Page 50 of Tag
Perched on a rock outcrop above us, rifle braced, the muzzle already tracking me.
I didn’t think—I just moved. But in that split second, I knew I wasn’t going to make it out of her sights.
Tag did.
He lunged, shoving me hard enough that my back slammed into the canyon wall. His shoulder took the hit meant for my head—a sharp, wet impact that knocked him sideways.
“Tag!”
He hit the ground with a grunt, one hand pressed to the dark stain spreading across his shirt. “Stay… down…”
The air went razor-sharp. Every instinct in me screamed to go for Sable, but her position was too good. She’d have me before I made it halfway.
Instead, I crawled to Tag, dragging him into the narrow shadow of the wall as bullets kicked up dirt around us. His breath came short, but his eyes stayed locked on mine.
“You okay?” I whispered.
He gave a half-smile that looked more like a grimace. “Takes… more than her…”
Something shifted in the dust above—Sable pulling back, vanishing behind the rock. Not retreating.
Repositioning.
Faron’s voice cut in. “We’ve got thirty seconds before they close the gap. We need an exit, now!”
I tightened my grip on Tag’s arm. “Can you run?”
His gaze flicked to the rifle still in his hands. “I can fight.”
40
Tag
Pain burned hot in my shoulder, every movement sending white sparks across my vision. But pain meant I was still breathing. And if I were breathing, I could fight.
Aponi crouched low beside me, her gun steady, her eyes scanning for openings. Faron was thirty yards ahead, firing in controlled bursts to keep the bastards pinned.
“On my go,” I rasped. “We push right, use the wall for cover. Keep moving. Don’t stop.”
Aponi’s mouth was a tight line, but she nodded.
I gritted my teeth and rose with her, rifle up. Faron laid down another volley, and we broke—boots pounding, bullets chewing the air around us.
The canyon funneled us into a narrow bend. Bad ground. Too many blind angles. I knew it, Faron knew it—hell, even Aponi knew it. But the only way out was through.
We hit the turn at full speed—
And Sable was there.
She came out of the shadows like a blade, slamming into Aponi so hard they hit the dirt in a tangle of limbs. Apon’s gun skittered away, clattering against the rock.
“Aponi!” I roared, swinging the rifle up—
Too late.
Sable had her pinned, one knee crushing her chest, pistol aimed square at her face.
“You’ve got two seconds to tell me where it is,” Sable hissed, eyes wild but voice ice-cold. “Or I paint this canyon with your blood.”
