Page 30 of Thin Ice

The man she fought was distracted by the shooting and loosened his hold on the weapon. Abby took advantage and grabbed the weapon from him and slammed it against his temple. He fell to his knees. She slugged him again and he crumpled into an unconscious heap.

The final man, realizing he was one his own, slowly lowered his weapon to the floor and raised his hands. “Be cool. I’m unarmed.”

Snake came inside. He was the shooter and his aim was deadly accurate.

“Thanks for your help. We must restrain these two. See if you can find some rope.” Abby rushed to the man who was tied up and cut him free. “Are you James’s friend?”

He nodded vigorously. “Name’s Bowman Englewood. They arrived here about half an hour ago. Stormed the office. I didn’t see a vehicle.” He rubbed his wrists where the ropes had burned. “They tied me up and told me to keep quiet or they’d kill me.”

Abby helped him to his feet. “Are there others?”

He shook his head. “No, just the one man by the pump. At least as far as I know.”

“They’ll have radioed for backup once the chopper lands. We don’t have much time. Get their weapons and destroy their phones.” She turned to James’s friend. “You’ll have to come with us.” Abby rushed Bowman out into the night. “What happened to the man at the pump?” she asked Snake once he caught up with her.

“He’s dead. Once I told Zeke and he went back to the pump, the man had figured out we knew the truth and was going to shoot Zeke. He didn’t have a choice.”

The others caught up with them and hurried toward the chopper.

“What happened back there?” Victor asked. He and Zeke had carried the dead man out of sight.

“Legion’s people were waiting for us inside. This is James’s real friend.” She introduced Bowman. “Let’s get out of here before their backup arrives.”

Zeke didn’t waste time getting in the air. As he zeroed the chopper’s spotlight on the ground below, the road leading to the airport was crowded with vehicles moving that way. Zeke killed the light and banked hard in the opposite direction.

“I haven’t seen this much action since I left the marines,” Bowman told them all, his eyes wide and brows furrowed.

Abby smiled. “Is there anyone we need to call to let them know you’re okay?”

The man shook his head. “Naw, it’s just me since my wife passed.”

“Well, you’re not alone anymore.” Abby clasped Bowman’s hand. “Welcome to the fight.”

Bowman glanced around at the faces of the newest members of Strike Force. All in their own way had suffered because of Legion.

“Is that who I think it is?” Bowman asked when he noticed Victor talking with Snake.

Abby smiled. “Yes, it’s President Douglas.”

Bowman jerked toward her. “I never met the man before, but I voted for him, and I don’t believe for a second the lies that are being said against him.”

“I’m glad to hear that because they are just that. Lies.” Abby’s phone rang and James’s ID popped on the screen. “Excuse me for one moment,” she told Bowman.

“Oh, no problem. I’m going to have a word with our president. Let him know I support him. How often can someone like me get close enough to a president to shake his hand?” He started away.

Abby answered the call. “We’re all okay.”

“That’s good to hear. We’ve been worried sick.” The relief in James’s voice was clear. The team had become like a family and for that Abby was grateful.

She explained what happened. “Two men are dead. Two unconscious. There were more heading toward the airport when we left. So far, the cloaking system on the chopper is state-of-the-art and we’ve not run into any fighter planes, but we’ve still a long way to go.”

“At least they have no way of knowing where you’re headed. I guess that’s something.”

But Abby was worried about what they’d find once they neared the border. “Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“Yes. How’s Brookes holding up?”

Abby turned to face the man who still hadn’t regained consciousness. “Still not waking up. I’m worried about him, James. Hannah doesn’t think there’s any internal damage, but the bullet is still in there. It has to come out eventually.” She tried to clear her thoughts of negative thinking, none of which would help Brookes. “How are things there?” She needed something to take her mind off the miles they had left to go.

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