Page 44 of Raven's Nest
She motioned to the path as she changed her mag, then laid down another fifteen shots, keeping the forces at bay while Zain followed her down the trail. She stayed slightly ahead, jumping over bramble and ducking under branches. Looking like a freaking gazelle as she raced amidst the misty trees.
They’d reached the far north section when his teammates materialized out of the dark. Moving inperfect sync. Rifles notched in their shoulders. Looking like wraiths as they swept through the underbrush, fog swirling around their legs, smoke curling off the muzzles as they fired a few controlled bursts at whoever was still standing.
They stopped moving once Zain and Saylor darted past, covering their six as they waited, the lingering echo of gunfire still playing in the trees.
Chase moved in beside them, giving them both a once-over. “Anyone hit?”
Saylor shook her head, turning to Zain. “Zain took all the chances.”
Zain waved it off, still focused on the tree line. “I’m good. I could use a damn rifle, though.”
“Thankfully, Foster grabbed extra before meeting up with Chase.” Kash slipped a second rifle off his shoulder. “I thought you’d be feeling a bit naked. Any idea what tipped them off? Because I know it wasn’t you.”
Zain shook his head. “One of them got a call. The next thing I know, they’re unloading everything they’ve got. As if they somehow saw…”
He cursed, that hum echoing through the trees. He raised the rifle, then searched the trees, looking for some kind of heat signature when one stopped next to a large branch, hovering behind a thick covering of pine needles. It rotated, then zipped off, darting through a collection of stabbing branches. He adjusted the scope, followed the path, aiming in front before releasing his breath — firing.
The shot hit the drone dead center, spinning itcounter-clockwise a few times before it crashed into the ground, a dull thud scattering a few birds from a nearby tree. Shouts rose in the distance, the growl of an engine carrying through to him.
Zain gauged the direction, then took off. “Kash!”
He didn’t wait to see if his buddy followed, just focused on catching whatever truck the bastards had piled into. That engine noise growing louder before slowly starting to fade. Zain lowered his head, pumping his arms to get a bit more speed as he hit an open section of trail and really picked it up.
Kash caught him as they neared the fence line, Nyx pulling on the leash wrapped around Kash’s waist giving his buddy a bit of an added boost. They reached a hole in the wire just as taillights bounced down a rutted two track, the headlights cutting a swath through the darkness.
Kash stopped just long enough to pull a camera out of his pocket and snap it onto Nyx’s harness. “Go.”
The dog took off, nothing but a streak of brown amidst the black. Eating up the distance as if the truck wasn’t even moving. Kash waited until she’d damn near latched onto the bumper before calling her back. Nyx slid to a halt, staring at the truck as if she intended to ignore Kash’s command before turning and hauling ass back to them. She dropped into a sit at Kash’s feet, tongue lolling out. Looking more than a bit victorious.
Kash gave her a scratch. “Good, girl. But don’t think I didn’t see that hesitation.”
Nyx whined and turned her head.
Zain chuckled. “I dare say you hurt her feelings.”
“Talk about a diva.” Kash retrieved the camera. “With any luck, she might have captured the license plate. Or at least a make and model. Maybe a guess at the color.”
“Beats nothing.” He clapped Kash on the shoulder. “Thanks. I owe you guys. I should have insisted on some damn rifles from the start.”
Kash blew out a rough breath as he turned and started back. “Too many ways that could have turned ugly. Besides, it seems everyone came out of it unscathed.”
“For now. Doesn’t bode well for next time, though.”
Kash merely nodded as they jogged back, calling out before they got within range.
Foster met them at the tree line, ushering them over, his damn head on a swivel. “We swept the west side. Either they took any dead with them, or you only winged them.”
Zain sighed. “Hard to question corpses.”
“Either way, there’s nothing but some blood. Maybe some casings, but we’ll have to wait until morning to search for those. Chase took a few swabs, but even if the samples haven’t been degraded by the rain and the mud, I get the feeling those assholes aren’t in any database Greer has access to.”
“None you’d want showing up at your doorstep.” Jordan had that drone at her feet as she picked through some of the wreckage. “Zain? We’ve got a serious problem.”
Ice sluiced through his veins as he grabbed Saylor’shand, joined Jordan beneath a massive pine. “That sounds ominous, coming from you.”
Jordan sighed, turning a few pieces over before picking up a large chunk of the frame. “I’ll admit. I’m not an expert on drones. My job required a more personal touch. But I know Black Ops hardware when I see it. And this thing…” She whistled. “It’s about as advanced as it gets. We’re talking IR, thermal, limited x-ray with sound and recording capabilities. What looks like some kind of deployment circuitry. If this isn’t CIA or DoJ issued, I’ll French kiss Nyx.”
Chase nudged her. “Be careful what you say. I think that’s Kash’s secret fantasy.”
