Page 115 of Captive Lies

“The steering is locked,” shemuttered.

“Shit. Hold on.” I removed the ignition wiring harness to reveal the pin, then used the butt of the carbine to knock off the lock cylinder. “Pull thepin!”

“It’s free!” Valanswered.

A shot broke through the rear of the pick up and went through thewindshield.

“Floor it!” I screamed and we shotforward.

We sped through dirt and gravel, bouncing like a rickety ride in an amusement park. The shocks on the pickup should’ve been replaced long ago, but at least we were getting out of that hellhole. I spied a main road up ahead at the same time I noticed the Jeep and the SUV in pursuit. Another shot through the rear windshield caused the cracks to spread like a spider web. Using the butt of my carbine again, I chipped at the glass until the whole section fell away, giving me a good vantage point against ourpursuers.

“Left or right!” Valyelled.

“It doesn’t matter!” I shouted. “Choose!”

She swerved left, barely slowing down and I slammed against my door. Val cackled with euphoria. I wondered if we would survive the chase only to crash in a ball offire.

“Keep your head as low as possible,” I reminded her as I saw the Jeep follow our turn. I sighted the tire of the Jeep and was about to squeeze the trigger when the pickup veered right. “Keep itsteady!”

Val mumbled something in return. My pulse was pounding in my ears as I fired again. Missed. I tried again and kicked up pavement far from my target. Sounds receded into a vacuum until all I heard was my erratic breathing.Okay, Blaire. Focus! It’s now or never.I took a couple of cleansing breaths then aimed again. I inhaled, held my breath, pulled my belly button to my spine, and squeezed the trigger. The Jeep careened to one side and then the other until it spun one hundred and eighty degrees and stopped at the shoulder facing the opposite direction. The black SUV following it avoided a collision byinches.

“Okay, okay,” I told myself. “One more. Hold it together, Blaire.” I tuned everything out, but the blunt rhythm of a chopper invaded my consciousness. “Whatthe—?”

“Choppers!” Valyelled.

I looked to the front of the vehicle and sure enough, I saw three helicopters closing in fast. Shit, were they for us or for them? Just then, our tire burst or it got hit by abullet.

“Oh, no! Oh no!” Grant’s sister tried her best to control the vehicle. She had the presence of mind not to slam on the brakes, and, after a harrowing swerve toward an oncoming vehicle, she righted it back in our lane, letting it crawl to a stop. Another bullet bounced on the top of thepickup.

“Keepdown.”

But then something happened, the Black SUV made a u-turn and started driving away from us. Two of the choppers flew over us and went in pursuit while another was landing on the open farmland right beside us. The powerful rotors flattened the grass around it. Two men jumpeddown.

“Stay inside,” I ordered as I hopped out and pointed the barrel at the approaching figures. They removed their helmets and I was almost certain they were on our side. One had striking white blond hair. The dark-haired man reminded me ofGrant.

“It’s Viktor Baran!” Val shouted over the noise of the choppers as she scrambled out of the pickup from my side. She pushed the barrel of my rifle down. “They’re the good guys, Blaire. I’ve seen him at Dad’s committeehearings.”

I pressed my lips together, stilldoubtful.

“These men are incorruptible, trust me.” She was grinning like an idiot. I had no chance to second-guess her because they were upon us. Their clear paratrooper goggles did nothing to mask the baffled look on theirfaces.

“Did you ladies just shoot your way out of there?” the dark-haired guy asked. His eyes were gleaming with awe andamusement.

“Blaire was amazing. She’s like the female version of Rambo,” Valgushed.

I squirmed under the intense scrutiny of both men. “And Val drove like amaniac.”

“Louise,” Val corrected. “I’m Louise to yourThelma.”

Uhm, did Grant’s sister just become myBFF?

The blond guy introduced himself. “I’m Viktor Baran. This is Gabriel Sullivan. We’re here to take youhome.”

45

Grant

Grant stood at the heliport.That day was a wake-up call. A day of admitting that power, position, and money couldn’t do a damn thing to ensure the safety of his woman. There were always people more powerful and loftier than he was, and those with more money than he had. That day was indeed a lesson in humility. It was people who mattered. It was his faith and trust in people of strength and integrity that would bring his woman back. As the cold wind of the Hudson River whipped his trench coat around him, the words of Viktor Baran replayed in his head. Grant had wanted in on the rescue mission, but the lead guardian was firmly againstit.

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