Page 100 of Mountain Refuge

“I’m afraid all agreements are off.” A stony-faced Mason sat in his desk chair. He tossed what remained of her cell phone on the desk. “One of my men found this on the driveway. Of course, it’s shattered. He took the sim card into the woods and disposed of it.”

Her heart dropped.

“I’m wondering, though, whether the feds had time to track your location before we found the phone. It hadn’t been long after your arrival.”

“They’d be here by now if they’d tracked it.”

He nodded. “I did consider that.” He stared without speaking for several seconds before continuing. “It wounds be deeply that you’d forfeit what we could have for a few kids you don’t even know.”

“What you’re doing is wrong.”

“Is it? It’s simply a form of slavery, Taya. Something that has been happening since the days of the pharaohs. Why should I not profit from it?” He tapped what was left of her phone. “No, I don’t think anything short of violence will convince you to join me. Even that might not work.”

She frowned. “Violence never solves anything.”

“Spoken by one of the sharpest shooters the special ops group ever had.” He laughed. “Your job was violence.”

“For the greater good.” She hadn’t spared a second thought for taking down evil. Now, she sat across from a man every bit as bad as the ones she’d either killed or handed over to law enforcement. “Violence or drugs won’t work on me. I’m trained against it, Mason.”

“But, it’ll be fun to try.” He grinned. “Something for me to look back on when I need a boost.” He yelled for someone named Bill to enter. “Take her to the barn. You know what to do. Come get me when it’s done. In the meantime, the others will prepare to move. Again.” He shot her a harsh look as Bill yanked her to her feet.

“I love the barn.” Bill’s grip on her arm tightened.

“Good for you. Glad I can accommodate.”

“I’ll enjoy knocking that smart mouth around.”

“Ah. So, you’re his muscle.” Dear God, the man was a mountain. All Taya needed to do was stay alive until help arrived, which might be harder than she thought.

They passed several outbuildings. Which one held Tracy and the girls? Maybe they were in the house. She stifled a sigh and glanced toward the road. Where was her help?

Once in the barn, Bill gave her a shove that almost brought her to her knees. She managed to stay on her feet and turned. “Will you undo my hands so I have a fighting chance, or are you afraid I might beat you?”

He laughed. “A tiny thing like you? Sure. I’ll release you. It’ll be more fun than beating up someone who can’t defend themselves, and The Boss didn’t say I had to keep you tied up.”

The instant her hands were free, she jumped back. Every instinct told her to run. Her brain told her she’d never make it before he caught her. Fighting her way free was her only chance and a poor one at that. She’d need every bit of training she possessed.

Taya didn’t see his fist coming. A sharp right hook knocked her back two steps. A well-aimed kick sent her to her knees. With a primal yell, she charged, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He picked her up and tossed her like a sack of grain.

She hit the wall with a heavy thud. The breath escaped her in a rush.

“This is fun.” He aimed another punch.

She ducked, whirling as his fist connected with the wall.

He cursed and spun to face her. “You might be fast, little girl, but I’m stronger.”

Staying out of his reach was her only chance. As she danced on the balls of her feet, she glanced around for a weapon. A shovel sat propped in a corner. A sledgehammer hung from a hook. A pitchfork stuck out of a bale of hay. Plenty of weapons and all too far for her to reach. Still, she had to try.

She dove for the closest. The pitchfork.

“Nice try.” Bill tackled her to the ground.

Her head hit the hard-packed dirt floor. She wrapped her legs around him and squeezed.

Grunting, he rolled and threw a punch, catching her in the side of her head.

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