“Shut up!” The other man spat out angrily. “You know what he said. We do not surrender.”
He’s referring to Sanchez.
And it was obvious he was more afraid to face his cartel leading boss than a literal firing squad. Given the love for torture and pain men like Sanchez were known to possess, Jagger wasn’t all that surprised.
The guy on the left wasn’t anywhere near ready to surrender. His friend, however…yeah, he was damn close to giving in.
It was there, in his eyes. The way they bounced frantically between Talia and the others. His wavering resolve was plain as day as his chin quivered and the grip on his rifle began to loosen.
“That’s it.” Talia’s right foot moved forward in a slow, cautious step. “Just set it down and nobody gets hurt.”
“Don’t do it!” The idiot on the left warned.
Jagger followed that with a calm, “Just do like the lady said and put your weapon down nice and easy. There ya go.” He followed the man’s movements very closely. “That’s it. Just set it down right there, by your feet.”
“Damn it, Rafi, don’t!” The other man shouted. “You know what he will do to us if we are caught!”
Rafi ignored his friend and started to bend. Once they had him secured, it was only a matter of minutes before they’d convince his buddy to do the same.
It was almost over. The shipment of illegal weapons was all but seized. But just as his fingers were about to release the deadly rifle, a fish splashed in the water behind him.
A single, random act of Mother Nature. That’s all it took for the scene to go from under control to holy shit.
The splash startled Rafi, making him spin back on reflex to see what it was. As he swung around, the rifle still gripped in his hand moved with him.
A shot rang out. Rafi’s head jerked from the bullet’s force. Thick, red blood began to ooze from the fresh wound in the center of his forehead.
What the hell?
Jagger’s wide eyes flew to the only remaining target. His gut churned with an instant, powerful dread. He knew what was about to happen. Could see it all playing out in his mind’s eye.
As if bringing the unavoidable events to fruition, several things happened at once.
The barrel of Talia’s M16—which had slid slightly to her right, in the direction of the man who’d just been shot—started to slide back toward the remaining target.
One second, the man had been staring down at the dead guy lying at his feet one second. And the next, his murderous gaze had swung back up to them.
The rifle in his hands was still pointed straight at Talia’s chest.
“Don’t fucking do it!” Jagger shouted, putting the man in his sights.
The target’s finger started to pull the trigger.
Jagger took the shot, killing the man in an instant.
But another round had blasted through the air at that exact same time. And when he realized whose gun had also been fired?—
No!
He watched in horror as Talia’s body jerked from the force of the now-dead target’s bullet. It struck her chest dead-center, the force of the impact throwing her off her feet and into the air.
Jagger was already running the small distance between them as she landed hard against the asphalt, her head bouncing twice before he was there.
“Talia!” He went to her, dropping straight down to his knees.
She was lying so still. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn’t moving.
“Did the vest catch it?” Christian rushed to his side.
