Page 21 of Fighting for Mallory

The closest ATV opened fire on them. Bullets ricocheted off thick tree trunks. Some struck the ATV’s metal frame, and Luca feared they would aim for the tires. The organization’s ATVs were newer and faster than the one Luca drove. Soon, two more of their pursuers appeared on Luca and Mallory’s left and right flanks. He and Mallory fired at them, and the others maintained a safer distance. To Luca’s dismay, it appeared as though their attackers were corralling them.

Fuck this!

Luca yanked the steering wheel sharply to his right, only to meet a hail of bullets. He returned to his original course, and the shooting ceased.

“What are they doing?” Mallory shouted.

“Forcing us to go where they want!”

When they burst out of the woods onto the main road, a strange figure stood in their path. From head to foot, he resembled a living copperhead. Vibrant tans and browns in hour-glass shapes marked his body. Like a true copperhead, his face was copper-colored. Except for a loin cloth covering his private area, he was naked.

Luca jammed the brake pedal, throwing him and Mallory forward. She gasped and gripped his arm. “Luca, that’s the limo driver!”

“You sure?”

“Yes! That’s him! I remember now. He said he was Andre’s cousin.”

The figure slowly raised an arm and pointed at Mallory. “She must die.”

Mallory let out a soft cry. “That’s his voice. That strange, foreign accent.”

“Who are you?” Luca demanded. “Why must she die?”

“I am Neheb. To maintain balance.”

“Between good and evil?”

Neheb fell silent. His dark, emotionless eyes never wavered from them.

“Mal, we’re in trouble. I don’t want to kill an unarmed man, and if I do, we’re surrounded and outnumbered by Neheb’s cult. I think they will kill me first and take you alive. There’s only one solution.”

Before she could guess his intent, Luca dropped his Glock and climbed from the ATV with his arms raised. “Take me instead, Neheb. For balance.”

“Luca, no!”

Neheb tilted his head, considering. An unsettled rustling, like the wind disturbing leaves in trees, filled the air around them. “Your offering is noble but not accepted. Kill him. Take her.” Neheb spoke to the drivers of the ATVs who lifted their guns and aimed them at Luca.

A mighty wind accompanied by a familiar whirring caught everyone’s attention. Above them a helicopter hovered, shining a spotlight on the scene. Luca took advantage of the distraction to grab his gun and fire at Neheb, but he missed. Neheb made a weird sound as he bolted toward the woods. Lethal shots fired from the helicopter took out four of the ATV operators. The other two made beelines for the woods.

The helicopter touched down in the middle of the road. Hutch climbed from the cockpit. “Let’s go!” He signaled them with a wave of his hand.

Luca and Mallory ran toward the helicopter. Hutch tossed their duffel bags inside and helped Mallory aboard. As soon as they were strapped into their seats with headphones in place, Hutch lifted off.

“How did you know we were in trouble?” Luca asked, speaking into the microphone.

“I didn’t, at first. Justice sent me to San Francisco to check on Mallory’s sister, so I was less than an hour away when Tex called and said you were in danger.”

“How’s Marianna? Is she okay?” Mallory interjected.

“She’s fine. I arranged protection for her until this is over.”

“Thank you, Hutch.” Mallory sagged in relief.

“Where are we going?” Luca demanded. “If you intend to take us to the nearest police station, forget it, Hutch. Neheb told us that Mallory must die.”

“Is Neheb the naked guy painted like a snake?”

“Yeah.”

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