by Mary Alford
Kaiden headed out through the thick woods that would eventually end at Collins’s place. The group would stay together until they reached the edge of the property.
All Kaiden could think about was Sidney fear. His thoughts whirled over what lay ahead. There could be men waiting for them near the house. They might be too late and Collins could have left the area already. Or wired the place with explosives.
Up ahead, the woods showed signs of thinning. Through the trees, a single light shone. Kaiden stopped suddenly and grabbed Sidney’s arm.
“What is it?” she whispered close to his ear.
An uneasy sensation crawled into the pit of his stomach. “I don’t know. Something feels off.”
Next to them, Lincoln and Will waited for the word.
Was he simply picking up on Sidney’s qualms? “Keep us safe, Lord,” he prayed under his breath, then said, “Let’s go.”
Lincoln and Will headed toward the front of the house while he and Sidney edged into the clearing and around to the back.
Once Will and Lincoln were in position, they gave a single short whistle.
Sidney headed toward the back door, but Kaiden stopped her. He couldn’t let go of his misgivings.
“What’s wrong?” Her brows gathered in a frown as she studied his face.
“I’m not sure. Don’t you think it’s a little too convenient that the leader of Legion would be here? Wouldn’t he be on his way out of the country by now?”
“Do you want to call it off? We can fall back. Watch the place from a distance.”
Were they both overreacting?
“No,” he said at last. “Let’s do this.” He responded with an answering whistle. Moving into position, Kaiden made quick work of gaining access to the house. The screen door squeaked when he opened it. He paused. Nothing but silence came from inside. When the lock gave, he whistled again. Counted off three beats and opened the door as quietly as possible. Nothing but the single light shown from the front of the house.
Sidney slipped in behind him and searched the back of the house while Kaiden headed down the narrow hallway. Movement in front of him assured him Lincoln and Will were searching the front of the house.
Kaiden was aware of Sidney coming up behind him. He glanced at her. She shook her head. The place was clear so far.
In the miniscule living room, the single light came from a lamp positioned next to a chair.
Someone was seated there. Kaiden immediately had his weapon on the man while Will and Lincoln circled round in front. Sidney had his back.
“Get your hands in the air,” Kaiden ordered. The man didn’t respond. Kaiden moved closer. He had a single bullet wound to the chest. But it was the realization of who the man was that was the biggest shock.
“Director Hernandez?” Kaiden barely got the words out. He felt for a pulse. Weak but steady. “He’s still alive. Call Doctor Oviok. We’ve got to get him out of here now.”
Kaiden searched around the chair. There was no gun in sight. The CIA director had been executed.
A beat later, he realized something was off. A pungent odor filled the cabin. It clicked. “That’s gas I smell. Collins set the place to explode. Help me get him out of here. Quick. We don’t have much time.”
Lincoln grabbed Hernandez’s feet while Kaiden took hold of his shoulders. Together they hurried for the door as Sidney and Will crossed the entrance.
With labored breaths, Kaiden carried the director over the threshold. Almost there. Almost there, his frantic thoughts swirled around the hope.
Kaiden cleared the door. A heartbeat later the world around him exploded. The cabin went up like a tinderbox. Sidney screamed his name. His last coherent thought was of her. She’d been so afraid to make this trip. Almost as if she’d unconsciously known this moment would happen. Whatever evidence that might have been left behind was destroyed. The director of the CIA was clinging to his life. And Collins had escaped.
Chapter Eight
The explosion ripped through the cabin so quickly Sidney barely had time to realize what happened before she was propelled through the air. Thick smoke boiled from the fiery furnace that was this cabin moments earlier. With her hearing momentarily gone, Sidney squinted through the smoke and spotted Kaiden lying on the ground near the fire. Beside him, Hernandez lay in a crumpled mass. Neither man was moving. Nearby, Lincoln slowly came to.
