“Did you hear me?! On your feet, princess!”
Caroline tore the grenade from the belt, jumped to her feet, and held it aloft. At least ten men formed a semi-circle around her, caging her against the collapsed wall that had just crushed Reaper.
She didn’t want to live without him.
A strange sort of peace blanketed her and she smiled. “I really don’t like being called Princess.”
One man stood in front of the others, obviously in charge. His gaze, once triumphant, slipped from hers to the weapon, anxiety spreading his eyes open wide. “I can put a bullet in your head before you pull that pin.”
The overwhelming screech of birds and animals was trying to break into her concentration but it was like a shield had formed around her, protecting her from the blackout pain that was sure to come. Caroline tilted her head to the side and studied the man. He was short, thin—at least thirty pounds lighter than the rest of his men. Little man syndrome practically oozed from his skin. “And what would the general have to say about that?”
He licked his lips and glanced nervously to his right and then left before answering. “He’s a military man; he’d understand I was defending my life.”
“And you really think your life is worth more to him than mine? I’m the key. Without me, Project Mayhem will vanish right along with his access to unlimited power. You really think a peon like you is worth that?”
No, it wasn’t. She could see the truth in his expression.
A tall brawny soldier elbowed his way in front of the would-be leader, his broad square jaw lifted with confidence. “The general said alive, not uninjured. Put the grenade down and I won’t put a bullet in your arm.” His rifle hung loosely at his side, he obviously thought he had a good bluff in.
And he might have if she actually wanted to live.
But right now, there was one feeling surging past the agony of losing her love and that was the fearless determination for revenge. The one thing that General Ranier couldn’t afford to lose was her, and she was about to take that option away permanently.
Caroline pulled the pin and chunked the grenade, her feet planted firmly. “Too bad I’m not worried about your bullets.”
