Blade moved a little closer and peered through an opening between the shrubs. Dakota crouched down beside him, waiting for him to say something. She could see the men, but she had no idea what Mason, Charles, or Jesse looked like. She had never been good at remembering faces.
Leaning in close, Blade whispered in her ear, “It’s them.”
Dakota wasn’t sure whether she felt relieved or terrified. All she knew was that Blade wasn’t going to walk away, and that meant another shootout.
***
Blade couldn’t deny the excitement radiating through his veins. All three of them were right there, in front of him. Sure, they had men with them, but it was like a gift being handed to him. Glancing at Dakota, his excitement dwindled a little. He hated the idea of putting her in danger, but he couldn’t let the opportunity pass him by.
“I have to take them down,” Blade whispered as he leaned closer to her, careful not to let the bandits hear.
Dakota nodded knowingly. “What’s the plan?”
“We’ve got a good vantage point. I say we go in hot and take out as many as we can before they can retaliate.”
“All right,” Dakota agreed. “Just be careful.”
Blade simply smiled and then turned his attention back to the gang of bandits. It was time for them to die. Slipping his Winchester from his back, Blade lay down on his stomach and found an opening in the shrubs. Next to him, he saw Dakota doing the same. He really wanted to show his face to the three men who had helped murder his family, but he wasn’t sure whether that would be possible. He aimed his rifle at Mason and then reconsidered, moving it slightly right so that it was pointed at one of the men he didn’t know.
Just because he didn’t know them didn’t mean they were innocent. They were camping with three of the most evil men he knew, and from years of training and working with Wolfe, Blade could tell that they were just as bad.
He glanced at Dakota and raised a brow. She nodded, signaling that she was ready. It was time. Blade lined up his shot again and pulled the trigger. The shot cracked through the arid landscape like thunder, echoing off the hills in the distance. Before any of them knew what was happening, the .44 slug pierced the bandit’s head, sending him toppling forward.
Next to him, Dakota fired. Her aim was true, and the bandit sitting next to Jesse fell to the side, grabbing his shoulder. He wasn’t dead, but it was a good shot nonetheless.
Blade didn’t waste any time; he aimed his rifle at the man and sent a slug into his chest, taking him out of his misery. The remaining six men were all scrambling to their feet and drawing their weapons as they tried to figure out who wasattacking them. Blade used their confusion to take out one more before pushing his Winchester back into its sleeve and drawing his Colt Rainmaker. It was fully loaded and ready to go.
The bandits had figured out where the shots were coming from and started to fight back. Shots rang out as bullets came flying their way. Blade rolled to his right since Dakota was on his left and jumped to his feet in one swift movement. A slug whirled past him, hitting a shrub and sending little pieces of trunk and dry leaves up in the air.
Blade wanted to get closer, so he abandoned his spot and charged toward the camp. It wasn’t far, and within seconds, he was in the thick of things. He hoped Dakota stayed where she was. It was safer. Blade planned to take out the men he didn’t know first and then kill the three who deserved it most. Charles had taken cover behind one of the tents. It provided no protection at all and was a stupid move. Ignoring him, although he would have been easy to take out, Blade focused his attention on another one of the bandits he didn’t know.
The man was firing shots in Dakota’s direction and needed to be stopped. He was partially hidden behind a tree trunk, but his leg was visible, and he kept peeking out from behind it when he was shooting. Blade moved forward, pulling the trigger as he ran. The bullet found the man’s thigh, causing him to lose focus. Blade closed in on him, and instead of shooting him, he hit the man with the butt of his revolver. The man’s eyes rolled back in his head as he fell backward, hitting his head against a rock. Bright red blood spilled from beneath his hair. Blade didn’t need to check to know he was dead.
Spinning around, Blade saw another of the bandits crash to the ground, and he smiled, knowing that Dakota was still okay. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jesse running at him. He was a big man and readying himself to land a blow. As Jesse pulled back his arm, Blade ducked down and kicked out one of his legs. His boot landed right on Jesse’s knee, crushing the bone and buckling his leg in the wrong direction. The big man screamed, the pain so bad his voice went up an octave.
Across from him, the last bandit they didn’t know fell to the ground, blood pouring from a hole in his head. Blade couldn’t afford to get distracted, but he desperately wanted to check on Dakota. Having her there with him was both a blessing and a curse.
Ducking behind the tree trunk where the bandit had been hiding, Blade scanned his surroundings. Jesse was still lying on the ground, clutching his leg and howling in pain. Charles wasn’t behind the tent anymore; he had stepped out and was dashing toward where Jesse lay. Mason was nowhere in sight, and Blade couldn’t see Dakota where he had left her. Panic rose from his stomach and spread through his body. “Focus,” he told himself.
Blade pointed his Colt at Charles, aiming for his abdomen, and pulled the trigger. He didn’t want to kill him just yet. Charles grunted loudly as he fell to his knees, his white shirt turning red under his hands.
“Looks like we’ve got all of them,” Dakota’s voice said, coming from behind him.
Blade spun around, relief filling his body. Dakota was walking behind Mason, her pistol pointed at his head.
“Looks like it,” Blade agreed.
“Get down on your knees,” Dakota instructed. “Next to your friends.”
Mason had a big gash on the side of his face and a growing bruise around his swollen eye. Blade would have to ask Dakota about that later, but first, they had unfinished business to settle.
“Shut him up,” Blade demanded, nodding toward Jesse. “I want all of you to hear what I say.”
Mason leaned forward and pressed his hand over Jesse’s mouth. He was the only one capable and was probably thinking that it might save their lives if they cooperated. It wouldn’t.
“Do you remember the Hawthornes?” Blade asked.
Nobody answered.
