Fat Louise(33)

“They’re searching for us,” Jane stated.

“No shit.” Cade ran a hand through his hair.

“What are we going to do?” Bailey questioned.

“Won’t the soldiers on the other side help?” Jane asked.

“No.” His answer dashed any hope she had that there would be an intervention to save their lives. “We’re going to have to find a place in town where we can stay until we can—”

“I want to go home,” Bailey whined. “I didn’t want to be here in the first place. If the soldiers see us trying to get through, they’ll help. They won’t watch us die.”

“Yes, they will,” Cade told her. “It’s not safe for us to stay in Reynosa.”

Jane knew she was in trouble from his words, beginning to feel sick. She tried to think of what to do next when Bailey took off running, finally having reached her breaking point at Cade’s words.

“Bailey!” Jane yelled, trying to stop her, which wasn’t the smartest move.

One of the soldiers pointed in their direction as Jane ran after Bailey, trying to catch her, but the woman had received a burst of energy from God knew where and was covering the ground with remarkable speed.

Cade ran past her, taking Jane’s hand. “It’s too late. They’ve spotted us. We have to make a run for it.”

While Cade pulled her along after him, she almost tripped and fell several times. If he hadn’t been holding her hand, she would have.

The soldiers had just started their Jeeps, intending to cut them off, when Jane heard a shout. At first she thought it was Bailey yet then realized the sound was coming from the edge of the crowd.

A woman separated herself from a large group that had entered Mexico.

“Killyama!” Jane screamed in excitement and terror that her friend had just placed herself in danger. Three men came to flank Killyama as they all ran toward Jane, Cade, and Bailey. The soldiers were going to reach them first, though.

They all pointed their guns at them, and Jane waited for the pain of the bullets to hit her. Instead, what she felt was a sudden gust of wind that nearly sent her flying. A large helicopter appeared, dropping down to block the Jeeps.

“Get in!” yelled Rider.

Shots rang out as the soldiers began firing at the helicopter. Guns appeared from the inside, and the enemy fire was returned with deadly accuracy.

After Bailey threw herself into the helicopter, Jane felt herself lifted by Cade and flung inside with his body covering hers.

Jane stared as Rider, Viper, and Shade shot rifles out of the opening of the helicopter. She felt others climbing in then recognized Killyama’s voice.

“Go! Go!”

The helicopter lifted off with Train at the controls and Cash next to him.

Cade didn’t lift his body off hers until the sounds of bullets were a distance away. As soon as his body moved to the side, she found her friend staring at her grimly.

Jane threw herself into Killyama’s arms, bursting into relieved tears. All the terror she had suppressed since she had made the decision to save Bailey was now released in the safety of her friend’s arms.

Killyama’s arms tightened around Jane. Her usually frigid demeanor didn’t soften as she held her, but her tight hug showed she cared.

“I’m going to beat the shit out of you for this. You know that, don’t you?” Her harsh statement wasn’t effectively delivered with the choked voice she tried to clear.

Jane nodded against her shoulder. “I deserve it,” Jane hiccupped, trying to gather her control, feeling silly with The Last Riders and Cade silently watching.

Killyama pushed her back a few inches, staring into her eyes. “You okay?” She reached into her pocket, pulling out a protein bar and handing it to her.

“I am now.” Jane grinned back.

“Sex Piston is going to be furious when she sees your hair.”

Jane self-consciously brushed her hair back from her face that was dirty and probably sticking out in all directions. “She can fix it.”

Her eyes went to Cade and Killyama’s followed.

“He the one your dad sent in after you?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“He wasn’t doing a great job, was he?” she sneered.

Cade stiffened. “I was doing fine until Bailey took off like a bat out of hell.”

Bailey flushed yet defended herself. “It worked out fine, didn’t it? We’re all safe now.”

“No thanks to you,” snorted Killyama.

Bailey threw her a dirty look, which Killyama returned with one of her own.

It was twenty minutes later before they set the helicopter down on the roof of a hotel.

“Everybody out. I have to get this baby back before someone notices it missing,” Train yelled over the loud noise.