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“No patience,” Sawyer added.
He dropped down through the trapdoor. Thankfully, there was a fair bit of room under the cottage, so he could fit easily. There were plenty of spiderwebs, too. He batted some away. Hollis followed right behind him, with Park bringing up the rear. They crawled to the edge of the cottage where some bushes grew thickly. Sawyer paused and listened.
There were two weapons firing at the front.
And…There.
Through the leaves of the shrub, he spotted another set of legs waiting at the back of the house. Sawyer lifted his handgun, then pressed his mouth to Hollis’s ear. “Stay with Park.”
She grabbed his hand. “Be careful. Please.”
He nodded, and wished he had time to kiss her.
He stealthily moved out from under the house. Shadows were his old friends, and he used them to creep closer. All of his Ghost Ops training rushed back to him. How many missions had he been on like this? Creeping up on the enemy, his team at his side.
But now he had even more to fight for.
He advanced on the man. The guy was turned away from him, gaze focused on the house. The moonlight glinted off his bald head. Sawyer slid the gun away.
He’d do this quietly.
The man never saw or heard him.
Sawyer grabbed him from behind, pressing his forearm against the man’s throat. He yanked the guy back, cutting off his air.
The hitman gurgled, and kicked his feet in the dirt. Sawyer held tight. This man had been trying to kill Hollis.
There would be no forgiveness.
It took a minute, but the man finally went slack. Sawyer dragged the body to the bushes and dumped him in the middle of them.
Then he hurried back to the house and crouched. “Clear.”
Hollis scrambled out. Park followed her.
“Keep to the shadows under the trees,” Sawyer said. “We’re heading for the truck.”
They needed to get away.
The three of them moved quickly. He felt Hollis grip the back of his shirt. They hadn’t gone far when the assholes at the front of the cottage stopped firing.
Sawyer stopped, then tugged Hollis down. The three of them stayed crouched, and he scanned the area.
Two shadows stood at the front of the cottage. Dammit, they were standing between Sawyer and the truck.
“Branko, any sign of them?” one man yelled.
The fire broke through the roof with a loud noise. Sawyer felt Hollis jolt. Flames licked into the night sky.
“Branko?” the man called again.
“Shit, where is he?” the other man said with a heavy accent.
“Go and check.”
Parker shifted. “I’ll be back.”
He melted into the darkness, and Sawyer pulled Hollis close.