Page 98 of In The Trenches (Owens Protective Services)

“Then let me do my fucking job!” I shouted as we finally reached the four lane road and I hit the brake, spinning the wheel as I pulled my gun and pointed out the window at the truck headed right for us. He hit the brakes, and swerved to avoid crashing into us. His truck went right off the side of the cliff as I hit the gas again and swerved over to the side of the road, throwing the truck into park as I jumped out and fired at the next truck coming around the corner, taking out the driver’s side window. His head slammed forward into the steering wheel as he swerved right into the mountain side.

I ran around the back of the vehicle, staying low as I approached the passenger side. As I lifted my head, the passenger fired out his window, shattering the glass. I quickly ducked, then threw my elbow inside, hitting him in the head and knocking him out slightly. Grabbing him by the jacket, I hauled him through the window, tossing him to the ground before I put a bullet in his head.

A scream tore through the night and I raced around the SUV, aiming at the man who had Beth by the neck, pulling her out of the truck. “Let her go!” I shouted.

“Put your gun down,” he shouted, his gun aimed right at her head. He was dragging her toward the edge of the cliff. He had no intention of letting her go, but my alternative was for him to shoot her in the head right in front of me. I raised my hands, slowly lowering my gun to the ground. He was close to the edge now.

“Don’t do it,” I warned him. “You can walk away right now. You have no backup.”

“I have a job to do.”

I didn’t look at Beth as I tried to calm him the fuck down. Still bent over, I slowly stood. “Aren’t you wondering why they’re after her? She’s a nobody. She knows nothing.”

“Doesn’t fucking matter,” he growled, still dragging her closer to the edge.

I could hear Beth whimpering. I knew she was terrified, but I couldn’t think about that right now. As soon as he took his eyes off me to look over the edge, I grabbed my backup from the small of my back and fired two shots, one in his shoulder and one in his head. He dropped the gun and fell backward, but as he did, his feet tangled with Beth’s and she started to fall.

I raced forward, as she held out her hand. It all happened in slow motion as she slipped off the edge of the mountain and disappeared right in front of me.

“Beth!” I called off, laying on my belly to search for her.

“I’m here!” she called out, dangling ten feet below me, barely hanging onto the rock ledge. Luckily, the mountain was sloped, not a straight drop-off, so she was almost laying across the mountainside.

“Hang on! Don’t move!”

I studied the terrain of the side of the mountain. There were some good places for footholds, but I needed to get down there fast. With her arm still in the sling, she was barely holding on. There was no time to run back to my truck for supplies.

“I’m coming down. Don’t move unless I tell you to.”

I half-expected a witty retort out of her, but instead, she kept her mouth shut and squeezed her eyes closed.

“Beth, keep watching me,” I commanded, waiting for her to open her eyes. “You keep your eyes on me. Focus on what you’re doing.”

She gave a curt nod and tightened her grip on the rock. I started climbing down, aware that if I made even one wrong move, we were both dead. When I was right beside her, I slowly turned and faced the vast hole in front of us. Sweat dripped from me as I released my handhold and undid my belt ever so slowly.

Leaning over, I very carefully wrapped the belt around her good wrist, tying it in a knot that I knew wouldn’t hold up, but might buy me a few seconds if she slipped. Then I wrapped the belt in my hand and nodded to her.

“Okay, we’re going to do this together, one step at a time. You put your hand where I tell you. I’m going to shift behind you so I can help you climb up.”

She nodded shakily, tears shimmering in her eyes.

“You can do this, Beth.”

She swallowed hard. “I’m ready.”

I turned back to face the mountainside and slowly worked my way down and behind her. “Okay, I’m right behind you. I won’t let you fall. When you’re ready to release your grip, press your body into the rocks.”

“Okay,” she said breathlessly.

Step by step, we climbed back up the mountain. “You’re doing great. Now your right foot.”

She moved her foot, but missed the foot hold, slipping slightly. Gripping the wall tightly with my left hand, I pressed my hand to her ass, trying to hold her up.

“Get your foot in place,” I grunted, feeling my hand slipping. She quickly found a foot hold again and pressed her body to the rock wall, breathing hard. I took the opportunity to reposition myself.

“We need to keep going. One step at a time, okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered, then started moving again. When she finally reached the top, I pushed her from behind as she dragged herself up to safety. Moments later, I pulled myself up and laid down on my back beside her. Both of us laid there, breathing hard as we stared up at the night sky.

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