Page 56

HUNTER
My plan was not ideal.It wasn’t even close to it, but it was all we had. Time was running out. We couldn’t wait until dark, and we couldn’t risk them getting back in that boat and pissing off with our only transport across this river. We had to act now. As much as I hated doing this, I needed Layla on board with me.
“Jesus.” Layla's breath hitched. “I’m not sure—”
I shifted my position so I could look directly at her. “We have no choice. We need that boat, and either I go in there guns blazing and shoot the lot of them, or we try to steal the boat out from under them.”
She rolled her head back, giving me a glorious view of her long neck.
“We need to act fast,” I said, “before they take that boat.”
She sucked her lips into her mouth, and the turmoil in her expression just about did me in.
I gripped the back of her hand. “You can do this. I know you can.”
She huffed out a breath. “Tell me what to do.”
“Good girl.” As I handed the binoculars to her, I pointed to a rocky outcrop downstream. “See those rocks that stick out into the river? That’s where I’ll be. From that spot, I’ll be able to see you, and them. I’ll cover you, okay?”
She lowered the binoculars. “What do I do?”
My heart just about stopped at the fear in her eyes. This was a bad idea. I should just go into the old church and shoot the lot of them. “We can do this another way.”
“Shoot everyone?” She shook her head.
“Yes, that. Or we can try to negotiate. But what do we have to bargain with?”
Her shoulders sagged. “Nothing. Neville won’t listen to me, anyway. He’s gone too far, and he can’t come back from this. He’s probably hoping I’m dead.” A deep frown carved up her forehead. “Do you think he knows Cody and I escaped the lab?”
“Who knows? But what we do know is that he doesn’t seem to be trying to save you.”
“That’s true.” She tilted her head side to side, maybe trying to release a knot in her neck. “We’ll do this your way. Tell me the plan.”
“Good. Once I’m in position, I’ll wave to you. Do not move until then, okay?”
She took the binoculars from me and threaded the strap over her neck.
“You’re going to sneak into the river upstream a bit, and drift down to the boat.” I handed her my knife. “At the jetty, cut the tether, then use the boat to block yourself from their view and drift downstream to me. I’ll swim out to you, and we get the hell out of here.”
She cocked her head. “You make it sound easy.”
“The easiest plans are the best ones.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
The worry in her eyes demanded that I crush her to my chest and tell her everything would be okay. But this situation wasn’t okay, and nothing would be until she was on that rescue chopper and getting the fuck out of here.
I cupped her cheek, and she leaned into my palm.
“You can do this, Layla. And don’t worry.” I tapped my rifle. “If any of those assholes give you trouble, it will be the last thing they do.”
“The goal is to not kill anyone,” she said.
“Wrong. The goal is to get that boat so we can catch our ride home.” I stood and dragged her up to me.
She wrapped her arms around me. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me until we’re out of this mess.”