Hot Velocity(18)

The engine noise grew louder as T-Rex led them toward a jumble of boulders lying at the base of an enormous overhang. If they could make it there, they’d have concealment and cover. It also might leave them trapped and outnumbered five to four. With no weapons but their minds, they’d have to come up with a plan. Either they would lay low and pray the attackers would give up and move on, or they’d have to fight back, barehanded.

Ten yards from the first boulder big enough to offer any kind of protection, the crack of gunfire echoed off the hillsides.

Dirt shot up next to T-Rex’s feet. “Run!” he yelled, pushing Sierra in front of him. She picked up the pace, her feet flying over the rocks and gravel.

Another crack sounded, and the copilot fell to his knees.

“Damn. He got my leg.” He tried to get up but fell back to the ground.

Sierra slowed and started to turn back.

“Don’t stop. Keep moving,” T-Rex ordered.

“But—” She hesitated. A bullet hit the ground beside her.

“Just go!” His pulse racing and unable to block the bullets from hitting Sierra, T-Rex flung the copilot over his shoulder and ran as fast as he could, weighted down by the man.

“Let me help,” the pilot offered.

“Help by getting Sierra to a safe place.”

The pilot nodded and ran to catch up to Sierra.

More gunfire echoed off the rock walls of the valley.

Sierra reached the boulder first and ducked behind, followed by the pilot. A few steps behind them, T-Rex made it to the boulder and dropped the man on the ground.

“How bad is it?” T-Rex asked.

The copilot gritted his teeth. “I think I can get around, but I might need a little help.”

T-Rex nodded to the pilot. “You stand watch. Let me know how close they get.”

Major Bailey nodded and eased his head around the opposite side of the boulder for a quick peek, ducking back as gunfire rang out. “They’re standing at the top of the hill, their weapons aimed in our direction.”

T-Rex pulled his knife from the scabbard strapped to his belt and tore the leg of the copilot’s jumpsuit. He handed the fabric to Sierra. “I need long strips.”

She quickly ripped the pant leg into four-inch-wide strips, wadded up one into a thick pad and pressed it to the man’s wound. As she held the pad, T-Rex made quick work of wrapping the other strip around the copilot’s leg. He tied a knot over the pad and helped the man to his feet.

“Think you and Sierra can make your way to the back of this stand of rocks?”

The copilot nodded.

Sierra draped the man’s arm over her shoulder and wrapped one of hers around his waist. “We’ll manage. But what about you two?”

“They’re coming down,” the major said.

“That gives us seconds to take positions and get ready to do what we can to protect ourselves.” T-Rex shot a glance at Sierra. “Your job is to get Lieutenant Strohm as far back as possible and hide behind some really big rocks. If this turns into a shooting match, I don’t want you two catching stray bullets.”

She didn’t move, her lips thinning into a straight line. “But what about you?”

“I can take care of myself.” He nodded toward Major Bailey. “And I have backup.”

Her brows dipped. “And no weapons.”

“Can’t help that,” he said. “But you’re wasting valuable time and putting the lieutenant in danger. Move!”

She jumped and started weaving through the huge boulders that had fallen from the side of the cliff, helping the copilot along as best she could.

Once Sierra was out of sight, T-Rex shot a glance at the major. “Sir, are you ready to play a game of cat and mouse?”

The pilot pulled a knife from the strap around his calf and nodded. “Let’s do this.”

T-Rex melted back behind the surrounding boulders and hunkered low. He circled back toward the trail where the riders were coming from and waited. They arrived in a swift procession, slowing as they reached the maze of boulders. Each man wore a black helmet and carried his rifle either resting in a plastic gun boot attached to the ATV or slung over his shoulder within easy reach.

After four of the five riders passed by him, T-Rex made his move. The last four-wheeler came abreast of where T-Rex was hiding. T-Rex leaped out, grabbed the man from the back of the ATV and dragged him behind the boulder, his neck in a headlock. Without the man on the vehicle, the ATV rolled to a standstill.

While the others were just coming to a halt, firing their weapons into the air, T-Rex tightened his hold around the man’s neck, cutting off his air until he passed out.

