As they passed the unmarked road leading to Blue Vista, Carson pointed. “Stay on the main road. Up ahead a service road should angle to the left but continue past it. They will have surveillance cameras along that route. There is another road that leads to our entry point.”
Adam complied, turned down the narrow road, then stopped behind a clump of pine trees.
Reid spoke into his radio. “We’re ready to move.”
Evan responded, “The path is cleared.”
They trudged along the edge of a tree line. Cody kept his focus ahead, eyeing the perimeter of the property and the large electrified barbed wire fence.
When they neared the property line, Carson motioned for them to follow her. “There is a gate for large equipment to enter the grounds.”
Adam nodded and took the lead.
True to Carson’s word, Cody spotted the gate with an attached keypad. A bright light above the gate would bathe them in a spotlight. They’d have to hurry through and hope like hell they didn’t run into the guards. Cody whispered into his radio. “Any chance one of you could take out this light above the gate.”
Seconds later the light went out and a metallic click emanated from the lock heralding in hope they’d be able to pull off this rescue mission. “Thanks, Evan,” Cody said, thankful Evan and Angie appeared enthusiastic about being drafted into the Alliance.
Adam held up his hand for everyone to pause. He listened to his radio and nodded. “Angie took down the remainder of the security in this sector. She pushed an alert on the other side of the estate, which sent a number of guards to investigate.”
Evan’s voice crackled across the radio. “Surveillance cameras stalled. You have fifteen minutes.”
“Let’s get our asses in gear, get our girl, and get the heck out of Dodge,” Bobsled said adjusting his weapon.
Adam pushed open the gate and signaled for the group to follow. “Watch your six.”
After everyone slipped inside and took cover behind a maintenance shack, Adam motioned for them to wait.
Carson pointed. “The door straight ahead is a secondary service entrance used for pool maintenance. It will lead us into the indoor pool complex. Once inside, the second door to the right leads down to the lower level where we believe Lila is being held.”
Cody scanned the area for guards.
Two rounded the pool complex, wearing their standard dark green uniforms.
“Two guards ahead,” Cody said.
As one of the guards neared the group, Bobsled jumped out of the shadows and, in one stealth motion, grabbed the guard and immobilized him. The man sank to the ground.
The other guard pivoted, shock registering on his face.
Cody lurched. Implementing his martial arts training, he debilitated the man, dragging him to the ground. He’d sleep for a while. Brute strength would have to be enough to combat the guards, for now. They didn’t want to announce their presence by using their weapons, but Cody remained ready to use his gun if necessary.
“Bobsled and I will cover your six.” Reid’s gaze met Cody’s. “Be careful.”
The group arrived at the service door minutes later.
“Evan and Angie should have the security system disarmed and the doors unlocked,” Adam said. He pushed open the door. “We’re in.”
Cody blew out a breath when they weren’t greeted with a blaring alarm or armed guards firing upon them. The odor of chlorine surrounded Cody as they crept into the pool complex. Four dim lights lit the area, but the waters of the large Olympic sized pool were dark and motionless. They tiptoed across the gleaming tile floor.
Carson led them to another door. As she reached to open the door, Cody heard voices. They scrambled behind a stack of lounge chairs in a dark corner. Two guards neared them as they discussed a recent boxing match, unaware of the intruders.
“Do we need to check the prisoner?” one of the guards said, shifting the conversation.
The other guard shrugged. “Brenda and the new guys are down there. Let them handle it.”
Then animated voices erupted over their radios and both men rushed out the door.
Cody rose, and the group continued through the door. The staircase was dim with just enough light to see the steps in front of them. When they’d reached the bottom of the stairs, Cody raised his weapon and pressed against the wall
Then the first bullet flew.
