Adam threw a glance back at Mark. “Stow it. This is serious.”
“I get it.” Mark’s voice didn’t betray a hint of humor but his mouth twitched.
Adam returned his attention to Mally, and she saw a seriousness in his eyes. No, it was more than that. Fear. Undeniable fear. She sensed there was more to his concern than she fully understood.
“I mean it, Mally. I don’t care how much weapons training you have.” Adam held up one finger. “This is your first assignment. I’m not taking any chances and neither should you.”
“I’ll keep a distance apart from you. Just like I’m supposed to.” She knew bunching up wasn’t safe.
Adam’s dark eyes hardened and so did his mouth, but she wouldn’t back down. She would prove to him she could do this.
“Let’s go,” Adam said.
They piled out of the SUV and tension drew tight inside her. Over her dead body she would betray any nerves. She’d gotten herself into this, and she’d see it through.
Mark checked in with the firefighters performing cleanup on the building, while Adam and Mally approached the group of shouting men. Her body tightened like a wire. She drew in steady breaths. A couple of the rowdy men shouting at the firefighters turned to look at them.
“Who the fuck is this?” one of the men asked, his brutish face marred with a black eye. He wore a parka that had seen better days, ripped jeans and ugly red flannel hat with earflaps.
Great. A raging stereotype for a redneck.
“Sentry Security.” Adam kept his voice even. “Please move away from the firefighters and give them room. They’ll be here a while longer putting out hot spots.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Another man with a baseball bat and a plain blue baseball cap walked up to stand by Flannel Head. “You’re some of those guns-for-hire pussies here to take away our constitutional rights, aren’t you? Being paid for by our good-for-nothing communist government.”
Mally felt her mouth flop open. Was this guy for real?
“We’re just here to keep people safe. That includes you,” Mally said to Flannel Head.
“Fuck you, lady,” Flannel Head said.
Heat burned her face. She hadn’t been cursed at like this in a long time, and it pissed her off something royal.
Flannel Head looked at Adam. “Look at you. Not going to defend her honor?” He snorted. “What a pussy.”
“First,” Adam said, “she doesn’t need defending. Second, try another word besides pussy. You’re starting to sound like you have a limited vocabulary.”
A smile touched her mouth even as Flannel Head’s face turned to fiery indignation. “Listen, asshole. I don’t care if you were a Navy SEAL or whatever you are. None of you are as good as old time green berets. None of you.”
Adam looked completely unmoved by the man’s criticism. Mally admired Adam’s cool exterior.
“Whatever,” Adam said.
His indifference made Flannel Head even angrier. “Listen, this bitch over here…she’d better watch out. We’ll find out where she lives and show her some hospitality.”
She tensed, waiting for Adam’s reaction.
Adam shrugged. “She’s more than capable of blowing your head off if you come anywhere near her, so I hope you don’t get any stupid ideas.”
Flannel Head didn’t seem deterred. “What do you say, sweet thing? You could come party with us. I’ve got more than enough for you. Probably too much.” He let out a guffaw. “Unless you’re one of those government spies sent to put alien technology into our bodies so you can track us.”
Oh. My. F’ing. God. Is he high? She held back an instinct to tell the man to screw himself.
“We aren’t here to get into it with you. Keep your distance from the firefighters and allow them to do their work.” Adam didn’t move but kept his weapon cradled in his hands and ready for action.
For the first time she really heard what the other men were carping about. Things about the firefighters not doing enough to extinguish the fire.
She caught sight of Mark talking with one firefighter. The firefighter took off their helmet. It was a young woman, but at first Mally couldn’t be sure how old the woman was. The woman’s ash-colored hair was cut short, a sort of spiky, pixie cut with strange white or gray streaks mixed in. In any case, the woman looked fairly young. Mark flashed a smile, but the woman didn’t appear pleased. Mark instantly sobered. Interesting. Mally’s attention immediately swung back to the task at hand. Now the men had stopped shouting at the firefighters and turned all their attention onto Sentry Security. Her stomach churned so much that nausea threatened.