“Kaiden,” Sidney yelled without hearing herself and ran to his side on wobbly legs. Her bad feeling had become a reality.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Will to her left. He was slowly standing. Sidney dropped to her knees and shook Kaiden without response. His shirt was covered in blood. A piece of wood had splintered from the cabin and lodged in Kaiden’s side beneath the vest. She leaned in to examine it.
He moaned and his eyes opened. Met hers.
“You’re okay.” She sought to reassure him. Her ears began to ring as her hearing returned.
Kaiden tried to pull out the piece of wood but she stopped him. “Leave it. It might be keeping you from bleeding out.”
“Oviok’s on his way to get us,” Will said once he finished speaking into his shoulder mic. “He’ll meet us at the road ahead. We have to get Kaiden and Hernandez out there. Lincoln, help me with him. Kaiden, can you walk?”
“I think so.” Kaiden sat up slowly with Sidney’s help and winced when he touched the back of his head. His fingers brought back blood, the sight of it terrifying.
“You may have a concussion. Let’s get you up,” she said and assisted him to his feet.
“Hernandez needs immediate attention. He could have internal injuries.” It was just like Kaiden to worry about everyone but himself.
Will and Lincoln lifted the unconscious man and started toward the road. They’d covered a short distance when their radios went crazy.
“There are at least half a dozen armed men heading your way.” Oviok’s panic came through the radio. “Get out of there.”
“Roger that,” Sidney said and ended the transmission. “Collins was expecting us. We don’t have much time.”
With her arm around Kaiden’s uninjured side, they hurried as fast as they could to the tree coverage ahead. Sidney’s thoughts tumbled over themselves. How could Collins have possibly known they were coming?
Before they reached the woods, multiple gunshots exploded all around them, striking the nearby trees and creating hell on earth.
Lincoln dropped to his knees taking Hernandez down with him.
“Can you make it on your own?” Sidney asked Kaiden. “I’ll stay behind and cover you. Get Hernandez to the van as fast as possible.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Kaiden insisted.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’ll be okay.” He turned to Lincoln. “Go. We’ll cover you.”
The two men lifted Hernandez and started toward the road while she and Kaiden returned fire on the advancing men, forcing them to seek cover.
“Let’s go,” she said once there was a lull in the fireworks. She slipped her arm around Kaiden’s waist and together they ran as fast as Kaiden was physically able while tree branches slapped their faces and arms. Kaiden slowed, leaning heavily on her.
“We’re almost there,” she whispered and all but dragged him the rest of the way.
A noise behind them had Sidney glancing over her shoulder. Collins’s people were in the woods. “They’re coming up quick. Hurry, Kaiden.” Together they ran toward the van.
Will and Lincoln were loading Hernandez into the back.
“I need help,” she called, her strength fading.
Will rushed to her side and grabbed Kaiden before they both hit the ground. With Kaiden’s weight off her, she stepped up her pace.
A click behind her sent Sidney whirling. Two of Collins’s men were close and had their weapons trained on her. She scanned the area. Nowhere to hide. A deer in a clearing. Exposed. Vulnerable.
Lincoln spotted the men after she did and op
ened fire. Sidney did the same. One of the men yelped, grabbed his shoulder and fell to the ground. The second dove for cover. There was no doubt in her mind the firefight would draw others to their location.
“We’ve gotta get out of here,” she said, and she and Lincoln raced for the open doors of the van. Sidney dove into the back seat next to Kaiden while Lincoln got behind the wheel and threw the vehicle into Drive, spewing gravel.
Behind them, armed men poured onto the road and opened fire on the van.
“Get down,” Sidney yelled.
Everyone ducked just in time. “Keeping going,” she said.
Lincoln drove at breakneck speed.
“They’ll keep coming…We’ve got a head start…Won’t last,” Kaiden’s voice was a whisper as he laid his head against the headrest.
“Let us worry about that.” Sidney glanced in the back to where Doctor Oviok frantically worked on the director. “How is he?”
“He’s lucky to be alive,” Oviok said in a terse tone. “The bullet appears to have missed any major arteries, but he’s lost a lot of blood. I’ll do my best, but he needs to be in a hospital.”
