Page 121 of Visions, Paws, and Claws

“They’re almost here,” she told him.

“I can’t hear them.”

Eve grinned. “Shifter hearing, babe. The fucking best.” Then headlights pierced the darkness. “Showtime.” Roadkill waved his flashlight in the air, and the truck rumbled to a halt a few feet away from them, the beams falling on Eve’s prone body.

The driver stuck his head out the window. “What’s going on? Is someone hurt?”

“We were hiking north of here,” Roadkill called out. “We got lost. We’ve been walking most of the night. Then my girlfriend took a tumble. Her leg’s hurt pretty bad.”

The passenger door opened, and a guy in overalls got out. “We’re heading to a military base not far from here. They’ll have a medic who can help, right? Is it safe to move her?”

Crank gave the signal, and Dex stepped out from his hiding place and closed in on the driver, his gun pointed at the guy’s head. “Hands off the wheel, nice ‘n’ easy. Get out of the truck. Leave the keys in the ignition.”

“You got it, you got it.” Judging by the note of panic in his voice, the driver wasn’t going to pose a threat.

Roadkill pulled his weapon on the passenger, who raised his hands in a heartbeat. “Fuck, don’t shoot. This is my first day on the job.”

Eve bounced to her feet, pulling her gun from where she’d stowed it in the waistband of her pants, and the rest of the team emerged from the bushes. They made short work of tying up the two men before placing them at the roadside.

“You can have your truck back when we’re finished with it,” Eve told them, while the team got busy unloading all the food and supplies from the back. Crank brought out her body armor,then climbed into the truck behind the wheel, wearing a denim jacket. Roadkill joined him.

Eve crouched in front of the two men. “What do you actually know about this place you’re delivering to?”

The backup driver rolled his eyes. “Fuck, lady, I don’t know shit, only what this guy told me.”

“And what was that?”

“Only that it’s some supersecret hush-hush military base, and if we talk to anyone about it, prison will be the least of our worries.” He swallowed. “Look, lady, me and the wife? We’ve just had a kid, and I need the money.”

She straightened. “When we bring the truck back, you hightail it out of here. Trust me, you won’t want to be around when the shit hits the fan. And there’s going to be an awful lot of it flying around here.”

Time to go, hon.

Eve climbed into the back of the truck with the rest of the team.

“Okay, next stop is the camp. Not a sound, guys.” She tapped her earpiece mic. “Let’s go, boys.” She clung to one of the side bars used for securing loads, her heart pounding.

First mission with this group, and Saul had given her a team to lead.

No pressure.

You’re doing great, sweetheart.

A wave of relief mingled with appreciation swept through her.Thanks, babe. Wasn’t nervous until now.

And you know once we get in there, everything will be automatic. You’ve got this.

She smiled to herself. There were definitely benefits to having mates.

I’ve got my own secret cheerleaders. My mental support buddies.

Who would always have her back.

That’s right, hon. Just think of us as your mental bra. We’ll always give you support in all the right places.

Eve groaned internally.Guys? Ireallydidn’t need that image.

“WE’RE ATthe gates,” Crank told Eve in a low voice. “Thermal imaging shows two guards. No one else nearby.” The truck’s headlights bounced off the metal barrier that barred their way, illuminating two guards armed with rifles. Crank took a moment to remove his headgear before stopping the truck and lowering the window. “Morning. Except it isn’t.”

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