“I’m sorry, too.” Lala snapped the gum she was chewing. Then she leaned down and spat the gum at the cuffs. The pink glob stuck to the metallic surface.
There was a tiny spark of light followed by a puff of smoke.
Ria coughed. Zayn waved to dissipate the smoke. The electro-cuffs fell into the dirt with a plop.
“What the—?” Zayn exclaimed.
Lala shoved her hands on her hips. “I’ve already had one set of idiots try and kill me today. I’m not planning to finish the day off with a kidnapping.”
“You blew up the cuffs.” Ria stared openmouthed. “Are you crazy? You could have blown off your hands.”
The girl shrugged. “It’s a new prototype I’m testing. Chewing gum that doubles as an explosive.” She grinned. “Worked a treat. Now, I need to be going.”
She’d skipped three steps down the street before coming to a hard stop. Ahead, the group of men had neared. They all stood, legs spread wide, hands poised over their holsters and hats pulled low. There was a jostling in the crowd as two men moved forward.
Clint and Ray.
“Not good,” Lala murmured.
No, not good. Ria went for her pistol.
“Put it down,” Clint called out. He gestured to his associates. Three men held rifles aimed at Ria, Zayn, and Lala.
Ria’s chest felt heavy. Her mind churned as she tried to see a way out of this.Damn. Left with no choice, she set the pistol on the ground.
“Now, Lala, I’m through with you and your crazy antics.” Ray sliced a hand through the air. “Time for you to meet your maker.”
Lala sniffed. “Screw you, Ray Baker.” The girl snatched something from her pocket and rolled it toward the group of men.
The small black ball bounced once, then rolled up and hit Ray’s boot. “What the fuck?—?”
There was a huge flash of light.
“Explosives!”
“Bomb!”
The crowd dived and scattered. Ria skittered backward, her shoulder slamming into Zayn. He gripped her waist to steady her.
A huge ball of smoke engulfed them all. Ria coughed. The stuff worked its way down her throat and stung her eyes.
“I can’t see,” a cowboy yelled.
“I can’t breathe,” another rasped.
As the cowboys panicked, Ria grabbed Zayn’s arm and pulled him to the ground.
Fresher air hit her lungs and she gulped in large mouthfuls. She heard Zayn dragging in air as well.
“I don’t think Lala is as crazy as she makes out,” Ria said.
“I don’t know. I think you can be a genius and be crazy at the same time.”
The smoke slowly cleared.
Ria scanned the street. “Dammit.”
Lala was gone.