Flannel Head placed his hands on his hips and smiled as if this was a garden party, and they’d just been invited. He pointed at the female firefighter, and Mally saw Mark train his attention on Flannel Head.
“You see that’s part of what’s wrong with this world nowadays,” Flannel Head said, his voice getting louder as if he’d just built up a head of steam. “It isn’t just volcanoes going off, its women taking over men’s jobs. Right now you should be at home cooking, lady firefighter.”
Good ole boys, eh? No, these weren’t just backwoods men who wanted some entertainment for the apocalypse, they wanted to turn the world back a few decades. Hell, probably a hundred or more years. Undeniable heat built in her throat as harsh words threatened to explode from her. A primal rage threatened to erupt.
“I dunno,” one of the other men said. “This one looks like one of those Victoria’s Secret models. I don’t think she could hurt a fly.”
Mally couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Her look like a Victoria’s Secret model? Was the guy on drugs?
Adam didn’t say a thing in her defense, but she didn’t expect it. If he coddled her or protected her, things could get nasty quickly. She kept her semi-automatic rifle steady in both hands and maintained her resolve not to engage either man. The remaining men turned away from the firefighters, as if they’d grown tired of harassing them. Fear rose inside Mally, and she ruthlessly jammed it way down where it couldn’t interfere. She knew they were directed not to fire unless fired upon or otherwise threatened. She noted Mark had stationed himself between the firefighters and facing the crowd. The female firefighter was back to work from what Mally could see.
“Clint. Bert!” One of the other men waved at him. “Let’s get the hell out of here. This ain’t going anywhere. Now that the jack-booted thugs are here, things aren’t so fun anymore.”
Jack-booted thugs? Amusement almost made Mally snort in laughter, but she swallowed it. Yeah, she was wearing boots. Steel-toed, as a matter of fact. They could do some damage if placed in the right spot.
The Flannel Head named Clint took a step toward Mally, and she held up her weapon, ready to fire if needed. “Back off.”
Flannel Head held up his hands while he took another step toward her. She sensed Adam to her left but he hadn’t moved. Her back muscles tightened until it felt like a rubber band was stretched between her shoulder blades. Her heart pounded and her trigger finger started to cramp. She maintained her stance and refused to give in to an insane desire to run. Strength surged inside her. She could do this if she kept her cool.
Finally the flannel-wearing brute backed up and walked away with the other men. Relief drained the strength in her arms. She slowly lowered her weapon as he walked away. Deprived of their leaders, the remaining men also left the scene. She kept her attention on them, half afraid they’d change their mind and return. Adam came up beside Mally, but she didn’t look at him.
“You did a great job,” Adam said quietly as she continued to watch the troublemakers retreat. “You didn’t overreact.”
“Thanks.” She lifted her gaze to his and smiled. “Jack-booted thugs?”
He cracked a rare grin, and for a moment she basked in the warmth. She didn’t want to like his approval, but she did.
“Thanks for not jumping in front of me and sacrificing yourself,” she said.
His face sobered, his gaze
once more intense. “I would have if I had to.”
And just like that Mally’s feelings for Adam dove a level deeper. She knew it in her bones that this man would die for her, and she was disturbed on a whole new level. Those cozy feelings grew stronger as she looked at him, and the connection between them was a rush. She drew her gaze from his, aroused and puzzled by the strength of her attraction to him.
Mark walked toward them, his cheerful expression belying the situation. “This is one hell of a party. I wondered if I was going to have to rescue you both.”
“Screw you,” Adam said politely.
Mark waggled his eyebrows. “Nah, you aren’t my type.”
Mally felt mischievous. “Maybe the firefighter is. Who is she?”
Mark’s expression stayed half amused. “Don’t know. She’s some sort of volunteer from the county, I guess. She said there were four major fires last night. It will take several more hours for them to make sure all the hotspots are cleaned up. They asked if we could stay longer.”
“Absolutely. Unless something else comes up,” Adam said.
