Page 124 of Critical Alliance (Rocky Mountain Courage 3)

THIRTY-SIX

With a quick glance at the monitor, Alex saw William standing over Mackenzie, holding her precariously close to the deadly drop into the ravine.

Alex wouldn’t make it in time to save her.

Come on, Mackenzie. Get away.

Lord, help her.

He continued his run toward the zip-line area and considered all his options. Depending on what William did next, Alex might still have time to ambush him.

Another glance at the controller screen, and he saw Mackenzie had broken free and scrambled away. Alex knew what he had to do. He sent the ten-pound drone diving toward William, then it slammed into him. Alex stepped through the tree line in time to see a tall man flailing his arms as he lost balance.

Alex rushed forward. Mackenzie reached for William.

“No! He’ll pull you over with him!”

William fell back toward the ravine as Mackenzie tried to save him, and Alex dove forward, throwing his body over hers, preventing her from going with William.

But the man still had a grip on her. Or she had a grip on him.

“Hold on, Mackenzie. I got you.” Alex groaned. She was slipping. “You have to let go of him.”

“He isn’t letting go of me!” Her voice echoed with the strain and effort. “But we need to save him.”

“I ... can ... try...” Alex’s muscles screamed, burning with the exertion. His palms were slicking, and Mackenzie’s grip started to slip. He would lose her if he didn’t do something right now. He would lose them both.

Adrenaline coursed through him as he crawled his hands along her arm to get a better grip and hooked his legs around the branch of a nearby tree. But he feared he couldn’t save Mackenzie if she continued to clutch William’s hand as he dangled hazardously over the ravine, the roaring river below, threatening.

Sweat poured over Alex. “Let’s sling him toward the edge.”

“I can’t reach,” William said. “Help me. I’m slipping!”

The fear and panic in William’s voice knifed through Alex. Suddenly William slid from Mackenzie’s grasp and fell, his screams of horror echoing against the rocky walls.

“No!” she shouted.

Alex instantly started pulling her now much lighter body toward him even as he watched William plummet into the river, shock rolling through him at the horror on the man’s face. He didn’t surface after hitting the water.

A sob broke loose from Mackenzie.

“I got you.” He pulled her back up over the edge and then dragged them both a few feet away. He fell onto his back and gulped air.

Was it finally over?

He rolled to his side to see Mackenzie lying on her back. Tears streamed down her temples. “Are you okay? Did he physically hurt you?” Because William had already inflicted plenty of pain on her.

“I’m okay. Please tell me my sister is alive.”

“And safe. I got down to the lower level in time to free her and Tilden, and they assisted Carson out. We got out before the blast. Nora used a drone to find you.”

She closed her eyes. “It’s over.”

He brushed his thumb across her temples and cheeks, wiping away the tears. “There’s still a lot to sort out, but if he was Nebulous 2.0, then yes, that part of it is over.”

Would either of them be given a pass on the measures they’d taken to stop the cybercriminal? Would they have a chance to explore a relationship? He hoped so. With everything in him, he hoped so.

Mackenzie was traumatized, as he was, and now certainly wasn’t a moment to kiss her. Except she opened her eyes and lifted her hand to his face and cupped his jaw. He saw the longing in her gaze, and he couldn’t resist. Before they faced the chaos of the aftermath, he would have this one moment with her.

Alex leaned forward and pressed his lips gently against hers. She weaved her hands through his hair and pulled him closer. Emotions and warm sensations surged through him, and his heart soared. He liked this girl—really, really liked her—and needed more time with her.

Approaching footfalls drew him up and away from the kiss. Mackenzie sat up as well.

Nora rushed forward. “Oh, thank God!” She dropped to her knees and pulled Mackenzie into a hug.

Alex stood to face the contingent of law enforcement that Nora had led to the ravine.

Jack, Nathan, Terra, and Trevor stepped into view, along with a couple of others he recognized instantly as federal agents. He’d been informed other agencies were on it. Now they show up.

Let the games begin...