Page 15 of A Gathering Storm

Her pulse boomed in her ears as Pamphili stopped with the knife suspended over Brookes’s throat. He pivoted toward the windows. “Someone is coming.” He stepped back, appearing torn between following through with his threat and getting away from the approaching vehicles. “Who is out there?” Pamphili closed the space between himself and Abby, his gaze burning into hers.

She forced a smile on her lips. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

The multiple vehicles were gaining on their location. Pamphili pinned her with his gaze for a second longer before he ordered, “Bring them with us.”

He headed out the door and out of Abby’s line of sight.

Brookes was dragged out in front of her while one of the men cut her restraints. “Let’s go.” He snatched her up and forced her along with him.

The surroundings passed by in a blur. A door slapped the wall as they stepped out into the freezing night and headed for a plane, its engines running. If they were taken on board, they’d both be dead.

“They’re almost here.” One of the men dragging Brookes said, his tone worried.

Pamphili turned toward the man. From the lights of the airport, the anger was clear on his face. “Stop them. Do your job.”

Several men fell away and ran toward the vehicles that had now stopped. Armed men were getting out.

They were almost to the stairs Pamphili was already climbing. Her frantic brain searched through their limited options. She had to act now.

Abby jerked her arm free and slugged the man before he had time to react. His head shot sideways. When he faced her again, fury etched his face as he lunged for her. She squared off and prepared for a hand to hand fight with a man that had a good fifty pounds on her.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Brookes heaved his foot into one of the men’s shin. The man immediately released Brookes and grabbed his leg. Brookes’s full weight took the second man down. The man holding his leg hopped around. Brookes managed to straddle the second man and strike him several times while Abby did a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin, landing her foot against her attacker’s throat. The man grabbed it unable to speak. She’d broken his windpipe.

Pamphili disappeared into the plane followed by several of his men. The stairs lifted and the door closed. The pilot prepared for takeoff.

The remaining men realized Pamphili was deserting them, and they raced for a couple of waiting vehicles.

The men who had gone to engage their extraction team were quickly realizing they were outmanned. They fired on their attackers while running toward the moving vehicles.

Men she didn’t recognize raced toward them.

“Abby Temple?” One asked.

She nodded before rushing to Brookes’s side. “Yes, I’m Abby. You’re the team Cole Hernandez spoke of?”

The man watched the plane take flight. “That’s right. I’mSebastian Hofstetter. My men and I are here to take you to Idaho.”

Brookes slowly sat up with a grin. “That’s a copy, and the sooner we get out of here, the better.”

“Can you walk, sir?” Sebastian asked, his eyes on the blood on Brookes’s clothes.

“I can. Just a bit slow.” He struggled to stand. Sebastian and his men fell into step beside them.

“Who was on the plane?” Sebastian asked as the plane gained speed over them.

Abby still couldn’t believe what she’d witnessed. “Daniel Pamphili.” She explained about the man whom she believed was nothing but a puppet for Kirkpatrick until now. “That’s one scary man, and I think he has his own agenda. He’s using Kirkpatrick to get into a position of power.”

They reached one of the multiple vehicles. She and Brookes climbed inside. Within seconds they were on their way.

The relief she experienced at being rescued was short-lived when she thought about her fallen teammates. “How is the president and the First Lady and Kevin?”

Sebastian was seated in the passenger seat beside the driver. “Their chopper went down, but they are all alive. Our people rescued them a little while ago. The First Lady is in critical condition. My men are taking them to a doctor we worked with in combat. If anyone can help her, Liam can.”

Abby gave into the exhaustion and settled back into her seat. She thought about the dangerous trip they’d endured so far. “So what now?”

Flying was far too dangerous. But it would take valuable time to reach the new headquarters by vehicle.

“We won’t have a choice. We’ll drive straight there. My team has extra fuel cans with us. The sooner we get you and your friend to the safe location, the better,” Sebastian answered.

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