Page 44 of Fatal Intent
Resettling her Go bag on her back, Rayne took Jenna from Jake. He picked up Will, and they ran over the three hundred yards separating them from the treeline.
Halfway to the safety of the trees, someone shouted behind them and fired off three rounds. Bullets struck the ground near their feet, throwing dirt and debris into the air.
Jenna buried her face in Rayne’s neck.
Jake tapped his comm device. “Team 2 under fire.”
“Copy,” Seth said. “Grant, go.”
A second later, an explosion on the other side of the compound lit up the night. All around the camp, gunfire sounded and men shouted.
Behind Rayne, Jake, and the children, the shooter continued to pepper the ground with bullets. At least the cartel member knew enough not to hurt the kids. She and Jake, though, were fair game.
Finally, they reached the treeline and plunged into the rainforest. Rayne and her partner continued to run, heading forthe rendezvous point to join the rest of the team. Another volley of gunfire followed them into the thick cover of trees and foliage.
Rayne hissed as a sudden streak of fire tore across her right biceps.
Jake glanced over his shoulder. “Rayne?”
“I’m fine. Keep going.”
Jenna raised her head to stare at Rayne. “You have an owie?”
“A small one. Jake will give me a Band-Aid when we board the jet.”
Behind them, another explosion rocked the night, lighting the sky.
“What’s that?” Jenna asked.
She thought about how to explain the explosions, then opted for the simplest truth. “A friend of mine made some small bombs to keep the bad men busy.”
“Where are Mommy and Daddy?”
“They’ll meet us soon.”
“Are you sure?”
“My friend, who made the bombs, is with your parents. He’ll get them out, Jenna. Grant always does what he says.”
The little girl relaxed against her again. “Okay.”
Through the comm device, Grant said, “Team 1 under fire.”
“Teagan,” Seth snapped.
“On it.”
The sound of rifle shots added to the general chaos in the compound. “Go, Grant,” Teagan said.
Jake continued to jog with Will in his arms. Holding Jenna, Rayne was slower than she wanted. She didn’t want to slow down Jake and Will.
Increasing her speed, Rayne gained ground on Jake only to skid to a sudden stop when a cartel soldier stepped into her path with a wide grin and a pistol.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
GRANT CRESTED THEtop of the concrete wall and dropped on the other side. He signaled the all-clear for Riley. Seconds later, she joined him, weapon up and ready.
From the deep shadows of their entry point, he scanned the area for signs of movement, signs they’d been spotted as they climbed over the wall. So far, nothing.
