Page 18 of Holiday Hostage
The plan had been to help her climb on her own. Her father had insisted Payton was stronger than she looked and could handle almost any challenge.
Based on how she’d taken out Tarron and Reed, I was inclined to agree with him.
But I couldn’t take the time to wake her up, then demand she climb her way out of this mess.
That’s what we were here to do.
“Out the front. You two set up cover fire. I’ll take Payton straight to our rendezvous point.”
“We got your back.” Reed slapped a hand against my shoulder. “Go on my count.”
The pounding steps closed in behind us. Tarron took up a position on the other side of the wall, facing the intrusion. “Lethal action?”
“If necessary.” I gave him the all clear to act in whatever manner he deemed necessary.
None of us enjoyed killing, but we did what we had to do to survive, especially when faced with men who took pleasure in maiming and killing innocents.
“Find her and bring her back. I don’t care what it takes, as long as she’s alive,” the man who’d threatened her called out the command from close by.
“Time to go.” I slipped up beside Reed.
He nodded. “One guy coming this way. I’ll tag and drop him, then you run.”
I tightened my grip on Payton’s legs and prepared for the rush of adrenaline that narrowed my vision to my one goal: get Payton out of the fort and to safety.
Nothing else mattered.
Reed aimed and fired, the single shot dropping the approaching mercenary flat on his back.
He tapped my shoulder twice, our signal to move.
I burst into motion, leaping over the fallen man and sprinting toward the open door that led to freedom.
Reed’s steps were silent behind me, but I felt his and Tarron’s presence as easily as my own skin.
They were my friends, my comrades in arms.
They had my back when no one else did, and I literally trusted them with my life as I burst out into the world gone white with snow, and tore a path toward the trees.
Make it to the snowmobiles.
My breath caught in the balaclava, preventing warm air from clouding up in front of my face.
The tramped-down snow made running easy at first. Until I hit the edge of the woods where it deepened.
Up the hill, over the top, and down the other side. I worked each leg forward at a furious pace that made every muscle burn. I relished the sting of pain.
It meant I was alive.
Adrenaline carried me only so far.
Sheer stubborn will did the rest.
Payton made another low sound in the back of her throat. “Dad?”
“It’s okay, we’re taking you to him.” I couldn’t risk saying more than that. I needed all my energy for running.
Reed and Tarron appeared on either side of me, one looking ahead while the other kept a constant vigil on our backs. “They’re coming fast. You have about a minute before they’re in firing range.”
