The Path to Freedom (Task Force 125)
Page 25
The midday sun in the Nevada desert beat down with a steady blast of 102 degrees. Each breath was like taking a drag off a bonfire. The heat, dehydration and near exhaustion wore her down, and Sarah slid into a reactive, defensive mode where her movements were automatic. She knew she couldn't win this way but the bright sun lulled her into not caring.
Her opponent flashed a wicked smile. His eyes sparkled like the trillions of grains of sand glinting around them. The relentless sun and heat slowed her down and he made the most of it. "Come on, sugarlips. Is that all you got?" He spun to his left.
The pain of a powerful blow to her right shoulder woke her from her daze, and her adrenaline surged.
Son of a bitch!
His teeth glistened as he grinned. "Papa's gonna take you to school."
Her jaw tensed. “Not today, Papa.” Sarah saw her opening for a kick and took it. She put all of her weight behind a roundhouse kick aimed for his neck and a clothesline takedown but the soft sand beneath her feet shifted and she slipped, kicking him in the head instead.
They both fell.
Sarah scrambled to stand quickly. As she did, she turned to see the man still lying on the ground, unconscious. She dropped to her knees beside him. A chill raced up her spine despite the heat. "Jason? Jason!" She placed two fingers on his neck.
Good heartbeat. Damn. I'm gonna need some help with this sandbag.
This wasn’t the first time one of them had been knocked out when they were sparring. It was becoming all too common as Sarah’s fighting skills advanced. She walked over to her Jeep and pulled her phone out of the door pocket. She pressed the number One and then the Send button.
I hope he answers.