Page 70 of Logan

Heading out, he noted a light shining from the laundry cabin’s doorway. He glanced down, and his heart plunged as he saw the evidence of a scuffle, one where someone with small feet was dragged down the mulched path toward the door of the laundry room. “Someone’s got her,” he radioed. Logan knew he needed backup and tossed up a grateful prayer that Cole had flown to Ester and then was on his way to Tanana. “Get Cole and Casper here.”

“They’re close and on their way.”

38

The side window of the laundry room, closest to Vivian’s cabin, was boarded with wood, so Logan slipped around to the other side, some of the tension leaving his body when he saw that window only covered with a light curtain over the panes. Leaning his ear next to the glass, he heard a commotion inside. A female’s voice was close, saying, “Get what you can. We’ll take it out so we can keep an eye on the bitch. With Rashad gone, she’ll have to deal with me now, and he’s not the only one with a gun… although carving her with my knife might be fun.”

Recognizing Nafisa’s voice, he knew she was talking about Vivian. Bending slightly, he breathed a sigh of relief as his gaze found a slit at the bottom of the curtain, allowing him limited vision into the room. He spied Nafisa and Farrah working on the far side of the small room but was unable to see what was in their hands. Nafisa occasionally glanced out the door in the direction of the woods.Viv must be outside.

Wishing he could let her know he was close, he shook his head, clearing out all thoughts but what he needed to do. Cataloging the room, he noted two large industrial-sized washing machines on the far wall next to two equally large dryers. Shelves holding sheets, towels, and extra blankets linedthe back wall. The two women worked near the washing machines, and as Farrah bent low to pick something up from the floor, he saw plastic bottles used for hotel cleaning.

Understanding filled him, and he realized how easy their plan was. The Inn’s housekeepers would spray liquid with the bacteria all over sinks, showers, toilets, and counters, thinking it was their cleaning product.Fuck, this would be devastating in restaurants, stores, hospitals.The terrorists would not even be in the area by the time innocent people were exposed to the bacteria.And they wouldn’t have to use a non-lethal bacterial agent… lethal ones could be developed to use with the fake solutions.

Seeing Nafisa and Farrah start to walk outside together, he leaned around and saw them stop just down the path where Vivian was seated, bound, and gagged with her back against a tree.

Calculating his options carefully, he knew he could easily kill both women. Stealthily moving to the front of the laundry cabin while staying in the shadows, he made his way forward, his footsteps silent on the forest floor, hoping to catch Vivian’s eye.

Nafisa was on Vivian's far side, behind the tree, watching Farrah gather their supplies. Just then, Vivian happened to look his way, her widened eyes indicating she realized he was there. With a nod, he burst into action.

Logan rushed forward, easily disabling Farrah and drawing Nafisa’s attention away from Vivian. Farrah screamed, dropping as he kicked her legs out from under her. Her hands flew into the air as his booted foot pressed on her back, keeping her on the ground.

Nafisa, with her gun in hand, scrambled to the side. Vivian’s hands were still bound, but she grappled with the other woman, fighting for the weapon between them.

With his foot still on Farrah and his gun now pointed at Nafisa, he shouted, “Give it up, Nafisa. You’re finished.”

Vivian was still grappling with the gun as a loud shot rang out, and Nafisa’s body jerked before going limp on top of her.

With his heart in his throat, he pressed his boot harder on a shaking Farrah and growled out the order, “Stay.”

Vivian managed to roll the bleeding Nafisa off her just as he knelt at her side. Assisting her to sit, he scanned her for injuries. “Christ, Jesus, Viv. Are you okay?”

She jerked her head up and down as her eyes latched onto his. He reached behind her head to untie the gag. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” she blurted.

She lifted her left hand, the torn rag hanging from her wrist, bruising already, turning the injured area a dark purple, still holding Nafisa’s gun in her right. His gaze moved over her body, searching as though to make sure she was not bleeding before coming back to land on her face.

When she heard a noise from behind Logan, her eyes widened, and before he had time to turn, she jerked her right hand up, pulling the trigger of Nafisa’s gun.

“Fuck!” Logan shouted, whirling around, his attention having been so riveted on Vivian’s well-being he’d ignored the threat still behind him.

The blast sent Vivian’s arm flying backward, but her aim had been true… or, more likely, pure luck. Farrah fell to her knees, blood running from her chest with an unfired gun in her hand. She dropped to the ground and lay motionless.

He vaulted over, ascertaining the two terrorists were indeed dead, before rushing back to Vivian. He noted the glazed look of shock in her eyes, her cold hands shaking. “Viv?—”

“Is she dead?” her hoarse voice whispered.

Bending, he got directly in her face, his hands clutching her bruised cheeks. “Viv, baby, look at me.”

Her blank eyes lifted to his.

“I’m so sorry, so fuckin’ sorry you had to do that?—”

Shaking her head as she stared over at Farrah’s body for a moment, she spoke so softly he had to strain to hear her. “I had…no…no choice. She was aiming at…you.”

His heart ached as he pulled her against his chest, one hand cradling the back of her head and the other wrapped tightly around her middle. He closed his eyes, willing his heart to cease its erratic pounding, but he was unsuccessful.Never…not once did I feel this out of control in the SEALs.

“Baby, I have to know that you’re okay,” he said softly, his mouth moving against the top of her head.

She leaned back against the tree trunk, her face still registering shock as she looked around at the bodies. Her voice, as emotionless as her blank gaze, said, “We need to clean up.”

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