Chapter 42
Lila dropped behind a desk and grabbed the gun from the female guard she’d overpowered. The other guard, standing across the room, had been watching over her trip to the bathroom but when he responded to some kind of alert via his radio. Lila took advantage of his distraction. She jumped on the guard they called Brenda, and in seconds had her on the ground, unconscious. Mentally thanking Carson for insisting she practice martial arts, Lila readied herself to take on the second guard.
Her muscles tightened as a bullet whizzed past her and slammed into a wall. A moment of shock registered when she spotted the guard firing in front of her but not at her.
As she reached for Brenda’s Glock, she felt a hand clamp around her wrist. She grimaced as another guard yanked her up. He must have come from another room in the back.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
The man stood only inches taller, giving her optimal targets. She lifted her leg and reared back, striking the center of his knee cap.
His body buckled and he loosened his grip.
Lila spun around and with the heel of her hand struck his nose.
Blood spurted as the man grabbed his face, dropping his weapon.
With bullets still lobbing in the opposite direction, Lila raised her leg, reading to aim for his groin, but he recovered and caught her foot. He pulled out a knife and in quick motion stabbed the meaty flesh of her thigh then pulled her to the floor.
Gritting her teeth, Lila suppressed a scream. She ignored the pain as the man lunged for her.
With her other foot, she struck his nose again. A crack and his howl of pain had her cheering the small victory.
He reached for her but, in seconds, she had him in a choke hold. As he passed out, she dropped him to the floor with a thud.
Limping out of reach, she pulled the knife from her leg. A fresh bolt of pain shot through her. Instead of tossing the knife, she stuck the weapon into the belt of her skirt.
She picked up Brenda’s gun and belly-crawled toward the action on the stairs. In hopes of getting a better idea of her situation while not being seen, she scrambled under a desk. The stairs ahead appeared to be the only means of escape and they were currently blocked with gunfire. Her pulse raced inside her ears like a gush of water, but she kept her eyes trained on the scene ahead.
She inched up, squatting as she glared at the guard. A clear shot of the guard emerged. Lila aimed and fired. The man screamed in agony as the bullet blasted his leg.
Another shot from the stairwell injured his hand causing him to drop the gun.
A pause in the gunfire presented Lila with the opportunity to flee. Although she had no idea who was on the stairs, she prayed it was her cavalry. The guard was down thanks in part to an unknown shooter, so she shot up and took her chance.
On her way to the staircase, she scooped up the weapon the guard dropped. When she reached the stairs, she almost stumbled when a man turned the corner.
Cody!
Relief washed over her.
“Lila! I hoped that was you who took out that guard.” Cody took her in his arms then pulled back. His gaze shifted down. “You’re hurt.”
“What are you all doing here?” Her eyes widened when she spotted, Adam, Carson, and Bobsled.
“Getting you out of this hellhole.” Cody marched over to the injured guard, and with one punch, the man grunted and fell over.
“Can you walk?” Carson asked, hugging her.
“Yes, but I’m dripping blood, which is going to leave a trail,” Lila studied her leg.
Adam squeezed her shoulder
before turning back to assess the room. “Is that Willa Dickerson?”
Lila nodded. “Lance shot her.”
Bobsled pulled a bandage from his jacket pocket and made a crude tourniquet on her leg. “Don’t mean to be rough, but we need get out of here.”
“Thanks, Bobsled.”
Adam spoke into his radio. “Need a little help with our exit plan. ASAP.” He kneeled in front of a guard and yanked the radio from his shoulder clip.
Lila didn’t know who was on the other end, but she followed her friends back up the stairs. Just they reached the top, she heard a muffled explosion. The lights flickered. “What’s going on?”
“It’s our exit plan.” Cody pulled her down as Adam and Reid peered around the corner.
Through the radio Adam stole from the guard, Lila heard excited voices indicating intruders at the front gates as well as the back perimeter. A call for a large contingent of guards to those locations crackled through the radio.
Adam took Carson’s hand and waved them on, and Lila shot out of the door and into the pool complex.
