Page 33 of Deadly Hacker

“Pervert,” Emma Jean spat at him.

He only laughed derisively. “You were planning to leave. I saw my opportunity.”

“You sneaked up on me,” said Rad. “You used that stupid taser, didn’t you?”

“The police confiscated all my finest firearms. Such disrespect for an arms dealer like myself,” he growled. “But the taser is all I needed. I have you both at my mercy.”

“And what now?” Rad pressed him fiercely. “How the hell do you think this little plan of yours could have a happy ending? Are you going to tase me to death?”

“Death? You’re worth more to me alive,” he growled. “Your Pakhan will pay up and I’ll run away with my prize—as much money as I demand, plus a new companion.”

He turned a lewd gaze to Emma Jean, who recoiled in horror. “I would never go with you!” she hurled back.

“You won’t have a choice. Back home, I have the power to bend any man or woman to my will. You will serve me in my kitchen and in my bed. A pretty little souvenir of my time here in America,” he scoffed.

Between the increasing pain in his head and the rage turning his vision red, Rad struggled to stay upright on the RV steps. He moved his free leg down one more step, almost to the ground. His other leg was still encumbered by the mass of electrical cords. But over the course of their tense conversation, the tangled knots had slowly loosened. Now, it was almost totally uncoiled, just a piled weight on Rad’s bare foot.

He saw the unloaded gun lying useless on the ground several feet away. The knife in the gunman’s boot holster. The only weapon in play was the taser, and there was no chance of taking it from him, not like this.

Rad knew his injuries were severe. He needed medical attention, and soon. He couldn’t launch himself across the campsite and tackle the evil bastard. Not without being tased again or risking Emma Jean’s safety. His impaired balance and waning strength wouldn’t let him.

But what he had were his chains, the electrical cords. The plugs on the end would make for a passable weapon in a pinch. Rad was a marksman, not a barbarian. Without a gun in his hand, he was in trouble. But with one look at Emma Jean, totally naked and helpless, he knew he would do whatever it took.

While the man was still leering down at Emma Jean, Rad seized his chance. Summoning all his physical power, he dipped down to grab a mass of cords in both hands, nearly tripping himself in the process. He stood back up, all the blood rushing to his injured head, and with all his might, he hurled the electrical cords directly at the man’s head.

He cried out in confused agony as the clunky metal plugs conked him hard across the face, some of the cords wrapping around his neck. He stumbled with surprise, dropping his taser in the dirt as he fell backward. Emma Jean tugged the knife free of the man’s boot sheath and rolled away to escape being crushed. She scrambled to her feet, rushing over to Rad.

He knew he was in trouble. That toss had taken everything out of him. His world was closing in, with twinkles of darkness clouding the edge of his vision. He felt lightheaded and clumsy as he clung to Emma Jean. She scooped his arm over her shoulder and began to drag him away from the RV.

“Keys,” Rad whispered. “We need his keys.”

He had noticed during their conversation that his own car was useless now; the man had used that big knife to slash all Rad’s tires. But the attacker’s car had to be out there somewhere behind the nearest large rock outcropping, just beyond his field of vision.

“What? Oh no,” Emma Jean lamented, turning back to the campsite.

The gunman was writhing on the ground, clutching his bloody, bruised face. He was fumbling around for a weapon and came up with the taser, struggling to get to his feet. Rad could see the desert sunlight glint off the car keys hanging halfway out of his pocket.

He felt Emma Jean shrug him off and he collapsed in the hot sand.

With the dwindling consciousness he had left, Rad saw Emma Jean dart like a beam of light toward the attacker. She was diving back into danger, and there was nothing Rad could do. Blood dripped down his face. The darkness closed in around him.

CHAPTER14

EMMA JEAN

Every instinctin Emma Jean’s body told her to put as much distance between the attacker and herself as humanly possible. She was the most vulnerable she’d ever been, naked and dazed in the middle of the desert. Her clothes were still inside the RV, along with her phone, not that she would have much service out here anyway.

Rad needed her. She could tell how badly he was hurt. The blood pouring down his face and the lost look in his brown eyes scared the hell out of her. His skin was clammy and pale, the half-moons under his eyes going dusky gray. When he clung to her, his grip was nowhere near as powerful as it should have been. He was swiftly fading.

She had to save them both. And that meant pushing Rad off her into the sand, leaving him to black out alone, while she rushed back into danger against all instinct. As she turned back to the campsite, she saw her attacker scrambling to his feet with the taser in hand. His eyes were wild with pain and rage. Emma Jean wasn’t ready, but she was armed.

And she could see his car keys gleaming like a jewel, hanging from his pocket.

With one last worried glance down at Rad, Emma Jean tore away from him and barreled toward the assailant. He held the taser out like a sword, brandishing it as he let out a stream of English and Russian curse words.

Emma Jean clutched his fancy knife with both hands to help control her nervous shaking. She had never physically attacked another human being before. In fact, it went against everything she believed in to do so. But if she didn’t, she could only picture the horrific fate that could sweep down on Rad at any time. His head injury required medical attention, and they weren’t going to find that out here.

She had to get those damn keys.

---