Tace took several deep breaths, searching around for backup. Where the hell were Raze and Jax? “You know my name.”
“Oh, I’m getting extensive reports on all Vanguard members, though I hadn’t expected this attack from you rebels.” The president had light brown hair, blue eyes, and classic good looks. Since Scorpius, he’d filled out into lean muscle and apparently liked to engage in gun battles.
The firefight continued down the road.
“We like to keep our enemies on their toes,” Tace returned, measuring the distance between them. He’d have to attack and cover Sami at the same time.
“You think Mercury will stop fighting if I return with a gun to your head?” Atherton asked.
Tace leaned back against the door to shut it. Maybe Atherton hadn’t seen Sami. “No. Jax will shoot me before he’ll let you use me as a bargaining chip.”
“Yes, I would, too.” Atherton craned his neck toward his fallen comrade. “Lake? You dead?”
The vice president didn’t even groan.
“You should go check on him,” Tace said, his trigger finger itching for a gun.
“I don’t suppose you brought sweet Lynne Harmony or even Vinnie Wellington with you?” Atherton asked, leaning forward on his handle bars but keeping a steady aim with the gun.
“The two women you kidnapped and then lost?” Tace forced a smile. “Nope. You snooze, you lose.”
“Hmmm. Well, I’ll have to make do with the brunette in the truck. She still alive?” Atherton asked.
Shit. He’d seen Sami. “She had better be,” Tace said evenly, his heart rate speeding up as he tried to control himself. Fear and rage attacked him with sharp blades, and he coughed out, his lungs heating. Raw and dangerous emotions darkened the edge of his vision. Not now. He couldn’t have an attack now. “We’re at a standstill, Atherton.”
The president laughed and swung off his vehicle. “I like your style, Justice. Sorry I have to kill you.” He set his stance and aimed.
In a burst of power, Tace dropped into a fast slide, feet out. The second he lost momentum, he rolled and leaped up, tackling the president across his four-wheeler. The gun went spinning through the air.
Atherton hit Tace in the throat and kneed him in the groin.
Pure agony detonated in Tace’s balls. He grunted and punched the president in the nose.
“Tace?” Sami said, her voice weak.
He half turned to see her climbing from the truck, her expression disoriented.
“Sami.” He shrugged off the president and looked frantically for the gun.
Atherton sliced at him with a knife. Where had the knife come from?
Tace jumped back, pain prickling his wrist.
Sami fell to the ground and slowly drew a gun from her boot with her good arm.
Atherton bellowed and jumped back on his vehicle, spinning it around and spraying dirt.
Sami wavered but lifted her arm.
Atherton barreled down the road.
Sami shot several times, her aim wide.
Tace gritted his teeth and ran for her, already yanking off his shirt to press against her wound. “How bad?”
“I don’t know.” Her head rested back on the dirty truck.
He lifted her, ignoring his bleeding wrist. “Keep pressure on it.”
