Page 87 of Secret Mission

A cold venomous rage wraps around me.

They’re not getting Allison. No fucking way.

Masked. Armed. And on a mission, three men stalk toward us. Just over two hundred yards separate us, but we’re exposed.

They could have opened fire already, and our only cover would be the car. A crappy sedan, barely big enough to hide behind.

The fact that they’re not shooting makes my blood ice and my heart roar like a lion.

This isn’t a hit. They want her alive.

Both ends of the alley are blocked. Which means we have to go up or down.

“I’ll take going up over the sewer any day,” Justice backs toward us. “Let's make this fast.”

I don’t care as long as we get her safe. I’d swim in a sewer, climb through a landfill. Climb a building with my bare hands.

"Up you go.” I boost Allison onto a stack of wooden crates. "There's a fire escape above. Grab it."

She scrambles upward like a cat, hospital gown fluttering below the hem of the jacket. Dammit. I should have left her pants on her instead of ditching them in the trash can at the hospital. Fucking rookie move.

Justice and I follow, scrambling quickly up, the sound of more car doors slamming echoing below.

"Move!"

We emerge onto a flat roof just as the first shots ping the building next to us.

They want Justice and me out of the way.

“Over here, get low.” I pull Allison down behind an air vent, scanning the neighboring buildings.

She’s nervous but steady. Quickly braiding her hair and tucking it into the jacket. Smart girl. Less chance of it getting caught or someone grabbing it.

Teeth on edge, I curse that thought. “We’ll go that way.”

The aerial views on Google Earth float back into my mind. A week laying around in the hospital getting IV antibiotics was lifesaving then, but who knew it might save us now.

“Most of the roofs are connected.”

"There." Justice points to a rusty water tower two roofs over. "We can cross that roof behind that low wall. We should be out of sight."

Allison's eyes go wide. "You're joking. Do we have to jump? Because I’m not a jumper, my legs are long, but I’m a scaredy cat.”

"Not jumping." I check my weapon, grateful somehow I’ve managed to keep it all this time, even after nearly drowning in the river. "We can just climb down to that next roof. It shouldn’t be far."

More gunfire peppers the edge of the building.

Allison flinches against me, but her voice is steady. "You sure about this?"

"Trust me." I cup her face, meeting those beautiful eyes. "I won't let you fall."

“Too late, frog man.”

There’s no time to process that. We’re moving.

Justice thumps out a few rounds as cover fire as I help Allison to her feet. “Stay low. Remember how we ran that first time?”

“God. I can’t believe this.” But she complies without hesitation, her tall form crouching lower than ever. The thin edge of the hospital gown hugging her pale thighs.