Under the Gun

by Lyn Stone

  “I don’t know what that was all about, but this’ll never work and we both know why,” he said with a rough sigh.

  “Hey, who asked you to make anything work? It was just a kiss,” she snapped. “Get over it.”

  It wouldn’t do to make too much of it. No reason she should know how kissing her affected him. He would get over it, just as she said. Right now. Play it off.

  He gently pinched her cheek, tugging a little. “Okay. Now we’re even on the mouth-to-mouth. See if you can drag me to my feet and lead me in the right direction. We might as well wait for pickup at the bridge.”

  Cool night air replaced the warmth of her body. Her grip was strong as she tugged him to a standing position. His legs nearly buckled, but he managed to brace his knees and hold steady until he got his balance.

  She released one of his hands and led him with the other up the bank and along the edge of the dirt road. He passed the time counting steps, using the tedious exercise to dull the pain in his head and in the muscles of the arm he had locked around her in the river.

  It seemed they walked forever, silent, each lost in thought. He had no clue what she was thinking. He could only hope she was just as clueless about what occupied his mind.

  He wanted her. Badly. Here and now. The physical attraction between them loomed powerful and heady. Subduing it took a lot of mental and physical energy. Both commodities were in very short supply at the moment.

  Maybe it was his dependence on her, plus her natural instinct to nurture and protect, that threatened his good sense. If they started anything physical right now, it would be embarrassing for both of them when the danger was over and things returned to normal. The job would get in the way.

  He simply could not follow through, even if she were willing. The whole deal would destroy their friendship and have an adverse effect on their team.

  “You’re absolutely right, Will. There are just too many pitfalls to getting involved. We’ve both seen what happens,” she said as they trudged along, their shoes squishing with every step.

  “Who was he? Fellow agent?”

  “None of your business. It always comes down to a hard choice, not one I want to have to make again.”

  “Hazard of the occupation,” he agreed. “Even with civilians, it blows up in your face.”

  “Haven’t tried that yet, but it stands to reason.”

  How many times had he answered a call, leaving a woman in the middle of the night, unable to explain where he had to go, what he had to do, when he would return to pick up where they’d left off?

  And when he did return, how many had been there waiting? None. So Holly had been burned, too.

  He couldn’t promise he would never give her an ultimatum. He had discovered tonight that he’d do damn near anything to keep her alive.

  Better to ignore the heated kiss, forget the flare of desire, the almost overpowering need. Better to pretend nothing existed between them and make sure that nothing further occurred.

  He walked on, mulling it over. The kiss had affected her as much as it had him. He didn’t need clairvoyance to know that. Maybe it was only the result of sheer relief at being alive, he told himself, not buying the rationalization for a second even as he made it up.

  Holly braced herself when Will stumbled, grasping her arm to keep from falling. She urged him off the road. “Sit down here and lean back against this tree.”

  “I just need a minute to rest. I’ll be fine.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  He said nothing as Holly took his wrist and checked his pulse. His skin felt cold, clammy.

  What if he lapsed back into that coma? He drew in a particularly deep breath and let it out slowly, willing his body to respond to the extra oxygen. He flexed his shoulders and stretched his legs out straight.

  God, he was so tired, when a little more than a week ago he would have just been working up a good sweat.

  Holly went into nurse mode, feeling his face like a mother testing for fever. He could sense her frustration, her worry. “God only knows how long you went without breathing! Or how much exertion it took to get me out of that car, hang on to me, then drag me up on the bank.”

  “Get a grip, Holly,” he huffed. “I’m not six years old and I’m not about to expire on you, okay? I’m just tired.” He grasped the hand that cradled his face and tugged it away. “Now stop fussing and tell me what you see.”

  She went still and he heard her clear her throat. “Tall pines block out most of the moonlight. I can barely see anything. Wild animals still roam these parts, I bet. It’s wilderness, not my kind of place. Maybe bears, cougars, wild dogs.”

  “You don’t sound all that scared,” he teased.

  “Are you kidding? I’d go hunting if we had time to cook the game.”

  He laughed as she moved closer, the length of her arm resting against his.

  But it wasn’t enough. Their clothing was soaked. He was cold and she was, too.

  “I think it’s too risky to build a fire, don’t you?” she asked.

  “Odin’s buddy shouldn’t be back until morning if he follows orders, but let’s not take any chances.”

  “That’s what I thought, too. Body heat, then? Can we handle that?”

  His laugh was short and wry and his only answer. He wasn’t altogether sure he could, but he was determined to do his best.

  She wiggled around as if looking for something. He heard the zipper on her purse again. “I’ve got a roll of Lifesavers. Here, eat some of these,” she ordered, pushing a couple between his lips.

  He grunted his thanks and dutifully crunched the candies. Hopefully, he’d perk up a little when the sugar hit his system. She gave him more. Strange, sitting here in the woods, soaking wet, being hand-fed candy.

  When he’d eaten what seemed like the entire roll, she began piling pine straw and leaves all around and on top of him to insulate him against the chill of the night.

  “Hope we don’t get chiggers,” he muttered.

  “Chiggers? What’s that? Is it like the shivers?”

