Page 46 of Not This Soon

She turned to Ethan, a plan forming in her mind. A dangerous plan, but the only one they had. The men were moving their cargo towards the gleaming ATV sitting in the back of the barn. The clock was ticking.

"On my signal," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her own heart. "We move."

Rachel's eyes narrowed as she watched the men move towards the ATV. Their movements were hurried, urgent. They were going to make a run for it.

She raised her gun, the weight familiar and reassuring in her hands. "Texas Rangers! On the ground, now!"

The men froze, caught off guard by her sudden appearance. For a split second, no one moved.

Then all hell broke loose.

One of the men reached for his waistband, pulling out a small Uzi. The barrel flashed as he opened fire, the sound deafening in the enclosed space of the barn.

Rachel and Ethan dove for cover, bullets whizzing past their heads. Wood splintered and split as the rounds tore through the old barn walls.

"We need to take them down!" Rachel yelled over the din of gunfire. She popped up from behind a bale of hay, firing off a few shots to keep the attackers pinned.

Ethan nodded, his face grim. He knew the stakes, knew what failure meant. "I'll flank left, try to get a clear shot."

Rachel gritted her teeth, her focus laser-sharp.

She peered around the edge of her cover, trying to get a bead on the shooters. They were good, professional. They knew how to use their weapons, knew how to make every shot count.

But Rachel was better.

She took a deep breath, letting instinct take over. Time seemed to slow, each heartbeat stretching into an eternity. She could see the shooters clearly now, could anticipate their every move.

With a burst of speed, she broke from cover, firing as she moved. Her shots were precise, controlled. Each one finds its mark with deadly accuracy.

The Uzi fell silent, the man holding it crumpling to the ground. His partner let out a shout of rage and fear, turning to run.

The remaining man hesitated, his gaze darting between Rachel and Ethan. For a moment, it seemed like he might surrender, might give up this futile fight.

But desperation breeds recklessness, and with a snarl of defiance, he lunged for the ATV, intent on making his escape.

Rachel saw the move coming, saw the determination in his eyes. She couldn't let him reach that vehicle, couldn't let him get away.

With a burst of speed, she closed the distance, tackling him to the ground in a tangle of limbs. They grappled for a moment, each trying to gain the upper hand.

But Rachel was relentless, her grip unbreakable. She wrenched the man's arm behind his back, feeling the pop of his shoulder dislocating.

He screamed in pain, his struggles growing weaker. Rachel didn't let up, didn't give him an inch.

But the man must’ve been on something. It was as if he didn’t feel the pain. He ripped away from her, allowing his arm tosnap.He cried out but stumbled towards the ATV. The keys were already in the ignition. He slammed the gas, surging forward.

"Ethan!" she called out, her voice strained with effort. "The ATV!"

Ethan didn't hesitate. He took aim, his shots ringing out like thunderclaps in the confined space of the barn.

The ATV's tires exploded, the vehicle flipping onto its side with a shriek of tortured metal. The second man, now pinned beneath it, let out a howl of pain and fear.

Ethan sprinted forward, dragging their suspect out from under the ATV. The first man, who had shot at them with the Uzi, lay motionless on the ground.

The crackle of Rachel's radio shattered the momentary stillness. She reached for it with one hand, the other holsteringher weapon and reaching for cuffs as she extended them towards Ethan.

"Blackwood," she answered, her tone clipped. “EMTs needed. Shots fired. Two suspects injured.”

“Confirmed,” came the dispatcher’s voice. “Units en route.” The dispatcher's voice was tinged with urgency.

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