Bethany was beside him, hanging on, gun still in her hand. He knew she was waiting for a smooth moment to lean out and start firing again, but he was focused on leaving this guy behind them and he knew he had the skills to lose him.
Suddenly shots rang out. The rear glass shattered and he lost control of the truck. It skidded and before Marcus could right it, the pickup slammed into them again, sending them flying from the road. The truck rolled, snapping his belt and tossing Marcus from his seat. Bethany’s seat belt caught and she hung suspended in the air as the truck skittered down a slope and landed at the bottom.
Pain flickered through him as he landed against the overturned ceiling. A sticky residue he took to be blood flowed down his face. He’d probably reopened the cut on his forehead. At least, he hoped that was all it was.
Bethany unbuckled her belt and dropped to the floor. She knelt beside him. “You’re bleeding.”
“It’s just a cut. I’ll be fine. We have to get out of here. He’ll be coming for us.”
She nodded. He crawled out through the window and held out his hand to help her. From above, he heard the truck screech to a halt and a door open. He glanced up and saw a figure standing on the edge. Looking down at them, he’d obviously spotted them moving because he raised the rifle in his hand.
“Go!” Marcus shouted and took off running, pushing Bethany in front of him. They ducked into the trees as shots rang out. She didn’t slow down and he booked it to keep up with her. He heard the rifle fire again and the shots were close enough that Marcus knew it would not be long before one of them was hit.
* * *
Bethany darted through the woods surrounding the road where they’d gone off. Roots jutting out from the ground made the terrain treacherous. Her ankle was still sore and she was tired of the running. When would it end? When would they finally be able to evade this sniper?
She ran by a creek and tripped. Marcus caught her, his strong arms wrapping around her before she hit the ground. Struggling to catch her breath, she stared up into his eyes and he pulled her close to him. She felt the rapid beating of his heart and her own heart jarred from something other than being tired and afraid. It had been so long since she’d been this close to him and it brought back memories—good memories—of the days before the ambush.
“You can let me go now,” she told him, but even to her own ears, her voice sounded breathless. His arms tightened instead of releasing her and she felt her heart thundering in her chest. Why did he still have the ability to make her knees go weak? It wasn’t fair. She didn’t want to be attracted to him but her heart seemed to have a will of its own no matter how she tried to tame it.
“I feel like we’ve done this before,” he said, his brow furrowed in confusion.
She moved her hands to his arms and pushed away from him, determined not to let her vulnerability show. “We can’t stay in the woods,” she told him. “We need to get back onto the road and hopefully flag someone down.”
He nodded and took a step back, giving her the space she’d requested. The funny thing was, she missed his arms when they were no longer around her.
“He’ll have the advantage without the trees for cover,” Marcus said.
“I’d say he already has a distinct advantage.”
They couldn’t stay in these woods indefinitely. They needed to get to help and that meant getting up to the road and flagging down a car.
“What was the traffic like?” she asked, hating the fact that she’d slept through most of the drive.
“It wasn’t busy, but it’s still our best option. We’re sitting ducks in these woods.”
She nodded her agreement. “Let’s go.”
The embankment was steep so Marcus stayed behind as Bethany made the climb first. It was difficult and both her shoulder and ankle cried out in protest. Pushing through the pain, she grabbed for branches and rocks and heaved herself up.
She nearly slid back down the hill when shots rang out and pinged on a tree a few feet away. Screaming, she lost her footing. Marcus grabbed her and pushed her upward, following quickly behind. She saw the road ahead of her and willed herself to continue. She would not die in these woods. Not like this when they were so close to discovering the truth about Marcus and his past.
She grabbed hold of a rock and pushed herself forward, stumbling out into the road. Headlights spilled over her and the screech of tires cried out as the car that appeared out of nowhere tried to stop.
It hit her with a thump and pain ripped through her as she was thrown across the hood before sliding onto the pavement. The last thing she remembered before she lost consciousness was seeing Marcus running frantically toward her.
* * *
Marcus heard the screech of tires and the blare of a horn then the distinctive thump of something bad. Very bad. He scrambled to the top of the embankment and heaved himself over it.
Bethany lay sprawled on the pavement, glass surrounding her. A few feet away, skewered on the road, sat an SUV. The doors opened and a person slowly emerged from each side. Marcus ran to her, his heart pounding in fear. She wasn’t moving. He dropped to his knees and felt for a pulse. He found one, steady and strong, and a rush of relief filled him. She wasn’t dead.
Footsteps rushed up behind him and he acted instinctively, grabbing the gun he’d seen Bethany slip into her jacket. He jumped up and spun around, pointing it at the couple who looked stunned at the sight of a weapon.
The man spoke first. “Hey, bud, we just want to help. She ran out in front of my car.”
“My name is Laura,” the woman said soothingly. “I’m a nurse. She needs medical attention. Let me help her.”
He summed them up quickly and determined they weren’t a threat. The woman was dressed in hospital scrubs and had probably just come from work or was heading there now. He lowered the gun and nodded, and she rushed past him to Bethany.
“Call 9-1-1,” she said and the man pulled out his phone and dialed. His head popped up at a sound in the woods. “Are you two alone?”