“We can’t afford to take him to one,” she said. They had to get airborne quickly.
The doctor’s tone said he didn’t like her answer. “I’ve done all I can for him. Will, keep the pressure on his wound for me.” Will slipped into position and took over for the doctor.
“I’ll take a look at your side now, Kaiden,” Oviok said.
While the doctor examined Kaiden, Sidney kept a close watch behind them. Why weren’t the men coming after them?
“Hold the light for me, Sidney. I’m going to remove the object from Kaiden’s side. It doesn’t appear to be too deep.”
She took the flashlight from her friend and held it while Doctor Oviok removed the wood fragments and packed it with gauze before securing it.
“Let me take a look at your head,” he said and examined the bleeding wound. “That’s a nasty blow you took. Head wounds bleed a lot, but I don’t think you’ll need stitches. Any headache or pressure in your head?”
Kaiden shook his head and winced. “No, nothing.”
“Dizziness or ringing in your ears? Nausea?” Oviok persisted.
Kaiden grinned at the doctor’s consideration. “None of those things. I’m okay. I’ve had a lot worse injuries, believe me.”
Oviok didn’t appear convinced. “Still, if you develop any of these symptoms, you’ll let me know immediately.” It wasn’t a question.
“I will. Thanks, doc.”
Doctor Oviok returned to Hernandez while realization slammed into Sidney like a brick wall. She shook all over. They’d almost died. Kaiden was hurt and Hernandez in critical condition. With her heart in chaos, Sidney closed her eyes and prayed for their wounded commander, then thanked God for bringing her and the others through the attack.
She became aware of Kaiden watching her and she clasped his hand. “That could have been so much worse,” she said and met his eyes. “You almost died.” Her voice broke over the words.
“But I didn’t, and you heard the doctor. My injuries aren’t serious.” He glanced behind them. “I sure hope Hernandez makes it. He’s a good man and we need him.”
Sidney understood what he meant. Without the director’s support, they’d be on their own. She glanced behind them once more. Why wasn’t Collins following them? She voiced her fears to Kaiden. “If he tried to take out the CIA director, and he somehow knew we were coming, then he was prepared. So why isn’t he coming after us now?”
Kaiden’s troubled expression confirmed he shared her concerns. “The only explanation that makes sense is he knows who we are and how to get to us.”
Those chilling words filled the space between them. If it were true, then God help them all.
◆◆◆
The sign for the regional airport came into view. They were almost to the plane and it couldn’t come soon enough for Kaiden. He glanced behind them at an unconscious Hernandez. “How is he, doc?”
The grave expression on Oviok’s face was far from reassuring. “Not good, I’m afraid. If he makes it to the compound, he’ll have a fighting chance. We have some of the best medical personnel working for us there.”
The grim news settled in Kaiden’s mind. His thoughts were fuzzy. Pain splintered around his injured side. If they were forced into another shootout, he wasn’t sure he could pull his weight.
The tiny airstrip where they’d hidden their plane appeared.
Lincoln screeched the van to a halt. “Let’s get in the air quickly. Collins could have men watching the smaller airports around. He’s former CIA. He’ll know the routine.”
With Will’s help, Lincoln carried Hernandez onto the plane with Doctor Oviok at their heels. Kaiden followed more slowly, letting Sidney assist him onboard. Once the door closed, Lincoln hurriedly readied the plane for takeoff. In a matter of minutes, he taxied down the runway.
“Looks like we’ve got trouble ahead.” Lincoln pointed at two vehicles driving straight towards them at breakneck speed.
“We’re outmanned,” Kaiden said from the co-pilot’s seat. “If they incapacitate us, we’re done.”
The two vehicles turned sideways on the runway to try and block them. Half a dozen armed men jumped out and aimed their weapons at the plane.
“We’re almost out of runway. Hang on.” Lincoln pulled the stick back hard.
“Are we going to make it?” Kaiden stared at the two vehicles coming up quickly.
