Page 64 of Under Fire in Big Sky

She touched the bottom.

A dark van pulled nearby, and the side door slid open. She tugged at the harness, unfastening it.

No, no, no.

One of the drones dived down into the canyon.

Eli hurried across the bridge, causing it to sway more violently with each step. He had to get down there and reach her. Couldn’t let her get inside that van.

Staring over the side, Tristan began disengaging the latches securing the apparatus to the bridge.

Eli drew his weapon. “Stop!”

“Are you really going to shoot an unarmed kid, Mr. Easton?” Tristan asked, still working, his hand moving quickly.

“Don’t test me.” Eli shuffled forward, trying to keep his balance and aim steady. “I’ll do it.”

“Nah, I don’t think you will.” Tristan unfastened the last latch and tossed the apparatus over the side.

Gunfire echoed in the canyon at the same time. Eli peered over the side of the bridge.

Someone shot the drone from the sky, and it crashed to the ground. Olivia climbed inside the van, wearing a hood over her head. The door slid closed, and the vehicle sped off.

Smiling, Tristan raised his palms high in the air.

Eli stopped in front of him with his gun pointed at the kid.

“Are you going to pull the trigger, Mr. Easton?”

“I’m going to haul you and your friends into the FBI.” Sweat beaded on Eli’s forehead, dripping into his eyes. “Where you’re going to be questioned until I get her back,” he said, his voice tight and strained with barely suppressed rage.

“I’ve done nothing illegal. She gave her consent to everything. Even the use of Protocol Sunburst.”

“Sunburst?”

“The nonviolent countermeasure in the woods. Designed to keep everyone safe. Nothing illegal about smoke and ponchos.” His grin widened. “She got into the harness and the van of her own free will and I have absolutely no idea where she’s going.” Tristan put his hands on his head and turned around. “There’s a note for you in my back pocket. You should read it.”

A white envelope peeked out of his jeans pocket.

Eli snatched it and took out the note from the unsealed envelope.

Contacting law enforcement would be a violation of parley.

Severe consequences will follow.

For entering the forest, you must pay.

The price for her speedy return?

Get the Aegis NOC list. Nonnegotiable.

A roar built in Eli’s chest, rising in his throat at the words on the note card. His vision tunneled, the world shrinking to the small piece of paper in his hand, the letters swimming in a blood-red haze of pure fury.

Chapter Fourteen

The van came to a stop.

The driver shuffled into the back, where she was sitting, wrists restrained behind her back and a black hood covering her head. He cut her zip ties and pulled off the hood.