T-Rex pulled the AR-15 rifle from over the man’s shoulder and dragged the attacker’s shirt off and down his arms, quickly twisting it into a knot around his wrists behind his back. It might not hold him long, but it had to be enough for the moment.

T-Rex grabbed the rifle and checked the thirty-round magazine. Then he eased up to the side of one of the boulders and opened fire, shooting at the ground near their tires, not giving them a chance to dismount.

The riders yelped, hit their throttles and raced around a bend in the trail and out of sight.

“Major, we have maybe a minute before they return on foot,” T-Rex called out.

The major hurried toward him. “How the heck did you get that?”

“I borrowed it from the young man on the ground over there.” He pointed to the man he’d jumped.

The attacker was starting to wake up. Still wearing the black helmet, he shook his head and cursed, struggling to free himself from the bonds of his shirt.

“The others will be back,” T-Rex said, “but will probably sneak in. We need to make sure they don’t get to Sierra and Strohm.”

“There are only the two of us. How are we going to keep four men at bay?” Bailey asked.

“We have to keep our eyes open and be smarter than they are.” T-Rex led the way through the boulders to the far end past which the riders had driven in their hurry to get away from the flying bullets.

T-Rex handed the AR-15 to the pilot and positioned him behind a large cluster of boulders. “If they come your way, don’t wait for them to shoot before pulling the trigger. I guarantee they won’t be as nice to you.”

The major nodded and crawled down in between the rocks. “What about you?”

“I’ll find them before they find me.” He held his knife in his hand and slipped in between the standing boulders, working his way through them to the point at which he anticipated the four men to breach the rugged array of rocks and giant fallen portions of the cliff. He paused, watching the trails leading back to him and the slope of the hillside.

The sun had made progress toward the jagged edges of the ridgelines towering on either side of the narrow valley. Before long it would be dark. The riders could be waiting for dusk to make their moves. Or not. At dusk, they would all be at a disadvantage.

T-Rex stood ready, straining his ears for even the slightest of sounds.





Chapter Ten

Sierra half walked, half carried Lieutenant Strohm deeper into the jumble of giant boulders, picking her way over the smaller rocks and around the larger ones. The sound of ATV engines moved closer until they had to be on the trail where she’d left T-Rex and Major Bailey. She moved as fast as she could to get Strohm out of harm’s way.

Finally, the injured man ground to a halt. Leaning heavily on her, he whispered, “I can’t...keep going.”

Her back aching from the strain, Sierra looked around, searching for a place to hide and praying their attackers wouldn’t see her or the lieutenant before they found one. “You can’t stop out in the open. We need to get you hidden.”

He agreed. Between the two of them, they got him wedged behind a pile of big rocks, completely out of sight to anyone passing by.

Moments later, gunfire echoed off the rock walls, and Sierra ducked low next to Strohm. Her heart pounded hard against her ribs as she knelt behind the boulders, wondering whether T-Rex and the major had been hit.

Then she heard the sound of engines moving away. Once the noise had faded, she counted to ten and slowly straightened.

The lieutenant grabbed for her. “What are you doing?”

“I have to see if they were hit. They could be injured and need help.” She peeled the lieutenant’s hand from her arm. “Will you be all right?”

“I’ll be fine, but I’m worried about you,” he said. “Your marine would kick my butt if I let anything happen to you.”

He wasn’t her marine, and the copilot was in no shape to protect her, but now wasn’t the time for Sierra to correct him. She had to find T-Rex.

Easing her way back toward the trail, she pushed to the north, hoping to swing around and come from behind where she’d heard the ATVs stop. She grabbed a rock the size of her hand. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it was all she had in case someone attacked her or T-Rex.

As she neared the trail, she hid behind a boulder and studied the path beyond. It was empty. No one stood nearby or lay on the ground.

Then she heard someone grunting, the sound of gravel being disturbed and muttered curses.

Sierra eased back behind the larger boulders and followed the noise.

She had almost reached the source of the sound when she noticed a black helmet on the ground and a torn shirt. As she stepped toward them, she caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. Before she had time to move or scream, a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm wrapped around her belly, trapping one of her arms to her side.