Page 52 of Falling Fast

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Easton burst out, shifting in his seat, his body language that of a caged lion. “Did the informant know if they’re both still alive?”

“When Baker called him ten minutes ago they were. But the truth is, we just don’t know how much time we have left to extract them. Baker could have anywhere between two and six men with him. We’re mobilizing the local response team right now.”

“If they show up and my sister and Rodriguez are still alive, Baker will kill them for sure,” Easton argued. “No way. They need to stand down and let us try first. Granger and I can move to intercept them.”

Fuckin’-A. Logan was so down with that plan. The two of them could take the cars by surprise, neutralize most of the armed guards before they realized what was happening. “If we’re going, we need to movenow, sir.” But it wasn’t his call, or even Easton’s. It was Hamilton’s. And their team leader risked a shit-ton of serious fallout for letting them off the chain if this didn’t turn out in their favor.

“All right. What do you want me to do in the meantime?” Hamilton asked. “You’re gonna need backup.”

Logan exchanged a long look with Easton. They couldn’t track Rodriguez and Charlie via the beacon anymore, but if they knew the end location, they might be able to surprise Baker and get there in time to save Charlie and Rodriguez.

If they were still alive.

“Give us the address of the site, and the name of the concrete company,” Easton said.

“Someone’s texting it to you all right now. The rest of the boys and I are heading to the airport with a few others to catch a helo up there. For right now, let’s come up with a game plan and get moving, because if they’re still alive, Rodriguez and Charlie are running out of time.”

****

Charlie threw out a leg to keep from crashing into the roof of the trunk as the car hit another bump in the road. Jamie grunted at the impact and tried to angle his body to brace her when she landed.

While she appreciated the effort, it was useless. With limited mobility, no way to talk and being in complete darkness back here, there was nothing he could do for her. By the time they arrived at wherever Baker was taking them, they’d both be battered and bruised.

The tape slapped over their mouths prevented them from speaking, and with their wrists secured behind their backs, they only had their legs for leverage. They’d been traveling for about forty minutes or so, best she could figure.

She kept alternating between a choking fear and a sense of unreality, some part of her brain refusing to accept that this was happening. She thought Jamie had attempted to kick out the tail lights a couple times, but so far it hadn’t worked.

Where was Baker taking them? Was the fact they were still alive a sign that there was still hope they might survive this? She had no idea what his plans were, but if he was bothering to transport them somewhere, then it didn’t make sense for him to just kill them once they got there.

Did it?

The vehicle slowed and made a right turn. The road was smoother here, with fewer bumps. Charlie wiggled closer to Jamie and pressed up against him. He rolled to his side and curled around her, throwing a leg over hers to anchor her. Wrapped around her like that, he nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose.

For some reason that affectionate gesture brought tears to her eyes.

Things had gone so horrifically wrong. They’d been forced to kill two of Baker’s men. Surely he was going to want revenge for that, on top of the way she and Jamie had manipulated him.

It was hard to keep her mind from spinning off to the possible forms of torture and death they were facing. She didn’t see any way out of this, didn’t know how Easton and the others would ever find them. Baker’s goons had taken Jamie’s watch off, so they had no way of tracking them. Without a doubt her brother would come after her; she just didn’t know if it would be in time.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she focused on the feel of Jamie pressed tight to her back. His warmth and strength. This was probably the last time she’d ever be with him. And if they were going to die today, she prayed it would be quick.

A man like Baker would never let it be quick. Especially not after what you did.

She swallowed, tried to stop the sudden leap of her heart. Then the car slowed again, this time turning left. And then right a few seconds later.

They had to be getting close.

Charlie pulled in a deep breath through her nose and pushed back harder into Jamie. He made a low sound of reassurance in his throat and nuzzled her again.

This time she couldn’t stop the hitch in her breath, a sob locking deep in her chest. She didn’t want to die, couldn’t bear the idea of seeing him tortured or killed in front of her. There were so many damn things she wanted to say to him—wished she’d said to him while she’d had the chance—and couldn’t now.

She also thought of her family.

Of her brothers, and her father dealing with her death, knowing she’d been murdered at the hands of a criminal she’d been trying to bring down.

Easton would never forgive himself. It would shatter him. Her poor father…this might literally kill him. He refused to admit how badly the stroke had debilitated him, did everything in his power to make the world think he was still strong and robust, but he wasn’t.

God, had it been worth it? Risking her life for this op? She doubted the transmitter had sent more than a handful of files; there just hadn’t been time. So if she died, it would be in vain.

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