Page 51 of SEAL the Deal

Rick’s adrenaline was firing, his heart pounding as he sprinted through the marijuana plants in the direction of the ambush. He’d heard a single gunshot and then nothing, a sure sign that Jenny was in trouble.

As he reached the edge of the plantation another shot rang out followed by a second and a third. He skidded to a halt and exhaled. That was the signal he’d given her. The ambush had been a success. Now, he could focus on rescuing the team.

He made his way back through the plantation, searching for his backpack. Locating it he rummaged inside and removed a gas stove and spare canister. Placing the burner under a plant he lit it and sat the canister on top.

Leaving the bag he continued through the plantation with the lever action rifle in one hand and the shotgun in the other. He had Jenny’s Glock stuffed into the back of his shorts.

Reaching the edge of the marijuana plants he slid to his stomach and crawled forward till he could see the cabin.

He was on the opposite side to the cage that held his friends. Between them were the porch and two ATVs. An overweight figure sat in a rocking chair with a shotgun across his knees watching the cage. Rick lined him up with the rifle.

A second figure appeared from the cabin. This guy was tall with a Stetson, cowboy boots and a pistol belt. He stormed across to the cage and aimed his pistol at the group of captives. Rick assumed that this was Carter, the guy in charge.

“I know you’re out there,” he bellowed. “Show yourself or I’m going to start killing your buddies.”

Rick didn’t have a shot from where he was lying and if he did and missed it could hit the others. What’s more he didn’t have much faith in the old lever action’s accuracy.

“I’m not messing around. You’ve got five seconds before I shoot this old bastard in the face,” bellowed the man.

Rick contemplated calling his bluff. However, something told him that Carter had the will to kill TJ.

“Four.”

He dropped the rifle and stood.

“Three.”

He walked slowly toward the cabin.

“Two.”

The fat bastard on the porch nearly fell out of his chair. “He’s here! Carter, he’s here!” he said as he stood and aimed his shotgun.

Carter turned as Rick stopped alongside the ATVs. “Travis, you got him covered?” he asked.

“Yeah, he as much as smiles and I’ll blow his head off.”

Carter holstered his pistol and took a pair of handcuffs from his belt. “Where are the woman and the dog?” He tossed them onto the ground in front of Rick.

“I don’t know.”

“Sure you don’t. Put the damn cuffs on.”

As Rick bent down to retrieve the handcuffs there was a loud explosion in the plantation; the gas canister. He dropped to one knee, snatched the Glock from the back of his shorts and aimed it at Carter.

A shotgun boomed from the porch. He barely registered the sting in his buttocks as pellets ripped into his flesh.

Carter dove for cover as Rick fired rapidly. His shots struck a pile of drums where he had disappeared.

Movement near the cage caught his eye and he spotted Jenny emerging from the marijuana her shotgun held ready, Axe by her side.

The report of a gun reminded him that Travis, the fat bastard, was still on the porch. He popped up over the ATV and snapped off a shot hitting him in the torso. The morbidly obese redneck didn’t flinch and racked his shotgun. “I’m a gonna kill you.”

Rick heard a pistol shot and felt the bullet crease his shoulder as he fired another round into Travis. He spun and saw Carter running toward one of the other ATVs. Jenny’s shotgun boomed and buckshot impacted the ground around the man as he leaped into the vehicle. Rick tried to raise the Glock but his arm was unresponsive.

Jenny fired again and pellets sprayed the ATV as it started and took off with a roar. Axe sprinted after it, barking frantically.

Rick checked to see that Travis was down as he climbed into the remaining buggy.

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