She expected warm humid air associated with an indoor pool but instead a cool blast of air greeted her. The windows were frosting over.
“Looks like Evan and Angie took out the furnaces.”
They followed Adam and Carson down a small hallway where they stopped at a door.
“All clear.” Lila recognized Angie’s voice over the radio Cody had clipped to his shoulder.
They bolted out the door. The cold ground shocked Lila who still wore no shoes. She admonished herself. She could have grabbed Brenda’s shoes before leaving. Although likely the wrong size, she’d at least have protection for her feet.
The group slipped out of the gate and raced toward the tree line. Lila expected bullets to follow but they ran without issue. After they emerged from the cover of the trees, Lila released a breath when she spotted a large van idling along the road.
Adam climbed into the drivers’ seat and as soon as everyone was inside, he angled off the road. He kept his speed at the limit.
“That seemed a bit easy,” Reid said from the shotgun position. He turned. “Lila, are you okay?”
Cody slid a blanket over Lila’s shoulders as he cast a worried look at her wound.
“My family. Lance has my family!” Despite the blanket, she shivered as perspiration chilled with the blast of the air conditioner.
Carson sat on the other side of her and took her hand.
Adam shot her glance over the seat. “We know. Yvonne has been alerted. Once we’re clear here we’ll switch to searching for your family.”
“Did Lance or any of the guards give any indication where they are being held?” Reid asked.
“No. He showed me video of them tied up in what looks like a warehouse. They could be dead by now. Lance killed Willa. When I woke up, she was in the cell with me. She made me promise not to give in to him, even though I didn’t have the information he wanted. He wants to know the location of the mine.”
Carson squeezed her hand. “We’ll find your family, but right now we need to get you out of here.”
Tears flowed. “I couldn’t save Willa. I can’t lose my family, too.”
Cody adjusted the blanket. “Carson’s right, we’ll find them.” He glanced at her leg. “We need to get Justin to look at your leg.”
“Damn it!” Adam slowed as the other van came into view. He’d driven with their headlights off. “The guards are here.”
Lila glared at the truck in front of them. Three guards shot at the van as Justin traded fire. Her heart seized as she witnessed the danger her friends were in. Adding their peril to her family’s, and she feared someone else might not survive.
Cody drew his gun as Adam pulled over.
Reid studied the scene through night vision goggles. “Justin is holding them off for now. The guards don’t know we’re here.” He lowered the goggles and readied his weapon. “But if they call in backup, we’re going to be outnumbered.” Reid turned toward Cody. “Stay here with Lila and Carson.”
Cody didn’t argue. He didn’t want to leave Lila’s side.
“Be careful, guys.” Carson stared at Adam as he and Bobsled jumped out and followed Reid into the woods.
Cody hopped into the driver’s seat, picked up the goggles, and scanned the road behind them. So far, no other vehicles were in sight. Then he turned the goggles to the scene a football field ahead of them. Reid, Bobsled, and Adam neared the van. Several shots were fired and after a couple of minutes the guards crumpled to the ground. Each rolled in agony with the pain of lower extremity wounds.
Evan and Angie appeared unhurt as they climbed into the van. Reid jumped into the drivers’ seat, Bobsled took shotgun, and Adam shoved into the back.
Cody engaged the van and raced toward the scene. When they neared the other van, Bobsled reached out the window and motioned them to follow.
“Hurry. They may have called it in,” Adam’s voice boomed from the radio.
Seconds later, Cody spotted a Jeep in his rear-view mirror. “We’ve been spotted,” he said into the radio. Cody glanced at Carson. “Get ready.”
Carson and Lila picked up their weapons and angled toward the back.
“Here they come,” Carson said into her radio. “There’s four of them.”
The first bullet slammed into the passenger side mirror.
“Lila, Carson get down!” Cody sped up, staying behind Adam in hopes of shielding them from the gunfire.
“I’m good.” Lila aimed and fired.
