Page 101 of Mountain Refuge

Stars swam in front of her eyes. Another punch and she tasted blood.

She scrambled back, her breath coming in gasps. She spit, then smiled and wiggled her fingers for him to come. When he stepped close, she threw a roundhouse kick to his head.

He staggered back. “Good one.” With a roar, he charged, again lifting her off her feet and slamming her into the next bale of hay. She slid to the floor like a rag doll.

“What’s the purpose of this?” She managed to say past her split lip. “Why not kill me?”

He jerked his head to a corner. “The Boss enjoys watching. Say cheese, you’re being filmed.”

Taya glared at the camera high in the corner and vowed she wouldn’t fight anymore. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her knocked around, fighting vainly for her life until this brute finished her off. She closed her eyes and waited for the next punch.

~

“Got it!” Snowe jumped to his feet. “The last ding on the phone came from these woods.” He tapped the screen. “No buildings, but it’s a start. If we send a chopper into the air, we’re bound to find them. This man has too many men to hide effectively from anyone searching from the air.”

“I’m going with you.” Ryan tucked his handgun into the waistband of his jeans. Although he’d never shot anyone before, he figured he could if he had Mason in his sights. “What if we spot them?”

“We find a place to land out of sight, then storm the place. Backup will be waiting.” Agent Larson opened the front door. “The dogs have to stay behind.”

“Sorry, guys. A helicopter is no place for dogs.” Ryan patted both their heads, praying he’d see his furry friends again.Hold on, Taya. We’re coming.

Sheriff Westbrook clapped Ryan on the shoulder. “You sure you’re up to this? Things could get ugly.”

“I can do this for Taya and Tracy.” He squared his shoulders.

“This isn’t a scene in a book, Ryan.”

“I’m aware of that. You can’t keep me from going.”

“Sure, I can.” The sheriff met his gaze for a moment, then shrugged. “I’d do the same thing under the circumstances. You follow my orders, got it?”

Ryan nodded as relief flooded through him. “Absolutely.”

“Right.” He turned and followed the agents.

An hour later, far too long in Ryan’s opinion, they were finally in the air. So much could’ve happened in the time since Taya and Tracy were taken. His mind spun with scenarios, and none of them were good. This was not a good time to be a suspense writer.

The pilot took them directly to the last spot the phone dinged then flew in increasing circles with each pass. The fifth pass took them over a large farm buzzing with men and several vehicles.

“We found them.” Agent Larson waved his hand. “Fly to a safe place to land. We don’t want them fleeing before we can get to them. Contact our backup and tell them where to meet us.”

Ryan wiped sweaty palms on his jeans. This was it. Please, God, let them reach the farm in time to save Taya and Tracy.

The pilot landed in a field approximately two miles from the farm. “We hoof it from here,” Snowe said. “Make it quick. Rogers and his men have been warned. They won’t have missed the chopper.”

This all took too long. Too long to locate the phone. Too long to get in the air. Too long to hike to the farm. Despair welled in Ryan. He felt completely inadequate for the task ahead of him and could only pray the sheriff and the agents would be enough.

They trekked single file through the thick brush, following the railroad tracks for ease of movement. No one spoke. Tension rolled off them like waves of humidity shimmering in the air.

Sheriff Westbrook tossed Ryan a bottle of water.

He guzzled half of it before stuffing it in the pack he’d been given when they’d exited the helicopter. A pack full of guns and ammo. A pack ready for a war he was ill-equipped for. What he could do was be there for Taya once she was rescued. He forced himself to remain positive that she and Tracy were still alive.

Larson held up a hand for them to halt.

Sounds of movement came from the other side of a stand of trees. It seemed as if the ring of traffickers was packing up to leave. Maybe the agents had caught them before they could prepare to stand and fight.

“Target spotted.” Snowe stepped back from his viewing place. “Rogers has headed for the barn. There’s a back door. We’ll go in that way once the coast is clear.”

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