“No,” Marcus said. “Someone is out there. He ran us off the road and he was shooting at us.”
The man went back to his SUV and pulled out a rifle then headed toward the woods. Marcus debated going with him but Bethany’s gun did not have much ammo and he truly didn’t want to leave her.
“How is she?” he asked, hovering over the woman’s shoulder.
“I don’t feel any broken bones but she may have hit her head or have internal injuries.” She glanced up at Marcus. “Who’s after you?”
He watched the trees for signs of the shooter. They weren’t safe now, sitting unmoving on the road. They were an easy target.
The man returned from the woods. “Whoever was there is gone. I don’t see any sign of him.”
But Marcus didn’t believe it. He felt the sniper’s eyes on them. “He’s still there, watching us, biding his time.”
Bethany groaned and started stirring.
“She’s coming to,” the woman exclaimed and tried to hold Bethany’s neck. “Calm down, sweetie. You’ve been in an accident. I’m an RN. I’m here to help you.”
She didn’t calm down. Instead she shouted, “Marcus!”
He fell to the ground beside her, taking her hand. “I’m here. I’m right here.”
She held her head but tried to sit up. He saw her scan the trees. “We have to get out of here. He’s still out there.”
“I know. Can you stand?”
“I’ll have to.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the nurse said. “You might have internal injuries.”
“I’ll have worse than that if we don’t get out of here.”
Marcus helped her to her feet then steadied her as her knees threated to buckle. He held her up.
“Take her to my car,” the man stated.
Marcus walked with her, limping along, with him supporting her.
He helped her into the back seat and the woman climbed in beside her on the other side. “I want to keep an eye on her vitals until we reach the hospital. Drive slowly, Colton, you don’t want to jar her.”
Marcus’s head spun around at the name she’d called him. “Colton? Are you Colton Blackwell?”
The man stopped and gave Marcus a hard stare. “Yeah, that’s me. Why? Who are you?”
How was it possible that the very man they had come to see had found them instead? It could only be God’s handiwork. “We were on our way to see you. My name is Marcus Allen. Do you know me?”
There was no denying the skeptical expression on the man’s face as he moved his flashlight to get a better look at Marcus. He lowered the light but the wariness remained. “I used to know someone named Marcus Allen but he died.”
“I know that’s what everyone believed, but it’s not true. I didn’t die the night of the ambush.”
Colton sighed then glanced into the back of the SUV. “Get in. I think we’d better get her to the hospital. We can work this all out later.”
Marcus walked around and slid into the front passenger’s seat. His heart was thundering in his chest as adrenaline and fear coursed through him. He turned to look at Bethany. Her face was full of pain and she was holding her right shoulder. He knew it was the one the sniper had grazed. His mind spun at all that was happening right now.
He reached for her hand and she responded similarly. He didn’t want to let her go, but Bethany gave him a reassuring nod. “I’ll be fine.”
He wished he could believe her but he knew the truth. They wouldn’t be fine until they uncovered who was trying to kill them—and why—and took him down.
* * *
This time it was Colton who paced back and forth in the ER waiting room while Marcus sat waiting for news.
The shock of the last hour was beginning to wear off and Marcus was tired, so tired. His heart had nearly stopped for good when he’d seen Bethany lying on the ground after being hit by the SUV.
Laura had ruled out any broken bones and Bethany had been talking and walking once she’d regained consciousness, so he wasn’t that worried about her injuries, except for her shoulder. She’d given it quite an ordeal over the past few days.
Colton still hadn’t asked him any questions, which seemed odd. Wouldn’t he want to know how and why his former teammate was back from the dead? Everyone else seemed to want answers. Why didn’t he?
The outside doors opened and Colton turned to greet a man in a police uniform. They shook hands and spoke quietly for a moment before Colton turned to Marcus, saying, “This is Sheriff Gil Martin. Gil, this is Marcus Allen. His girlfriend was the one I hit with the car.”
Sheriff Martin shook Marcus’s hand. “I have some questions I’d like to ask you both. But, first, has there been any word on the lady’s condition?”
Marcus started to shake his head but the doors swung open and Laura appeared. He turned his focus to her instead. “How is she?”
“She’s okay. She has some bumps and bruises but, honestly, she’s in good shape. They want to keep her overnight for observation but—”
“Let me guess,” Marcus said. “She’s being stubborn.” He chuckled and realized that was just like her.
Laura gave him a knowing smile. “Why, yes, she is. I told Dr. Shelby that I would keep an eye on her since I assume they’ll be staying at the farmhouse.” She glanced at Colton for verification and he nodded.
Marcus stopped her before she left again. “We didn’t come here to intrude. Plus, you might have noticed by the way we met that someone is after us. It might not be safe for us to bring our problems to your home.”
“It’s safer if you stay with us,” Colton said, giving Laura the okay with a nod. She walked away and Colton turned his gaze back to Marcus. “It won’t be the first time trouble has come looking for someone there. Believe me, we know how to handle it.”
Sheriff Martin spoke. “I’m glad to see your lady friend is going to be okay. Will either of you be filing charges against Mr. Blackwell for running down your friend?”