She hit one of the shooters on his side. The man slumped over the rear window, the gun falling from his hand.
“We’re moving beside you to take care of these guys,” Reid shouted through the radio.
“No, it’s too dangerous on this two-lane road.” A vehicle coming from the opposite direction could cause a serious accident.
The Jeep raced up behind Cody, slamming into their bumper. At the same time their back window exploded. Cold air rushed into the vehicle. Cody gritted his teeth. If he didn’t do something they’d either be run off the road or the bullets would get them. Another bullet whizzed into the van zipping between Lila and Carson and smashing through the front windshield.
Reid’s voice crackled through the radio. “There is a curve up ahead with a runaway truck ramp. Follow the ramp and we’ll take care of them. Can you handle that?”
Cody gripped the wheel as the Jeep rammed them again. “No choice.” He floored the van putting distance between the Jeep. “Tighten your seatbelts and hold on.” He caught a worried look from Lila.
“You got this,” Lila said as she held on to Carson’s hand.
Cody eyed the curve in the road and slowed a bit. Holding tight to the steering wheel, he maneuvered the curve and angled onto the dirt ramp. Dirt and rocks rattled underneath them as Cody struggled to slow the van without skidding out of control.
The Jeep whipped by them and seconds later the echo of more gunshots erupted followed by a plume of smoke. Cody’s heart pumped as he brought the van to stop. Please let that be the bad guys.
Chapter 43
“That was intense. Is it in poor taste to say I’m totally pumped?” Angie’s brown eyes shone bright, as she boarded the plane with the rest of the Alliance members.
“Nope.” Bobsled high-fived her. “We didn’t lose anyone and kicked some bad guy ass.”
“I need to sit,” Evan said scrambling for a seat, his face blanched.
Justin handed Evan a bottle of water. “Drink.”
Evan nodded, whipped off his Boston Red Sox baseball cap, and twisted off the bottle top.
“Evan and Angie—you both did great,” Reid said. He turned to Cody. “Helluva job.” He clapped a hand on Cody’s shoulder. “We shot the driver, and the Jeep went into the ravine.”
Adam wrapped his arm around Carson. “Good job, everyone.”
As soon as Lila collapsed in the seat, Justin approached, kneeling in front of her. He
unwrapped the tourniquet and examined her leg. “The bleeding has slowed, and no major blood vessels were hit. The wound is deeper than I’d like so you’ll need stitches.”
Lila leaned her head against the seat and shut her eyes. “I can’t stomach the thought of another needle.”
“The good thing about being a combat doc is I can stitch you up quick.” Justin winked and reached for his medical bag.
“Wait!” Lila straightened and turned to Carson. “Is there any chance there is a warehouse on the grounds of Blue Vista?”
Carson shook her head. “There wasn’t when I lived there.”
On his way to the cockpit, Reid stopped. “Before we left Dallas, I researched building permits for Blue Vista and didn’t come across anything. Plus, we checked satellite images. We don’t believe your family is here.”
You remember Evan?” Cody said to Lila as he grabbed his computer.
“Yes, thank you. Both of you.” Lila addressed Evan and Angie.
Cody turned on his computer then glanced up. “Reid, can we stall taking off for a few minutes?”
“We’re good for now. We’re still fueling up and waiting on clearance anyway.” Reid crossed his arms. “Why?”
“If they have anyone worth their salt, they would clamp down after Lila’s escape, so we need to get through their firewall ASAP.” Cody said, staring at his computer screen.
Angie’s fingers hovered above her keyboard. “What am I looking for?”
“A video uplink,” Cody said. Less than five minutes later, Cody pumped his fists. “Bingo.” He flipped his laptop around.
Everyone gathered around and viewed the image of Lila’s family bound to chairs in the middle of a large concrete room.
“Can you get a bead on where this is coming from?” Adam asked.
Evan, already at his computer, said, “I’m on it.”
Order of Truth Page 30