  He didn’t want to explain for a number of reasons, most of all because he didn’t really want to walk anymore right then. “Something like that.”

  “We’ll be warm enough, I think.”

  No doubt. Will resigned himself to it.

  She snuggled full length against his side, her arms around his body, and shared what warmth she had. “This is about the extent of my survival skills in a situation like this,” she said. “Sorry.”

  “Perfect,” he mumbled as he cuddled her close, holding her as if they were lovers. “No complaints at all. And no reason to feel uneasy with this, Holly. We’re just being sensible, keeping each other warm this way.”

  “Right. Nothing else we can do. I’m good with it.”

  Better than good, he thought. Damn great. He knew she’d do exactly the same thing for any of the other agents on the team. But he sure didn’t want to think about her heating up this way with Joe, Clay, Jack or Eric the kid.

  Her arms tightened around him when he shifted against her, fitting his length to hers as if they were made to go together.

  Nobody under this tree was going to take a nap anytime soon, but they were warming up really fast.

  Will closed his eyes and prayed for the willpower not to enjoy this too much and not to touch her the way he wanted to. This was business. That was all.

  Odin stopped for gas just outside Roanoke. As he pumped fuel into the tank of the camper-covered truck, he questioned his priorities.

  Maybe he should have stayed and searched harder for Will Griffin and the woman. They would be harder to get the next time, if there had to be one. Then it could be too late.

  There hadn’t been time to make certain both Griffins were dead at the airfield. The place would have been crawling with agents in a matter of minutes. He had cut it too close.

  Maybe Griffin would never be able to identify him, but leaving him alive was too great a chance to take.
That female agent, Amberson, sure had a good look in the hospital, he knew that much. Even with the disguise, she might recognize him later with his face all over the news. She was trained to do that.

  Odin was almost sure they had drowned. That current was too swift for a man who had been bedridden for days to battle. The woman didn’t look strong enough, either.

  It could be days before the bodies turned up and proved him right. He didn’t have days. If they had survived that plunge into the river, Odin knew he would just have to trust Pete to take care of it. Pete was loyal as could be and fully committed. He wasn’t all that smart, but he always followed orders.

  The missiles had to be delivered before the holiday. The idea of their being used here in the States troubled him, but in the long run, he knew it would double security after it happened and save many more lives than would be lost.

  In times of terror, people wanted a man experienced in military matters to be in charge. He had twenty years of that, plus a distinguished appearance that would appeal to the public. His position was perfect for that.

  Collateral damage was acceptable in times of war, and this was war. He was waging it himself. He could control when and where these weapons were used, and make certain that use didn’t get out of hand. It would prove a helluva wake-up call for the powers that be.

  There would also be a seriously dedicated effort to recover those thousands of SAMs now squirreled away by various groups around the country bent on destruction of the government.

  Yes, this was a very necessary evil. He must make everyone aware. And then he must assume a position of responsibility to prevent further disasters. It was his duty.

  Killing the terrorists after the fact would solidify his status as hero. He was the ultimate patriot. It was time he had the recognition to go with it.

  He replaced the nozzle in the pump and went inside to pay for the gas.

  “Well, would you look at that? It’s Survivors, Roanoke River!” a voice crooned. “They’ll have to split the million, folks.”

  Holly woke with a sudden jerk and bolted upright, her gun hand empty. Bright light from a battery-powered lantern lit up the little campsite.

  Eric Vinland threw back his head and hooted. “You should see your face!” He waggled her nine millimeter in the air.

  “I’ll smash yours flat for you, you little creep!”

  “Little? Me?” he gasped with totally fake outrage. “Where?”

  “Where it counts,” Holly snapped, blinking against the light.

  Eric Vinland was six feet tall and in no way small, even where it counted, but verbal jabs were about all she could get him with. During the months the team had worked together, and in free time spent at the gym, she had never seen anyone, friend or foe, land a physical blow on him.

  He held his hands out in a gesture of surrender and returned her weapon. “Peace, O Tawny Goddess. I bring offerings of chocolate.” He reached in his pocket, then tossed a Snickers bar into her lap.

  He leaned over and nudged Will’s hand with another one. “Hey, Will. Does she look this ragged every morning?”

  “Beats me,” Will muttered.

  Holly sprang to her feet, leaves flying every which way. She impatiently raked one off her face. “What time is it? Where’s Jack?”

  “Close to 2:00 a.m. Jack’s busy trying to track down our quarry. He sent me to spirit you two out of danger and hide you again.”

  “How’s Grayson?” Will asked. “Was he injured?”

  “No, he’s fine,” Eric answered. “He reported what happened back at the house. The place is compromised now, of course, and can’t be used any longer. He’ll be sent somewhere else.”

  “Any leads yet on who Odin might be?” Will asked.

  “He’s an insider or knows someone in the business very well,” Eric said. “Otherwise he could never have located you either at the hospital or at the safe house. That last took some doing. It might be what trips him up.”

  Holly took Will’s hands to help him stand. He slid his arm around her shoulders in what felt like a proprietary move.

