Page 86 of Darling Wildfire
“Preacher, see if you can get that jeep working. Nyx, stay here and cover Atlas—take out that other sniper. I’m going for the target.”
“Copy.”
Atlas fired. “Sniper down.”
“Go!”
Preacher and I took off across the small open area, weaving until we hit a low stone wall and vaulted over it.
“Laying cover fire,” Nyx said.
The gunfire started up and Preacher and I took off again. I left Preacher at the jeep and ran around the side of the barn. I peeked through one of the loose slats and sure enough, there was the cage in the center of the straw covered ground. I saw a team entering from the back doors. They spread out, three took stances facing the front doors while two flanked the leader who headed for the cage. I tossed a smoke bomb through the open window above me and ran towards the back. I edged inside and quickly took out the first man I came upon.
“Gettin’ a little hot out here,” Nyx said. I could hear the gunfire over his comms and then a grenade went off.
“Get down here,” I whispered.
A man rounded the hay bale, and I grabbed his wrist, quickly shot him in the face and crept through the smoke to another hiding spot.
“Jeep might work,” Preacher said. “Everything looks good, electrical works, want me to start it up?”
“Not yet—” A body collided with me and I went down.
We rolled through the hay across the floor as the smoke dissipated. My AR tangled under me and the man’s gun slammed into my face as he gained the upper hand. Through the blood, I shoved my body up and rolled, grabbing for his gun. He pulled the trigger and my ears rang as the bullet just missed my head. I ejected the clip and slammed his elbow in the wrong direction making him grunt in pain and loosen his hold on the gun. I pressed it to his head and pulled the trigger, killing him with the remaining bullet.
The smoke was nearly all the way gone, and I saw Nyx and Preacher join the fight near the door. I rushed up to the cage. Inside was a naked woman like before, except this one had somehow removed her cuffs and was working on picking the lock with a piece of metal. She saw me approach and tried to speed up her efforts.
“Back up,” I barked.
I raised my gun to the lock. After hesitating briefly she did as I asked and I shot the lock off.
“Are you going to walk nicely out of here or do I have to carry you?” I asked.
She pushed dark red hair out of her face and glared at me.
“I’ll walk.”
“Target acquired!” I called. “Preacher—”
“On it!” He called, running out to the jeep.
“Get to the jeep!” I shouted.
I felt more than saw movement behind me and shoved the woman at Nyx just in time to turn around and dodge a knife to my neck. I used the man’s momentum to send him into a wood post, stunning him. I turned towards the doors again just in time to see the woman push Nyx away from her, putting him into enemy fire. I watched a bullet hit his neck, and he went down.
“Atlas—get her to the jeep!” I barked.
I reached Nyx who had a hand on his neck and a wild look in his eyes.
“Is it bad?” He asked.
“Can’t be if you’re still here,” I panted.
I yanked him to his feet and together we ran out the front doors. I threw him into the front of the jeep and replaced my hand on his neck with his ownjust as the engine turned over.
“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Atlas shouted.
He was shooting at the advancing team who was sprinting towards us. A grenade landed near the jeep just as Preacher kicked up a cloud of dirt as he peeled out of the barnyard. I joined Atlas in the back, laying cover fire as Preacher sped down a dirt track towards the open field.
