Page 64 of Strike Fast

A strangled yell mixed with the rifle’s report. Then the rest of the enemy opened up.

Rounds peppered their position, shredding leaves and branches around them, above them. Reid cursed and spun around to dive on top of Tess, but she’d already flattened herself on the ground, making as small a target as possible, her expression strained, eyes locked on the distant trees as she aimed the pistol with her left hand.

Her bravery in the face of danger while badly injured touched him on the deepest level.

Reid dove to the ground in front of her, shielding her with his body while he settled the butt of his weapon against his shoulder and took aim. Several of his team began returning fire. A round hit the ground so close to him he heard its whine. Dirt sprayed into his face. He blinked it from his eyes and searched for a target, fired the second he locked on something moving in the underbrush.

A hidden enemy fired from the right. The rounds sprayed torn-up leaves and earth a yard from where Tess lay stretched out on her belly. She flinched and flattened her cheek against the ground, covering her head with her good arm.

Fuck.Reid swung his body around, putting himself between her and the new shooter to return fire, not even bothering to wait for a target.

Shots cracked from behind them.

One of Reid’s men cried out and fell, clutching his side.

Shit, they’ve surrounded us.

Reid swung the barrel of his rifle around to face the new threat and fired, hoping to make the shooter take cover. But how many were there? He and the others couldn’t stay here pinned down and be picked off one by one, it was suicidal.

He rolled to his side, was just reaching out to grab Tess by the back of the flight suit to haul her to her feet so they could make a run for it through the woods. Suddenly measured semi-auto fire sounded to Reid’s left. He recognized the sound of the M4s immediately.

Cavalry’s here.

The shooter now in front of Reid made a break for it. Reid tracked him, firing just as the man emerged between two trees. He fell and disappeared from view. Reid waited a few heartbeats, searching for another target.

Hamilton’s voice sounded in his ear. “Five tangos down. Moving to you from the southeast.”

“Hold your fire,” Reid commanded everyone. “Friendlies incoming from our southeast.”

Moments later, familiar figures appeared through the thick screen of leafy branches. Reid expelled a deep breath as Freeman’s dark face appeared in a gap between the trees. The point man stepped out into the open, Hamilton and the other six members of FAST Bravo right behind him. Reid pushed to his feet, still on alert.

Hamilton strode past Freeman, headed straight for him as two agents began treating the wounded one. “Any other tangos?” Hamilton asked, his gaze moving back and forth as he stared into the surrounding underbrush.

“Not sure. We hit a few, but I can’t tell how many there were in total. They’d surrounded us.”

Hamilton’s steel-gray gaze scanned the trees for a moment, then he waved the rest of the team forward. “Let’s get the injured to the vehicles.”

Reid grabbed his arm. “Wait. What’s going on at the target house? Did they find Autumn?”

“Not yet.”

Reid bit back a sigh of disappointment and frustration.

Hamilton clapped him on the shoulder once. “HRT’s still searching the place. As soon as we’re sure you guys are in the clear, we’ll head back and do our own sweep. If we find her, I’ll contact you personally.”

Reid clenched his jaw and nodded once.

“Ambulances are already waiting where you left the SUV,” Hamilton said to Reid.

“Good.” He stepped over to help Tess up, who had managed to push to her knees by herself. She was pale, her face glistening with sweat, still holding his pistol. When Reid took her left wrist, it was ice cold.Shock.God, she’d been through so damn much today.

He pulled her into a gentle hug, careful of her right arm. “Okay, sweetheart. Let’s get you the hell out of here.” He grasped her left wrist.

“Autumn,” she said, her fingers trembling slightly in his. “Is she there?”

“Don’t know.” It was tearing him apart to not be in there searching for her right now. But there was no way he was leaving Tess to make the remainder of this hike alone in her condition. “Let’s get moving, huh?”

Tess managed a nod and leaned into him while he steadied her with an arm around her waist.

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