  Eric smiled suggestively at them and waggled his eyebrows. “Yes, there’s no doubt about it,” he continued. “The only good thing is that Odin’s probably not aware of all we know. Not yet, anyway. Jack’s working on that name you gave him. Turkel, wasn’t it? And he’s convinced Hartsfield refers to the airport in Atlanta.”

  Will nodded. “That feels right and makes sense. Let’s head south.”

  “No way, buddy. I’ve got my orders. You and Holly are supposed to stay out of the picture entirely. How does yours work?”

  “What?”

  “Your reading him,” Eric demanded, referring to the psychic connection.

  “There wasn’t any reading to it this time, not the way you mean. We actually overheard him talking. In the hospital and at the safe house, I sensed him approaching. I don’t know how or why that worked the way it did, or if it ever will again. I do think maybe I felt fear on his part, anger and definitely urgency.”

  Eric sighed. “Yes, well, you blew his last deal and then had the effrontery not to die after he shot you. There was a reason for his anger. He knows Holly saw his face and that you might have, too, at the airfield. That would make him afraid, I guess. But why urgency? Afraid he’ll lose his customer for the missiles?”

  “What he said indicated that,” Will muttered. “Do you think maybe we know this guy?”

  Holly was shaking her head already. “Not me. Never seen him before that night in the hospital.” She thought about it for a minute. “And if you knew him, Will, he would figure you’d have blown the whistle on him as soon as you came out of the coma, right? If so, why did he wait days before the attempt to kill you?”

  “Maybe it took him that long to discover where I was?” Will asked.

  Eric seemed lost in thought for a minute. “Just about every operative in the agencies involved in the op would have heard you were comatose after the shooting. But I’ll bet our boy was keeping closer tabs on you than that. Maybe this is someone you don’t know, Will. At least not yet. However, if he let you live, you might have been able to identify him once you recovered and started working on it.”

  “As good a theory as any,” Will agreed. “But there was a nagging sense of familiarity.”

  “Maybe his buddy will blab. I’m planning to be back here at dawn to liven up his day when he comes looking for you. We’ll see how loud he squeals.” Eric shook his finger at them. “But you, my friends, are officially out of the picture except for providing reports on what’s already happened.”

  Holly objected, just as she had promised. “We’re in on it, Eric, so get used to it. Either we decide among us how we handle this or we call Jack for further orders.”

  Eric smiled. “No. You have your orders. Just lie low until we catch him. I’ll find you a good place.”

  Will nodded. “In Atlanta. I say we go with Jack’s supposition about Hartsfield. I don’t know how close I have to be to this guy to pick up his mental pixie dust, or even if I can do it again, but there’s only one way to find out. We can at least hang out in his general vicinity and see what happens.”

  Eric frowned. “You’re going to do this anyway, aren’t you?”

  Holly nodded and smiled. She knew she should object right along with Eric on the grounds that Will was not in any condition to participate, but she knew how much he needed to. How could she deny him that? Besides, he might provide their only possibility of finding Odin. She could keep Will safe.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Eric said finally. “Nobody said I couldn’t set you up with a place there, but you’d better keep a very low profile, and I mean it.”

  Holly squeezed Will’s hand and gave it a victory shake. She hadn’t even realized until then that she was holding it.

  “What kind of transportation we got, kiddo?” she asked Eric.

  “Harley-Davidson,” Eric answered, straight-faced.

  “You had better be
joking.” She followed him to the road, Will right behind her, his hand grasping her shoulder. “It would be just like you to show up on a stupid motorcycle.”

  But he hadn’t. A few minutes later, they climbed into a Jeep Cherokee and were on their way. Will settled in the back and Holly took the front passenger side.

  Eric drove and did it the way he did everything, expertly, with little effort expended. He might appear casual about this, but excitement was rolling off him in waves.

  Will was quiet, surely busy analyzing the facts, putting the puzzle pieces in place. You could almost hear the wheels turning in his head.

  Holly couldn’t help comparing the two men. Will always worked methodically, giving serious attention to detail and leaving very little to chance. He analyzed everything and was damn good at constructing clues out of next to nothing, putting them together and coming up with solutions.

  Eric, on the other hand, seemed totally dependent on his instincts. It was almost as if he would welcome a surprise if one ever occurred, so he could use his psychic gifts.

  Holly knew she struck a happy medium between the two, not as blasé as Eric, not as by-the-books as Will. Together, the three of them should be able to handle whatever came along. At least until they assessed how things stood and called in the rest of the team.

  Once they located Odin, they would need all the backup they could get. Jack was going to have their hides as it was for expanding their orders, so they had to be successful.

  As far as Eric was concerned, she wanted the situation made perfectly clear. She was running this phase and would take the heat for overstepping when it was all over. She didn’t want Will or Eric to catch any grief over it.

  “Okay, Wunderkind. This is my operation, my idea, agreed?” She reached over and poked his arm hard, nodding at him to insure his compliance.

  Eric threw her a smile, didn’t even hesitate. “You call the shots.”

  “And Will is second in command,” Holly told him. “You, little buddy, will be our gopher.” She would insist she had coerced him into cooperating if Jack wanted to discipline them after it was over.