Page 68 of Purgatory (Devil Dogs of the Apocalypse #1)

Jax

(A few hours earlier)

I signal for Sadie to stay in Hawk’s bedroom, for now, as I lead Aly out onto the balcony with Hawk trailing behind us.

Immediately, I see the dicks Hawk was referring to when he mentioned a few wanderers.

They're scattered all over the back of the house looking everywhere except where we are. Convenient for us, stupid for them.

Hawk takes watch, aiming at the morons while I go down on a knee, hoisting Aly up onto the roof before Hawk and I join her.

Crouching down, I set up her S.A.W., or Squad Automatic Weapon, making sure the thing is loaded and ready to go before we do the same.

I have her positioned prone on deck since this particular gun is heavier than the AR she trained with and may be too much for her.

I, on the other hand, decide to stand with mine, aiming down and waiting for the cue to rain on their parade.

I look over at Hawk and see that he’s wearing the same demented face he always did when we were deployed.

He’s like a fucking Golden Retriever with his big ass grin and no cares in the world.

I swear if he starts to shake his giddy ass, I’ll put a bullet in it myself.

It’ll be later with an airsoft rifle but it’ll still hurt like a bitch.

The thought and visual puts a smile on my face.

BOOM !

The roof beneath us bends and bellows from the blast of the frag grenade Cole just let loose. Game time.

In quick succession, Hawk takes out the bastards on the left while I take the ones on the right.

Even Aly, the beautiful warrior she is, lets off a few rounds, tagging one guy and dropping another.

I couldn’t be more proud of her and grateful that we managed to train her before this shit, even if it was just the basics.

Once the coast is clear, I grab ahold of her and lower her down to the trellis, reluctant to let her go and watch her leave but knowing it’s necessary and that we'd see her again soon. We just need to finish this and she needs to be safe and away from here for us to do so. This is the only way.

I let her go, standing back up again as I watch to make sure the path is still clear to the beach.

She’s about halfway there when two new guys show up and start a chase but Hawk and I are on them like white on rice.

They don’t stand a chance. Aly doesn’t even turn around to see where the shots are coming from and it makes me all the more confident, she’ll be ok.

The training is kicking in. The trust is there.

All she needs to do is be able to read that map, drive the boat and get to the safehouse.

We lose sight of her as she starts to swim in the water. The distance too far for us to see her properly so we take it on faith that she made it and is now speeding away as fast as she can. It’s only a few more minutes of intense waiting before we see the flare go off.

Atta fucking girl! You did it, baby.

I bump Hawk on the shoulder, nodding my chin in the direction of his balcony. Now that the anxiety of watching and waiting for Aly to safely make her escape is over, we can focus on what we do best. Seek and destroy.

Time to set up some distractions