Page 110 of Shadow Undercover

“He’s unconscious and will stay that way during the flight,” Ben said. “If the medicine Trace pumped into him wears off, we’ll give him more. Trust me. Hugo Torino will never bother you again.”

“I want him to pay for what he did to me.” Her voice broke.

Trace glanced over his shoulder in time to see Bridget wrap her arms around her sister. He could guess what Hugo had done, but he’d leave that uncomfortable discussion for Doc Sorenson to handle. He’d make sure Nico told the pilot to detour to Bayside, Texas.

Ahead, Trace spotted the well-lit airfield. No flashes of light indicating his teammates were in a firefight. The entourage following Nico’s SUV had grown to four vehicles. “Got four tangos on our tail.”

“I see them.” Nico coaxed a little more speed from the vehicle. “Gas pedal is flat on the floor. Get ready to bail.”

Ben and Trace checked their weapons and grabbed more magazines from their bags, sliding them into pockets for easy access.

Five hundred feet. Four hundred. Three. At the last second, Nico swung the vehicle to the left, placing the body of the SUV between Hugo’s approaching men and the stairs leading into the jet. “Bridget, Ruth, no matter what you hear, don’t stop or turn around. Just run to safety. Ready, Ruth? Go!”

Ruth shoved open the door, scrambled from the vehicle, and sprinted for the jet with Ben at her back.

“Bridget, go.” Nico bailed from the SUV on the passenger side, and fired at the approaching vehicles.

Clutching her side, Bridget ran for the stairs with Trace on her heels. As she reached the midpoint in her flight to safety, Hugo’s thugs spilled from their SUVs and opened fire.

Trace’s heart skipped a beat. Bridget’s injury was slowing her down. He propelled her faster up the stairs, shielding her body with his own. At the top, he shoved Bridget into the cabin into the waiting arms of Ben.

He tossed his bags inside the door, crouched, and pivoted to lay down cover fire for the other operatives scattered on the tarmac, taking shelter behind SUVs. He fired again and again as one by one his teammates made a run for the stairs. The pilot powered up the engine once Sam and Joe sprinted for the stairs. Joe joined him in the doorway and resumed firing.

Jake, Remy, and Lily came next, leaving only Nico in the line of fire since Adam and Veronica were already on board the jet with Hugo. Trace and Joe kept up a constant barrage of bullets as Nico spun and raced for the stairs.

One gunman hauled a rifle to his shoulder, aiming for Shadow’s leader. “No shot,” Joe snapped.

Trace shifted position, aimed, and fired two shots. Nico took the stairs two at a time. Just as he stepped on the landing, another of Hugo’s men leaned out from behind an SUV with a rifle in his hands and took aim.

Joe yanked Nico into the cabin and out of the line of fire as Trace shifted to cover his leader. He fired twice. The bullets slammed into the man. As he fell, he had enough discipline to retain control of his rifle and fire another shot.

The bullet hit Trace, spinning him into the side of the jet. His world went black.

CHAPTER FORTY

“Sam!”

Bridget glanced at Joe and paled at the sight of him dragging Trace into the jet’s cabin. “Trace!” His face was pale, eyes closed as he sagged limply in his teammate’s arms.

Sam and Jake hurried up the aisle to take Trace’s weight from Joe who shut and secured the door.

“Go, go, go!” Nico called to the pilot. Immediately, the jet began to taxi down the runway.

Bridget turned to her sister. “Stay here.”

“Wait.” Ruth clamped her hand around Bridget’s wrist. “Where are you going?”

“To the bedroom at the back. That’s where the medics will treat Trace.” She shook off her sister’s hold.

“You’re acting like he means something to you. He’s just a mercenary.”

Bridget shook her head as the jet began to lift from the ground. “He’s more than that. Trace and I are dating. I have to go, Ruth.”

“What about Hugo?” Ruth’s gaze shifted to the unconscious monster who had held her captive. “What if he wakes up?”

“You heard what Ben said. He won’t wake up for a long time. When he does, the medics will knock him out again.”

Ben finished storing the gear bags in compartments and strode up the aisle. “Go, Bridget. I’ll stay with Ruth. If Hugo wakes, I’ll make sure he doesn’t touch her.”

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