Page 68 of Reclaimed (Hostage Rescue Team)

And he spotted someone struggling to his feet, then take a lurching step forward before falling.

Adam recognized him instantly, and knew what had happened.

Shit.“Colebrook’s hit,” he announced to the others. He wasn’t stopping though, not until he had Summer safely aboard the helo. Two of Colebrook’s guys were already racing toward him as Adam ran for the first Blackhawk.

“I got him.” Bauer veered away and pounded toward the injured sniper.

He grabbed Colebrook, tossed him over his shoulders and ran with Adam the rest of the way to the waiting helo. Cruz had the other surviving hostage with him, one hand clamped around the guy’s upper arm. Vance carried the third hostage’s remains in a body bag.

Cruz and the surviving male hostage got there first. The instant the man was safely inside the helo, Cruzie turned around and leveled the barrel of his weapon at the approaching enemy force. Vance reached it next, climbing inside to unload his burden and then popped back out to add more firepower to Cruzie’s efforts.

Adam was breathing hard by the time he got Summer to the Blackhawk’s open door. He set a hand on the deck and jumped inside, carrying her as far toward the tail as possible before setting her down and crouching next to her. She’d taken off the scarf. He took her face between his hands, anxiously scanned it. Her skin was smudged with soot and her eyes had that glassy look that told him she was well on her way to going into shock, but he couldn’t see any visible injuries.

“You all right?” he asked. “You hurt anywhere?”

She shook her head almost mechanically and wrapped her arms around herself. “No.”

Satisfied that she was mostly okay physically, Adam pulled her to his chest and slid his arms around her back to warm her. Outside he could hear the sound of gunfire over the noise of the engines, the pitch telling him it was his teammates.

One of the Jordanian crewmembers handed him a blanket. He wrapped Summer in it and looked back over his shoulder just in time to see Bauer lever Colebrook inside. The sniper’s expression was tight with pain, one hand pressed to the outside of his left thigh where blood soaked through his pants.

Bauer looked at Adam. “More of those bastards are closing in,” he said grimly. “I need to get back out there. You got him?” he shouted over all the noise.

He nodded. “Got him.” Releasing Summer for the moment, he reached across and helped drag Colebrook away from the open door, providing him with at least the protection of the helo’s body. Not much, but better than nothing.

“I’m okay,” Colebrook insisted, face pale and chalky as he waved Adam off with one hand and pressed a dressing to his wounded leg with the other. “Go clear those assholes off that ridge.”

With pleasure.He would do whatever it took to make sure he got Summer out of here safely.

Adam ripped a pouch on his tactical vest open and came up with a fresh pressure dressing for him, then looked back at Summer. Her face was pasty white, her freckles standing out in sharp relief and her eyes were glassy as she stared back at him.

He wanted to stay right here and hold her until this was all over but he couldn’t and it made him crazy. But God, he couldn’t leave her without giving her some sort of assurance and comfort.

He slid a hand around the back of her neck, leaned in so she’d hear him clearly over the noise. “Everything’s gonna be okay, doll, but I’ve gotta go help the guys secure the LZ. Stay right here and keep warm. I’m gonna get Schroder in here, then I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He paused, made sure she was focused on him, that she was registering every word. “I love you.”

Her eyes widened with a fear that threatened to break his heart in two and she grabbed hold of his wrist, her mouth opening as if she would argue. But he didn’t have time because his team needed him and the only way they were getting out of here was if they secured the LZ.

Hating to leave but having no choice, he pulled free and turned for the open door. Weapon to his shoulder, he hopped out of the helo.

Cruzie was on one knee close to the helo’s tail and Vance had moved forward a dozen yards or so toward the ridge. Tuck and Evers were both on one knee close to him. Adam scanned around for Schroder, found the team medic off to the left with Bauer.

Not wanting to distract anyone with chatter over the comms at a time like this, Adam raced for him. His teammates fired controlled bursts at the enemy fighters as the sniper team withdrew and raced up the hill for the LZ.

Adam kept his head down, ran at a crouch over to Schroder and set a hand on the former PJ’s shoulder. “Colebrook’s on board the helo. You need to look at him and then Summer.” He had to keep her and everyone safe, help clear these bastards away until the team was in the air.

Schroder nodded once, his gaze glued to the fighters converging on them from the distant ridge. “Cover me.”

Adam released his shoulder and dropped to one knee. “You know it. Go.” As soon as Schroder took off, Adam moved into his spot.

“One o’clock,” Bauer told him. “Any second now.”

Staring through his sight, Adam homed in on that spot and waited. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the first of the reserve enemy force came swarming over the crest of the ridge like ants. Two dozen of them at least, their bodies partially obscured by all the sand and grit flying through the air.

Tuck’s voice came through his earpiece, calm and steady. “Maintain suppressive fire and get ready to fall back on my command.”

Adam fired at one guy in the lead, hit him in the lower chest. The next he hit in the shoulder, but the guy went down and rolled around on the ground so he focused on the next target.

He could hear rounds whizzing past every so often, but they were high, over his and Bauer’s heads. His heart was beating fast but his hands were steady on his weapon as he engaged target after target.

---