“Were you watching out for her?” Mally asked Mark.
Mark stopped in front of her. “I was worried about those jackwads hurting her. They were spouting a lot of crap about women.”
“Did she appreciate you looking after her?” Mally asked.
Mark grunted. “Hell no.”
After that they kept their eyes on the situation. After a couple of hours the firefighters felt safe and no more suspicious characters entered the picture. Mally and the men decided it was time to leave.
Before they left, they stopped to talk to the National Guardsmen. The military reported that there would now be a permanent detachment in the area until and if the threat of riots was quelled. Eventually they stopped at one restaurant still hanging open by a thread on the main street through town because Mally needed the restroom. When she entered the little dive, though, there wasn’t anyone at the tables, nor did she see employees.
“Hello?” she called out, keeping her voice fairly low. “Hello?”
She shrugged, figuring they had to be back in the kitchen. Restroom first. A sign above one hallway said restrooms, and she headed down the poorly lit corridor. After using the ugly, rather unclean bathroom, she hurried out into the hallway. That’s when she realized the back door at the end of the hallway was wide open. She thought she heard a whimper. What if someone needed help? She reached for her piece. She walked slowly and cautiously down the rest of the hallway. She’d barely reached the open door when an arm came around the door, latched onto her forearm arm and yanked her face-first onto the hard packed ground.
* * * *
Adam waited patiently along with Mark in the SUV. He figured Mally would exit soon with a snack. They had plenty of provisions, but she refused to use a business’s facilities without buying something, too. He understood. Business hung by a shoestring, survival predicated on the whims of a wild economy. He tapped on the steering wheel, a humming nervousness bouncing in his veins. He didn’t understand it. Things had calmed since yesterday. Other than this morning’s run-in at the fire, nothing else extraordinary had happened. He shouldn’t freak. Time for relaxation. Hell, who was he kidding? Relaxing wasn’t a real option right now, and he couldn’t remember the last time it was.
“So what’s going on between you and Mally?” Mark asked suddenly.
Adam didn’t expect the question, and he threw a frown at Mark. “What?”
“Something wild is going on between you. You keep sneaking these looks at her, and she does the same with you, and you’re not doing a good job of hiding it.”
Irritation rose up, and Adam glared. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“The way you’re looking at her.”
“I’m not looking at her.”
Mark snorted. “Yeah, you are. Any red-blooded male would look at her. She’s pretty as hell.”
Before he could think, Adam leaned toward his friend and pinned him with full venom. “You stay the fuck away from her.”
Mark’s eyebrows shot up at the same time he lifted a hand in surrender. “Whoa, whoa. I could see right away she was into you. Besides, I’ve got my eye on that firefighter.”
Ashamed at the way he’d launched into Mark, Adam smiled. “Which one. The big burly guy with the beard?”
Mark looked horrified. “Fuck no. The female volunteer. She’s…feisty. I might have to visit her at the firehouse soon.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Adam stared out the windshield at the restaurant. “Don’t count on it. We’ve got enough work every day to keep us occupied. And you’ve got to fix Mally’s security system.”
Mark shook his head and laughed. “No fair, asshole. You’ve been sniffing after Mally and it looks like she’s interested. Keep your hands off my firefighter.”
“An ugly old bastard like you isn’t going to get laid anytime soon. So cap it.”
Mark slouched in his seat. “Old? Screw you.”
Adam shook his head and grinned. “So tell me again why the hell you left the army?”
“F’ing boring. This is where the action is.”
“Uh-huh.”
Adam didn’t believe it, but the former Army Ranger and sniper was notoriously quiet when it came to explaining his real reasons for leaving the service. The General said the reasons weren’t important, and that meant the reasons must be damned important.
They went silent for a short time before Adam’s spidey sense kicked in. “What the hell is taking her so long?”
“You know women. Maybe there’s a line in the bathroom.”
Adam didn’t like this. He grabbed his semi-automatic. “Bullshit. Something isn’t right.”
