The truck was parked next to our burned-out Humvee, and the men were like ants, scurrying through town. As Channing looked through his binoculars, I looked at him. Thick beard. Long eyelashes. Strength that emanated from the line of his jaw. He was more manly than he had been years ago.
Channing was one of the good guys. And it tore me apart that he never forgave me.
Then again, I had never forgiven myself either.
I dragged my gaze away from the man who had once filled my heart with so much joy I could barely breathe. Beside me was an animal skeleton, most likely a goat. Only the bones were left, and the ribs were like an empty shell. Much like my heart.
“Fuck, that damn kid showed ’em where we went. We have to go.” He jumped to his feet.
I did too, and a bullet pinged off the rock we’d hidden behind.
“Shit!” I squealed.
We took off in a crouching run along the edge of the ridge. Bullets pinged off the massive rocks we dodged around and each time my stomach clenched tighter.
I don’t want to die. Not here. Not now.
“We have to keep moving until it gets dark. You good, Goodspeed?”
“Roger that, Winston.” If he wanted to use surnames, I could, too.
He shot a glance at me over his shoulder; it was half glare, half grin.
“What?”
“Just keep up.” He increased his speed.
I did too, and I was tempted to overtake him, but didn’t.
We raced around a bend in the ridge and stumbled upon a helicopter wreck.
“Shit!” I blurted.
“What?”
“We’re going the wrong way.”
“What?”
“There’s a massive ravine ahead, and there’s no way to cross it.”
He did a double-take at me. “How do you know that?”
“I’ve been studying this area for months. Remember?”
“Well, we can’t turn back.”
We couldn’t go higher either. The mountain loomed above us like a monster. Three-quarters of it was covered in snow. I was not dressed for the cold, and it was already cool enough. Come midnight, it was going to be near freezing.
