Ace’s training ticked through his head fast and sure. “Hold on, Christian.”
He dropped fast.
The second May caught sight of Ace flying the plane above them, she started to fight harder.
“Stop.” Kyle set his stance, barely keeping his balance on the pitching boat. Rain coated him, plastering his clothes to his body. “I’ll shoot you in front of him,” he yelled.
She stopped moving. Her vision blurred for a second.
Ace banked hard, the plane tilting in a tight arc that forced the boat’s wake sideways. The engine roared again as he swung back around.
Peter shouted something she couldn’t hear, shoving the throttle down.
The boat lurched faster.
May forced herself upright, bracing her back against the metal side. The bandage around her mouth muffled her scream, but she didn’t care. She needed them looking at her. Distracted. The river narrowed ahead around a sweeping bend. Sandbars showed pale under the water’s surface. If they hit one at this speed?—
The boat bounced hard. Jack’s body rolled on the bottom.
Peter lost his footing, his arms flying up, and fell.
“Damn it,” Kyle yelled, yanking him up and shoving the gun into his hand. “Watch her.” He moved up to take control of the boat.
Peter grabbed for the side to steady himself.
May drove her shoulder into Peter’s thigh and shoved with everything she had left. His weight was forward, his balance already compromised by the turn. Her bound hands slammed into his hip as she threw her whole body sideways.
Peter’s eyes went wide, and he dropped the gun.
Then he tipped. One boot slid on the wet aluminum. He went over the side of the boat with a splash and a shout.
May fell sideways.
Kyle twisted around at the sound. The boat veered as the tiller jerked in his hand. Then he pivoted, ducking and grabbing the gun.
May lunged again, aiming for his midsection to unbalance him. She slipped and fell back.
The plane roared past, so low it felt like it would clip the treetops.
Kyle released the throttle just long enough to point the gun up to fire. The shot cracked over the water.
May flinched.
Kyle snarled and fired again.
The boat drifted sideways as the engine sputtered with no one working the throttle. May pushed herself upright again, using her shoulder to slam into Kyle’s arm as he aimed upward.
The shot went wild.
“Sit down!” he shouted, grabbing her by the collar of her lab coat.
She bit down hard on the bandage and drove her knee up. It caught him in the thigh, not where she wanted, but enough to make him curse and stagger.
The plane climbed higher, then banked in a wide arc and came downriver ahead of them. Ace was landing.
May’s pulse pounded in her ears.
“You think he can help you?” Kyle hissed, grabbing her hair and yanking her back toward the stern. “He’s not going to get here in time.”