“Hold on.” Lincoln headed straight for the cars.
The men opened fire. Kaiden gripped the edge of his seat. Bullets tinged off the side of the plane. The windshield held under the attack. Lincoln didn’t veer, forcing their attackers to jump out of the way. With but a few feet to spare, the plane lifted off the ground, almost clipping both vehicles as it cleared the runway.
Kaiden blew out a huge sigh of relief and faced Lincoln. “That was a little too close for comfort, brother,” he said in a less than steady voice.
Lincoln grinned over at him. “I knew we had it.”
Kaiden admired Lincoln’s confidence, but that was more harrowing than he expected.
“If this is Collins’s work, he’ll run the plane’s registration,” Sidney said aloud what he was thinking.
“Knowing James, he’s put in enough precautions to keep anyone from tracing it back to us or the compound,” Will said with certainty.
“Still, how did they know we were coming?” Sidney couldn’t let it go. “And more importantly, how did he get Hernandez to the cabin?”
“I don’t know, but I’m calling James to let him know what happened. We’ll need our medical personnel to meet us at the airstrip.” Kaiden glanced back at Hernandez. The man was clinging to life.
James picked up right away and Kaiden explained. The silence that followed assured him James was as shocked as everyone on the plane had been by the turn of events.
“I’ll contact Ben right away. This doesn’t bode well for him. If Collins realizes you and Sidney are still alive, he’ll know Ben’s involved. He could be in real danger.”
“Call me once you’ve spoken to Ben. I want to make sure he’s okay,” Kaiden told him. “We’ll be there as soon as we can. In the meantime, step up security around the compound. I realize you’ve already taken extreme precautions for hiding the plane’s ownership, but Collins is former CIA and he’s still working with Evans. He has the capability of getting past your security measures.”
“Let me double-check our firewalls and get more men monitoring the perimeters. We have a perfect location for the team here in Wyoming. I’d hate to have to pick up and move, but we can’t risk having Collins come after us here. I’ll see you when you arrive. In the meantime, I’ll be praying for Hernandez. He’s a good man and didn’t deserve any of this.”
Kaiden ended the call without responding.
“You okay?” Lincoln asked and slanted him a curious look.
Kaiden shook his head slowly. “Not sure. Do you ever feel as if you’re fighting a losing battle?”
Lincoln nodded. “All the time. These are some bad people we’re going up against. I thought when we confiscated the chemical weapons, we’d broken them, but they seem more determined than ever. Makes you wonder what they’ve got planned. With the exception of Emerson, all the men working for Legion are too afraid of Collins to talk. We’ll have to bring in someone with power if we’re ever going to get to the bottom of their plot.”
Kaiden agreed, but getting close to any of the major players wouldn’t be easy. They’d tried to bring down Collins, and almost lost some good people.
His cell phone rang and Ben’s number popped up. Relief washed over him as he answered the call.
“I just heard,” Ben said. “I can’t believe they had Cole. I spoke to him earlier. He didn’t mention being concerned about anything.”
Kaiden couldn’t imagine what Ben was going through. He and Hernandez had become good friends through the investigation of Legion. According to Ben, he and Hernandez attended the same church.
“Cole’s a good man and the only one who knows about the Strike Force’s existence. We’ve kept it between us because the fewer people who know of our purpose, the better chance we have of bringing down Legion. I sure hope he pulls through,” Ben said, his tone troubled.
“Hernandez is strong and he’s in the best of hands. He has a fighting chance. Any word from Jennifer yet?” Kaiden knew Ben was worried about his wife.
“Just a short text telling me she’d made it to Denver okay and wanted to be left alone for now. I can’t blame her for being angry with me. I haven’t been the husband she’s needed in a while, but she has no idea what those men are capable of. If something were to happen to her because of me, I couldn’t live with myself.”
“Give her some time and then reach out to her again.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“Stay safe,” Kaiden told him. “We’ll talk soon. Hopefully, we’ll have some good news on Hernandez’s condition by then.”
