Page 93 of Secrets Along the Shore

“No. No. There’s no tracker in there.”

He glanced at her. “You don’t know that.”

“No one has touched the backpack except me and Rian. I’m not throwing it away.”

“Is its contents worth your life?” The answer to that was a hard no.

“It changed my life. I’m not leaving it.” She glared at him.

He gave a disbelieving snort. Great. So now she wouldn’t let go of a bloody bag. He swiped a hand over his face. “Fine.” He’d toss it as soon as he got it away from her. Maybe she thought that it was okay, but he doubted it. Viktor’s men wouldn’t back off unless they knew exactly where Elara was.

“Thank you.” She sighed.

Tyler turned the vehicle down a road and drove through an intersection. He shifted the map on the infotainment system so he could get a look at the buildings in the area. They needed a safe spot to hide. Since the Rukas would recognize the vehicle, they’d have to ditch it and move on foot. This neighborhood was a bad place to make a move. He needed an area with shops or a hotel, maybe.

After a minute, he found it on the map and headed toward an area with stores. The road followed the Danube River for a few miles. The blue water sparkled in the moonlight. He took a right, then turned left and found an alley to park in. Even though they were leaving the vehicle, it’d be better if no one saw it. They might need it later. After pulling the SUV to the back of the alley, he killed the engine and sat back in the seat.

“What are we doing here?” Elara glanced around the vehicle. “We can’t stop. They’ll find us.” Her voice was stronger than earlier, the initial panic from the firefight had worn off now that she could breathe.

“We need to find a safe place to hide until I hear back from my team.” Tyler checked the mirrors before exiting the vehicle. He shut his door, then opened the back one. His movements slowed as he met Rian’s fearful gaze. The kid saw things that no one his age should have. Tyler could relate. At least the kid had a good mother to take care of him. Tyler retrieved his M4 from the floorboard and slid the sling over his head and through his arm. “You’re alright, kid.”

Rian almost nodded, but jerked as the other door opened beside him. Elara helped her son from the backseat.

Tyler walked around the back of the SUV and adjusted the M4 against his shoulder. Viktor’s men may have disappeared, but they would show up again. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

“We’ll hide in the back of a building until my team finds a way to get us out of here and get you back home.” He hoped it wouldn’t take too long. With the civilians, he’d rather leave the city before seven in the morning. A plane could arrive in two hours, but it wasn’t a good option considering what happened the first time. But Von was also correct about driving instead.

Maybe if she brought more people, they could protect the plane. Once it got airborne, they’d be home free. Until then, they were sitting ducks.

That was for her to figure out, though. His mission stood in front of him. “Just stay close, alright?” After she nodded, he led the way through the alley and down the sidewalk. Tyler scanned their surroundings, searching for witnesses and Viktor’s men. If they stayed hidden, they’d be better off. Hardly possible with the bright moonlight overhead and the streetlights illuminating their location.

On his right, an older building had been converted into a cafe. The interior that was visible looked new. It’d have security. He stepped past it and headed over to a small shop. The sign hanging over the door was written in Croatian. Cracks in the crumbling brick wall suggested the building was a little more worn down. A perfect place for them to hide.

Tyler paused and scanned the area. A streetlamp two blocks ahead flickered. The sidewalks were clear. A lone car was parked against the curb on the opposite side of the road. No one sat behind the driver's seat. Maybe someone had left it there overnight. Elara stood a few feet behind him with her hands on Rian’s shoulders, the backpack still on her back. He signaled for them to follow him. “C’mon,” he whispered and led the way into the alley by the shop. It curved around to the back of the building where a wooden door kept people out of the “employee’s only” section of the building. He moved up to the door and kicked it in.

It swung open and slammed into the interior wall. Stepping inside, he cleared the space. Without a light on, each area remained dark. He checked around the door and eased into a room full of boxes. Yeah. He had no idea what this place was. A narrow hallway led to another door. With a flick of his hand, it opened. On the other side, the neat shelves and tables were left for the next day of business. Tyler backed up and shut the door.

A door on his left had been marked as the bathroom. After checking there too, he headed back into the main storage room where Elara and Rian stood. “Close the door,” he lowered his rifle. Pain shot through his lower back above his kidney. It’d been dull before, butnow he couldn’t ignore it. The adrenaline in his veins was slowing, which heightened the pain.

Elara shut the door, then returned to her place beside her son. “How long are we staying here?”

“Depends.” He tested a box before taking a seat. A groan escaped him. His right shoulder ached from the strain that he had put on it. Six months of inactivity made coming back harder, not to mention the TBI. At least his headache hadn’t returned. He slid his hand around to his back where the bulletproof vest had prevented him from getting lead in him. The thick metal and cloth rubbed against the bruised spot over his kidney.

“You got shot?” Concern filled Elara’s eyes.

“It didn’t penetrate. It’ll be fine.” He adjusted the M4 resting on his legs. His body needed a break, but the mission wasn’t over. He had to keep going. Dropping the magazine from his rifle, he pulled a fresh one off his vest and slid it in. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and the light from it brightened the room.

Elara watched him with tired, fearful eyes. Rian looked about ready to fall over. So did his mother.

Tyler frowned at the matted hair against her head. Dark red covered part of her brunette hair. “How’s your head?” If it got worse, he needed to know. Depending on how bad, he’d have to take her to a hospital.

She touched the spot and winced. “Sore, but it hasn’t bled anymore.”

He nodded once. Some good news. He needed it. This job was a mess. It’d be interesting to find out how Von planned to get them out. Tyler gestured to the boxes. “You should sit down and try to rest.”

With a slow nod, Elara sat on a solid box, pulling Rian against her side. The young boy leaned into her. His chin dropped to his chest, his eyes slid closed. The kid needed sleep. It’d be hard to get here. He might lay on the floor, but it wouldn’t be comfortable.