“It’s just a scratch,” he tried to say, but it came out as one garbled syllable.
Ignoring him, she drew close, lifted his shirt, bent, and for a few suspended seconds, he waited for her lips, that strange, warm brand that gave him hope he had no right to wish for.
No. No more wishing. No more hoping or daydreaming about possibilities that flat-out didn’t exist. They were companions for a few days and then she was gone. He’d leave, too, for some new place where he could settle in and reestablish his inner calm.
“I’m fine. Let’s go.”
“What? Big man’s gonna keep walking until he bleeds out? Big man’s gonna fall and break something, get back up, and trudge on.” Was she pissed? “I don’t need you to save me, big man. What I need is for you to survive this. And while we’re at it, how about you stop stalling and start telling me exactly why you’re here, on your own in the middle of nowhere. I mean, what the hell’s going on, Elias?”
“I tried to—”
“Sit.” She put a hand on his shoulder and shoved with surprising strength. No. Not surprising. He knew she was strong.
Suddenly, it was easier to obey than to fight. He wasn’t hurting, but maybe that wasn’t actually a good thing. He obeyed, blinking when she disappeared for a second. “’s fine, Leo. I…I—”
“Thought you’d power through even though you’re leaking blood again like a damn sieve. You know the problem with big men like you? You think you’ve got all the answers. Think you’ve got to do it on your own. Won’t take help from others, ’cause you have this ridiculous notion that it’ll diminish you. Maybe you people think your balls are…Shit, Elias.” She squatted, bent close to him, and put pressure on his wound.
Ah, there it was. Pain. He could do nothing but grunt.
“You know what you jerks always seem to forget?” She kept one hand on him and tore at the zipper of the bloodstained first aid kit with the other. “The bigger you are…” She was breathing hard, working fast. “The harder you fall.”
Jesus, wasn’t that the truth.
***
Turned out, a tranquilizer dart to the nuts was just as effective as a bullet.
The man was in a bad way. Especially after Amka got him with the bear spray too. She almost felt sorry for him.
Or she would have if she hadn’t watched through binoculars as they shot someone up at the lodge—Dani Avens, who cleaned and did laundry for the guests. She’d never done anything to anyone.
And now they’d gone and shot her.
As Amka watched the lodge through Ben’s binoculars, a wave of panic shook her hands so hard, she couldn’t see a thing.
What if she didn’t stop them in time? What if this ruckus she was raising was for nothing and everyone she loved got killed?
What if she was making it worse?
No. She refused to think that. These people were merciless. She’d seen what they’d done to Elias, to his parents. She couldn’t just go in there guns blazing. They’d shoot her dead on the spot.
They’d demolish this entire town if they thought it would get them what they wanted. Or maybe even to cover up what happened here. Hell, what was a tiny settlement with a population under sixty to people like that?
Nothingwas the answer.
And what was happening to Elias? Had they gotten him? Were they flying back right this minute with him and Leo in the chopper? Or a couple of dead bodies?
She sagged against the door of the beat-up Ford F-150 that offered the best view of the lodge.
Then it occurred to her—if they came back soon, maybe shecoulddo something.
She scooted to the end of her lookout rock and dropped to the ground, careful not to jar her artificial hip.
Before starting off, she checked her holsters and pockets. Bear spray, tranq gun, skinning knife, pistol. Slung over top were the binoculars and rifle, just in case.
In her ear, the voices weren’t speaking anymore, which made her think they were onto her now. Too bad. It’d been fun listening in on their official-sounding jargon.
As she made her slow, careful way down the rocky path from the overlook past Ben’s, in the direction of the airfield, she mentally counted out the enemies. Three down. Eleven to go.
