Page 35 of Bond

They continued to drive slowly down the road, and I let them go past, then threw down my puncture strip for the next vehicle that hit it. They started cursing immediately as the vehicle jerked slightly before coming to a stop, the vehicle behind it in the same position after Cairo threw down his strip. We’re in the shadows just waiting for Blaze now, who doesn’t let us down, blowing up the first vehicle.

The shock wave caused windows to shatter and created absolute chaos as those in the second and third vehicles tried to reverse but got nowhere, not with the strips embedded in their tyres. Pulling a pin from a hand grenade, I threw it in the window of the second vehicle and dove for cover as that one blew up too, leaving only the third vehicle.

I can hear the rat-tat-tat of the women’s weapons as they take out whoever is still walking. Bull is in the thick of things with his preferred weapon of a knife as he picks off whoever the girls have missed. I can see Cairo fighting off someone and make my way over to give him a hand, not that he needs it.

The occupants of the third vehicle have started to shoot wildly at shadows. I pick them off one at a time until there’s only Jason left cowering in the back seat of the last vehicle. Cairo finishes off the guy he’s been fighting. Aiming my gun at Jason, I wait until everything is quiet again, the shots die down, and only the fire on the burnt-out vehicles lights up the area. When my brothers are done, we stand by the last vehicle looking at the snivelling weasel.

“Noni is staying here and calling Rogue. Roch and I are coming in,” Jill warns. “The fire on those cars you blew up needs to be put out, or your town’s going to burn down around you.”

“Shit, she’s right,” Cairo mutters, jogging away to collect the fire extinguishers we had stashed along the veranda outside each shop and bringing them back.

“Here,” he hands one to me and Blaze. I take it but look towards the snivelling toerag in the vehicle first.

“I’ve got him,” Bull assures me, going towards the vehicle and pulling Jason out, throwing him on the ground, jerking his arms behind his back, and tying him up.

Knowing my president has him in hand, I turn my attention to the burning vehicles and help Blaze and Cairo put them out. Hearing footsteps approach, we turn as one, guns in hand pointed in that direction as we wait to see who it is. My shoulders slump when a familiar female voice calls out, “Relax, guys, it’s just Roch and me.”

I’m not sure if I want Roch to see the carnage up close and personal, but from the way she hardly bats an eye at the dead bodies, I’m guessing it’s not the first time she’s seen one. My heart settles in my chest as she curls her arms around me in a hug, then starts running her hands over my body. “You’re okay,” she whispers.

“I’m fine,” I assure her. “Just a few scrapes and bruises.” Wrapping my hand around her neck, I take her lips in a hard kiss, pouring my relief that she’s okay into it. We’re broken apart by Jill’s frantic voice, “You got shot! How bad is it?”

Turning, I see Jill unstrapping Blaze from his vest and pulling it and his T-shirt off. I hiss in a breath as I see the blood on his side and the entry wound.

“I’m good, Jill,” he tries to reassure her. Jill looks at him in disbelief, her gold eyes flashing. She turns him, and I know he’s not good because there’s no exit point.

“Oh, fuck, the bullet’s still in there,” Jill whispers, pulling her phone from her pocket and trying to catch Blaze as his legs collapse under him.

“Take this fuckhead,” Bull says, thrusting a tied and gagged Jason to his knees in front of me and hurrying towards Blaze.

“That’s not good,” Rochelle says softly, then turns her attention to Jason and kicks him in the back. “You motherfucking bastard. You should have let me go; Blaze better not die.” She kicks him again, vibrating with a combination of fury and worry.

Josie runs past me towards Bull and Blaze with a medical bag. Jill is on the phone to whom I’m assuming is Jett.

“GSW to the side, no exit wound; he’s struggling to breathe. It slipped past his vest. Yes, Josie is working on him now. How soon can you get here?” she’s demanding to know. She listens to something he says, then in a softer voice says, “He can’t die, Jett.”

Blaze was so wrong about how Jill feels about him. Makes me wonder what’s holding her back.

She hands her phone to Josie, who listens to whatever Jett is saying, answering his questions. They must agree on something, but as it’s all clinical jabber, I have no idea. Josie ends the call and hands the phone back to Jill.

“Let’s get him to the clinic. I’ll stabilise him and get him on a drip. Jett is coming in with a team. Bull, can you get to the airfield and pick them up?”

I’m torn; I want to help my brothers but can’t leave Rochelle alone with Jason, even if he’s restrained.

Jill stalks over to me, anger blazing in her eyes. It’s not the first time I’ve seen anger like that in one of our women, so I know whoever it’s aimed at is in for a huge amount of hurt, “Go help them get him into the clinic. Roch and I have this piece of shit. You and Cairo will have to clean up the vehicles, but we’ll deal with the bodies. I have family coming in with Jett to give us a hand.”

Turning towards Rochelle, she pushes me gently towards Blaze, “Help your brothers, then come and help here.”

Kissing her forehead before I turn and walk towards Bull, I wonder where the hell Cairo’s disappeared to. Ignoring the muffled cries of pain from behind me as Jill loses her temper on Jason, I’m thinking he’s regretting everything he’s ever done.

Bull’s got a stretcher ready, and on three, we pick Blaze up and put him on it. My brother isn’t looking good; his face is pale, and his lips have a blue tinge to them.

“Fuck,” I mutter, picking up the poles and hustling with Bull towards the veterinary clinic. Once we have him on the table, Skinny takes over from me as Josie barks orders at him. It’s not the first time they’ve had to work together, and I know it’s best to leave them to it because we have other work to do, but it’s hard to leave a brother not knowing if it’s the last time I’ll see him.

“Come on,” Bull clasps my shoulder and pushes me towards the door, “we have work to do.”

When we get back to where the women are waiting, I see Cairo with them, and behind him is one of the tow trucks; at least now I know where he disappeared to.

On the ground in front of Jill is a bloody and beaten Jason. Jill has blood flecked on her face and her fists.

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