Page 74 of The Scenic Route
Bennett chasing two BGs 100yds due east
Felicity grimaced. In the dark in an unfamiliar place, she wasn’t sure which way was which. Deciding to just guess, she turned to the right. Her phone buzzed again.
Wrong way
Turning around, she picked up a jog, trying to keep her footfalls quiet as she settled into stealth mode. Another buzz of her phone made her jump, and she glanced down to see Rory’s latest message.
Change of plan. BG’s van parked right outside gate. Poke a few tires, then help Bennett.
Even though every part of her was straining with the need to find Bennett and protect his back from the bad guys—who she assumed Rory meant by BGs—the murder club’s advice was good. Mentally grumbling, Felicity ran quickly down the driveway, slowing when she reached the open gate. Slipping from shadow to shadow, she peered through the darkness, looking for the van.
Of course they have a van, she thought, amused by that even after everything.I’ll have to mention that to Bennett.
At the thought of him outnumbered and without backup, her sense of urgency increased. A pale gleam of one of Rory’s security lights was reflected back at Felicity, revealing the bumper of a dark full-size van partially hidden in the trees next to the gate.
Right outside the gate, my ass, she thought, carefully making her way through the dry underbrush. Rory didn’t mention anyone being inside the van, but Felicity knew better than to assume it was empty. The way it was parked in the shadows of the trees, it would’ve been almost impossible for anyone watching the feed to tell if there was an occupant, even with such high-quality cameras.
Making a cautiously wide circle around to the passenger side of the van, Felicity ignored the voice nagging at her to go help Bennett.He can take care of himself, she told the voice firmly and focused on the vehicle in front of her. The interior of the van was as black as night, and she resisted the temptation to press her nose against the glass to peer inside. Instead, she slipped her favorite folding knife out of her pocket and flipped it open as she crouched by the right rear tire.
Felicity knew that once she punctured the first one, she’d need to be quick with the others. If there was someone inside the van, they’d feel it list toward her corner—and they very likely would hear the escaping air. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, she raised her hand, preparing to plunge the knife into the first tire.
Someone grabbed her wrist.
With a startled inward scream that burned her already smoke-roughened throat, Felicity straightened her legs with an upward thrust that would’ve made an elite gymnast proud. The back of her head smashed into something that felt smooshy and damp that she guessed was a face. The grunt behind her seemed to originate from there too, confirming her assumption.
The grip around her wrist loosened slightly, and she dropped her arm down hard and twisted it, popping it free from its hold. Immediately, she drove her elbow back into another smooshy part, although this one wasn’t quite as damp as the first.Belly, her brain offered, and she nodded in agreement, ignoring in the chaotic moment the fact that she was agreeing with herself.
There was a snap of twigs as the person behind her took a step back, and a grin spread over her face as she whirled around to face her attacker.Who drilled breaking holds over and over, long after my sisters wanted to pack it in and go home? Yeah, that was me, Felicity Florence Pax. It certainly wasn’t you, Stumbly McStumbleson.
In the faint ambient glow of Rory’s security lights, Clint Yarran’s bloody nose looked black, the heavy streaks beneathhis nose making it appear as if he had a hole in his face, like a zombie or a skull.
That’s way too many skulls to be encountering over two days, she decided, even as her hands came up automatically, curling lightly into loose fists that hovered in front of her face.
“Look who came exploring,” Clint sneered, pausing to spit a wad of mucus and blood close to their feet. Felicity tried to focus on the upcoming fight that was almost guaranteed to happen, but she couldn’t help giving a grossed-out shudder at that. “The bitch who thinks she’s a bounty hunter.”
“Iama bounty hunter,” she said politely. “Want to see my license?”And my knife?
“Sure you are.” He spat again.
“Please don’t do that.”
He ignored her request and continued talking. “Having a license doesn’t make you less of a stupid bitch.”
Felicity cocked her head, eyeing him. Why wasn’t he coming after her? Although she’d gotten out of his initial hold and managed a few good hits, she knew perfectly well that he wasn’t wary of her. This was the point where the skip always tried to go at her, and then she’d take them down. Clint didn’t seem like a genius, so why wasn’t he following the routine?
A twig cracked behind her just as realization hit her.
Clint was stalling.
Then her head exploded with pain, and the world went hazy gray.
Why didn’t I learn after the last time this happened to me?she thought muzzily as she swayed, trying very hard not to pass out.
“You didn’t hit her hard enough,” Clint—that ass—was telling the person behind her.
“I didn’t want to kill her.” The voice was vaguely familiar, but her brain was incapable at the moment of sorting through her memories. It was all she could do to stand on her feet. “We need her for leverage. They still have Dino.”
“Told him he shouldn’t fall for that ‘free gun’ scam,” Clint growled. “Hit her again.”
