I want to argue. Want to insist she stay hidden while I handle the threat. But there's no time, and she's right. She's not helpless. She's smart, capable, and determined.
She's Mara.
"Stay behind this barrier. If anyone approaches who isn't one of ours, you run toward the lodge. Don't look back, don't stop, don't hesitate."
"And if you get hurt?"
"Then you run faster."
"Boone—"
"Promise me, Mara." I grip her face in my hands. "Promise me you'll run."
Her eyes are bright with tears she won't let fall. "I promise."
I kiss her. Hard and fast and desperate. Then I move to the edge of the barrier, weapon raised, scanning for targets.
The first hostile appears from behind the rappelling tower. I drop him with two shots to the chest.
The second comes from the right, trying to flank our position. Wolfe's rifle cracks from somewhere on the ridge, and the man goes down.
The third is smarter. Uses cover, moves unpredictably. I track his movement, waiting for the shot.
He ducks behind a training dummy. I adjust my aim.
He pops out, weapon raised.
I fire.
He fires.
We both hit our marks.
The hostile crumples. And I feel the burn in my side, the wet heat of blood spreading beneath my tactical vest.
"Boone!" Mara's scream cuts through the ringing in my ears. "Boone, you're hit!"
"I'm fine." I press my hand to my side, feeling the damage. Through and through, lower right quadrant. Painful, but not fatal. "Stay down."
"You're bleeding!"
"I said stay down."
More shots from somewhere to our left. Ryder's voice on the radio, reporting hostiles neutralized near the lodge. Hayes confirming the extraction point is secure.
It's almost over. We've almost made it.
Then I see the fourth man.
He's behind Mara. Coming from a direction I didn't anticipate, through a gap in my coverage that shouldn't exist.
He's got his weapon aimed at her back.
I don't think. I move.
I throw myself in front of her, twisting to face the threat, bringing my weapon up.
Two shots. His and mine.
