Page 17 of Critical Alliance (Rocky Mountain Courage 3)

She gasped. “A person can’t even get privacy in the woods in Montana.”

“Security cameras. License plate readers. Smartphone trackers, and now, drones. If you think about it, we’re being watched twenty-four-seven. But you’re right.” A smidgeon of shame pricked at him. “I’m living proof you can’t get privacy even in the woods in Montana.”

She actually chuckled and smiled up at him. Now that was a nice sound—and it surprised him.

“I don’t know why you’re really here, Alex. Maybe you’re here as part of a stateside assignment or to see family, but I can’t say that I’m not glad to see you.”

The long way of saying she was glad to see him. “I’m not here for work. I’m taking a break.”

A gunshot rang out. Tree bark exploded near them.

“Get down!” Alex shouted.

They both dropped to the ground, and he shielded her, covering her with his body. His off-duty gun was in his pack on the bike. Should he go for it? Except staying here wasn’t safe. The pine needles weren’t going to protect them. “There’s a boulder. We can make it behind that. We’ll go together.”

He continued to cover her as they quickly crawled—and just in time too as another shot fired, clipping the stone. “I need you to wait here while I get my gun. Please call 911.”

“What? Where’s your gun?”

“Not too far.” He eyed his bike that she’d leaned against the tree.

“No. You’ll be too exposed.”

She wasn’t wrong, but they needed protection. He should have kept his recon kit bag on his back, but it got too sweaty. Inside was his loaded Glock 26, plus a twelve-round magazine.

“Just stay here and stay down no matter what happens. I don’t want to worry about you.” He gently pressed her to the ground. “Stay low. You can do that and make the call, can’t you?”

“Okay, okay.”

He peered from behind the boulder and couldn’t see anyone. He considered the trees and the path he would take. He just needed to nudge the bike over onto its side, and then he could remain low and pull the kit off.

He drew in a few short, quick breaths, then crouching, dashed between tree trunks until he made it to his bike. He knocked it over, and, as expected, drew gunfire. The bullets slammed against the trunk he was hiding behind. Now, he just needed to make it back to Mackenzie. Once he got his hands on his Glock, he could send the shooter into hiding.

He pressed himself flat, then slipped his arm forward beneath the bars and felt his way around the seat and then to the recon kit buckled to the handlebars. He felt for the clasp, and after a couple of fails, he released the latch. Another bullet hit the tree, then the boulder.

From behind the tree, he could see Mackenzie covering her head as she pressed her face into the pine needles and dirt.

Now ... to make it back.

He drew out his Glock, chambered a round, then took aim at a tree on the other side of the boulder and fired his weapon before dashing between the tree trunks. He took another shot, then crawled to the boulder where Mackenzie waited for him and pressed his back against the boulder.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

Heart pounding, he caught his breath. “Me too.”

Her big hazel eyes took him in, measuring him. “You always pack, huh?”

“What do you think?”

“Are you working now?” She gave him an incredulous look.

What?“I already told you I’m not. But I always carry. Can we talk about this later? Someone just tried to kill you. I need to protect you.”

“Given your line of work, are you sure they didn’t try to kill you?”

“Stay here.”

“Again?”