“Hey,” Colton said, shocked by the pronouncement. “I didn’t exactly run her down. She ran from the woods and out in front of us. I couldn’t stop.”
“We won’t be pressing charges,” Marcus assured them both. “It was an accident.”
Sheriff Martin nodded. “I’ll call you both later to take your statements then for the paperwork.”
“Will do. And say hello to your wife for me,” Colton said.
The sheriff nodded and waved as he walked away. But he did not head outside. Instead he headed toward the back, presumably to question Bethany about the incident.
Colton turned and gave Marcus a curious glance. “I guess it’s time you told me what’s going on.”
He rubbed a hand over his face. This was why he’d come here and why he’d tracked down Colton. He only wished seeing his former teammate had sparked some kind of memory. “My name is Marcus Allen.”
“I know who you are, Marcus. I fought beside you for three years with the rangers. What I don’t know is how you can possibly be here.”
“I came searching for you, Colton. I need your help.”
Colton locked him with a bewildered stare. “I thought you’d died, man. We all thought you were dead.”
“I know. I was injured and some of the local villagers helped me. They tended to my wounds and hid me from the CIA. Someone in the Agency is recruiting soldiers to pass secrets to the enemy. Now they’re after me.”
“Why do they want you?”
“I don’t know. I—I can’t remember.” He kneaded the back of his neck and sighed. “I think I might know something about their operation, only I can’t remember what it is. Bethany is CIA. She’s the one who found me. She’s also led whoever is after us to me. They were shadowing her investigation and followed her to me. We’ve been dodging bullets ever since.”
“What do you mean she found you?” Colton’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Where were you, Marcus?”
He felt his face redden. “I can’t remember what happened that night. In fact, I can’t remember anything at all about my life. I have amnesia.”
Colton gave him a sideways glance as if he didn’t actually believe his tale. “What is it you think I can do to help you?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping just seeing you, seeing someone from the team, would jog my memory, but it hasn’t. It would help if I could hear about the night of the ambush. Maybe you or one of the others saw me and saw what I was doing that night or even what happened to me.” He exhaled heavily. “I keep thinking if I could only remember what happened that night, then I would know who it is that’s after me and why.”
“Well, I don’t know if I can help you figure out who’s after you, but I do know a group of guys who are going to be over-the-moon happy to see you again.” Colton pulled out his cell phone. “And together we’ll figure this all out. Don’t worry, buddy. You’re not alone anymore.”
Marcus could not explain the weight he felt lifting off his shoulders at Colton’s words.
* * *
“Looks like you’ve been in a firefight,” Laura stated, dabbing antibiotic cream on a cut on Bethany’s face. It stung, but it was the least of her worries tonight. She was just thankful to be out of the hospital and at Colton and Laura’s farmhouse.
Laura stood and closed the first-aid kit. “I’ll let you get cleaned up. There are towels in the cabinet in the bathroom if you want to take a shower.”
Bethany watched her leave then went into the bathroom and turned on the water, letting it warm. She sat on the edge of the tub and pulled the ponytail from her hair, letting it cascade down her back. She rubbed her face as the events of the day caught up with her. They’d come so
close to being killed it made her shudder. Marcus had been her rock and she appreciated him. Because of him, they’d made it to the Blackwell ranch.
Her first instinct was to thank God that they had made it safely, but as she rubbed her shoulder she rethought it. Could she actually claim they had made it safely? They’d been shot at, beaten up and she’d been hit by a car. But they had made it to the Blackwell farm and Colton had agreed to phone the other surviving rangers for Marcus to speak with. They were so close to finding out the answers they’d been searching for.
She couldn’t call that anything but God’s guidance.
Bethany finished her shower, dressed and went downstairs. Colton was showing Marcus—who looked like he’d also cleaned up—his weapons locker and Marcus was trying out the scope of a new, sleek rifle. Bethany helped herself to a handgun and three full rounds. Only as she loaded it and readied it to go did she realize they were all watching her.
“What?” she asked. “I’m a federal agent. I think I can handle this little gun.”
Marcus flashed her an easygoing grin. “I’m not sure you’ll be able to withstand the jolt of that gun with your shoulder hurt.”
She didn’t care. “I’ll deal with that when the time comes,” she retorted. If she needed a weapon, the pain in her shoulder would likely be the least of her worries.
Colton chuckled then moved on with the conversation. “I spoke with each of the fellas. They’ll all be here by late afternoon.”
“How can they get here so soon?” Bethany asked. “Don’t they have jobs and families?”
“They do but when you hear that a teammate you thought was dead is alive, let’s just say they had no problem dropping whatever they were doing and hitting the road.” He cleared his throat. “We should take the truck and pull your vehicle out of the ravine.”
“Good idea,” Marcus said.
Colton picked up a rifle then stopped and gave Laura a long kiss goodbye before walking out.
Marcus turned to her and Bethany’s heart fluttered. Was he about to kiss her that way? His eyes confirmed he wanted to as he stared into hers and Bethany wasn’t sure she would even attempt to stop him.
Mission--Memory Recall Page 11