Mark’s expression went serious. “What’s up?”
“Too quiet. I dunno.”
Without question Mark grabbed his weapons and left the SUV with Adam. Adam scanned the front of the building but didn’t see a thing. Going in slowly and in a formation they’d learned many years ago on the battlefield, they cleared the restaurant room by room.
Son of a bitch. There isn’t a soul in here. Adam kept his breathing steady, his mind on the task at hand. If the place had been looted earlier they would have seen the mess—it looked pristine except for the fact no one greeted guests at the front and no one sat at the tables. At this time of day the restaurant, a burger stand of sorts, wouldn’t need lights. Shadows had started to crawl across the room. A headache nagged in his temples as his concern for Mally rose.
Sounds of a struggle came from the back. Shuffling feet, a female yell.
“Get off me, you asshole!” A female voice came from the back of the building.
Crashing sounds. Cursing from the female.
Mally.
Adam’s attention jerked to the hallway leading to the back. He exchanged hand gestures with Mark and the two ran down the hallway toward the commotion. They exited the building cautiously. Adam stepped into the situation just in time to see Mally standing over a man sprawled on his back. A pistol lay several feet away from the man. She breathed hard, her attention fixated as deadly as a shark waiting for prey to move into position for attack. If the guy moved an inch she wouldn’t have any problem capping the guy. Relief barreled through Adam. She had the upper hand.
“Don’t shoot!” The guy held his hands up, his eyes wide with fear as Mally pointed her semi-automatic at the ass. He glanced at Mark and Adam. “Get this bitch off me! She attacked me.”
Mally snorted. “Uh-huh.”
“I’ll bet that’s a blow to your ego, eh?” Mark asked.
“Bout time you guys got here,” she said with a harsh smile. “I think you saved this jerk’s life.”
Mark moved in and within seconds had retrieved the weapon on the ground and turned the guy over to zip tie his hands behind his back. Mally didn’t lower her weapon.
“What happened?” Adam asked as he stood next to her.
“I heard noises back here and
when I stepped out this douche grabbed me around the neck. He told me not to move. I didn’t listen,” Mally said as matter-of-factly as if she was baking bread. She jerked her chin toward a shack in the back. “There are noises coming out of there. Sounded like moans.”
Adam called in the incident as he strode to the shed. Mally covered him while he opened the shed. Light spread over the interior and revealed two women in restaurant uniforms and one man dressed in an apron and chef hat. All three were tied up and gagged.
“Shit,” Adam murmured under his breath as they moved in to help the people.
None of the hostages appeared injured, but within a very short time paramedics and police came to take over. Adam’s patience ran thin a couple of times as the police grilled everyone after the hostage taker was transported to jail. He understood an investigation would include them, but one of the police officers didn’t hold back his obvious disapproval that Adam, Mark and Mally had made an arrest. Adam made certain the jerk knew Mally had taken down the suspect and rescued the people.
When it was all over, and Mark had already retreated to the SUV, Adam snagged Mally’s arm right outside the front door of the restaurant.
He brought her close and lowered his voice. “Are you all right?” He had to touch her, and brushed his finger over the side of her throat. “There’s a bruise here. That shit for brains bruised you.”
Pink filled her cheeks, but the way her eyes flashed he didn’t know if she was mad at him for some reason or embarrassed the criminal got the drop on her.
“Yeah, he did.” A smile eased to her mouth. She kept her voice low as she answered him. “I’m really pissed. I had my weapon up as I came outside, and he still grabbed me. I screwed up.”
He knew right away why she was mad. “You’re afraid I’m going to say I told you so.”
The pink on her cheeks grew redder. “Yes.”
His stomach tossed when he thought of what could have happened to her, but she’d also handled everything today like a pro. A muscle in his jaw twitched. “You should have retreated and come out to get backup.” Her slight smile disappeared, and she started to move away. “Wait.” She turned back toward him, her gaze hard as nails. “But you kicked ass. You did really well today.”
Ashfall Page 8
