A gust of wind buffeted the house as Briar adjusted her goggles. She unlocked the door and set her hand on the knob. Matt was right behind her, locked and loaded. So freaking badass and sexy, and risking his life to protect her. “Ready?” she whispered.
“Yeah. Be careful.”
You too. Nodding once, she opened the door. Immediately a blast of icy air hit her, momentarily stealing her breath. She hugged the wall, her gaze pinned to the tree line on the opposite side of the driveway, about twenty yards away. That familiar tingle started up at the base of her neck, warning her that danger was nearby.
Careful to keep her steps quiet, she eased her way to the edge of the far wall and paused to look back. Matt had mirrored her movements, was poised at the opposite end of the house. At his nod that everything was clear on his side, she swung her head back around. Keeping to the shadows against the house, she moved in a crouch, weapon up and ready, finger resting on the trigger guard.
Through the night-vision scope the landscape was revealed in bright green, allowing her to see every detail clearly. Across the wide expanse of lawn separating the house from the road, nothing moved except the tree branches swaying in the wind, the snow falling heavy and thick around her. As she moved she zeroed in on where the trespasser had been. There were no tracks in the snow but whoever it was could be hidden in the trees, watching for her. They might have a vehicle stashed nearby.
Her jaw tightened. A surge of righteous anger swept through her at the thought of her own agency sending someone to snuff her. And here, in her safe haven.
No one’s taking me out.
She’d worry about the who and why later. Right now she would fight to the death to protect herself, and Matt. She trusted his skill implicitly.
Briar eased into position behind a stack of firewood for cover and stared through the scope at the far tree line. Long minutes passed while she waited. The wind picked up, allowing the cold to penetrate her clothing, already beginning to numb her hands and feet. Whoever had come here might have already left the area, but she didn’t think so. No, they could simply be biding their time, staking the place out and being patient, waiting for the right moment to attack.
They would discover she wasn’t an easy target.
The wind howled and moaned over the frozen landscape. Just as the first shivers began snaking through her, a flash of movement to the west caught her attention.
Briar swung the scope to the left in time to see someone moving back in the trees. The trunks made it hard to see the person but Briar kept staring through the high-power scope, surveying the area.
Damn. She wished she had an earpiece or some other form of comms to contact Matt with. Had he seen it too? Was there anyone else moving in on his side? God, she’d just never expected anyone to be able to follow them here. They’d been so careful, gone completely dark. How the hell had this person found them? Now she was more worried than ever about Janaia—
There it was again. More movement.
Briar followed the shadowy outline with the scope, her breathing slow and steady. The person was moving with measured treads in the trees, definitely heading north. Trying to reconnoiter the house? Or circling it, looking for a way to sneak up?
Not happening, asshole.
Briar began shifting to the right with the person, inching her way along the side of the house, toward the carport. The bastard wasn’t getting any closer to this place. This was Janaia’s refuge, Briar’s refuge, and no one was taking that away from her.
She’d made it a third of the way to the carport when she heard a faint hissing noise and caught a streak of movement in her peripheral vision.
Shit!
She hit the ground, barely covering her head before the grenade detonated and the SUV exploded into a ball of fire.
****
George lowered the rifle and jerked back behind a solid tree trunk as the vehicle burst into flame. Fanned by the wind, the fire quickly spread, engulfing the entire body. The diversion served two purposes. It eliminated the target’s means of escape, and, if she was still inside the house, it would help flush out both her and the HRT member with her. If not…
I’m coming in after you.
Exposed by the flames, a human shadow was silhouetted against the wall. George eased down and peered through the scope, finger curved around the trigger.
Gotcha.
Breaths slow and easy, George waited, ready to time the shot in between heartbeats. No clear shot yet, but it would come. Patience was the key. Just one movement, one mistake, and the target would be dead.
You’re mine.
A shot suddenly cracked into a branch overhead. What felt like fifty pounds of snow crashed to the ground.
An exploratory shot, meant to expose an enemy position. Cursing silently, George shook off only the snow on the riflescope with minimal movement and searched for the target before she took another shot.