Page 84 of Rescued

She worked the radio just like he’d shown her. It was already set to the channel Quentin had sent with the coordinates.

Quentin was saying, “Breanna? I know you can hear me. Tell your pilot to land.”

She licked her lips. “You heard what I said on the phone. I want to see Kimberly. Bring her out into the middle of the field, between your vehicles and the landing pad. With lights. I want to make sure it’s really her.”

There was a pause. “Fine,” Quentin said.

Three figures moved out into the open area between the helicopter and the vehicles. Electric lanterns shone on the one in the middle—a woman, with her hands bound.

Kimberly.

Breanna let out a sigh of relief, and gave Switch a nod. It’s her, she mouthed, so Quentin couldn’t hear.

He nodded back and set down the helicopter, powering down the rotor.

He muted the headset mic and got out his gun, checking the ammo. “Remember the briefing,” he said. “Give them the stuff, grab Kimberly, and go. I’ll have you covered the whole time.”

“Don’t forget me,” Boomer said. “I’m right here.”

“I know.”

Switch added, “And fuck Thanatos and his transponder. If activating it seems dangerous, don’t. We can get Moreno some other way.”

“Okay.” She leaned over and kissed him.

He held her to him for a second, and then said, “Fuck. Let’s do this.”

Breanna knew it was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done, and her heart broke for him, even though she was filled with pride that he trusted her to pull it off.

She got out, staying close to the helicopter until Switch moved over to the door so he could keep her covered.

Then she walked out, alone, to meet Quentin Moreno.

Chapter 35

There was about thirty feet between Breanna and the spot where Quentin stood with Kimberly. She could see his smug, arrogant face in the light from the lantern, as he held firmly to Kimberly’s arm. He had one minion dressed in SWAT-type clothes on her other side—one gun trained on Kimberly, one on Breanna.

That made her almost stop breathing. The vest will stop a bullet, she told herself. And Boomer’s brother said no one with any brains would go for a head shot at any distance, in the dark. Best choice is the largest body mass. That’s why vests work.

She couldn’t believe she found that comforting, but it was.

She walked to within about ten feet of them and said, “Bring Kimberly to me. Leave your guy where he is.”

Quentin snapped, “Bring me the documents, or my guy will shoot her.”

They’d told Breanna this would probably happen. Quentin wouldn’t leave his security guy, in case Breanna had a gun—or her pilot did. But her going to him was too dangerous.

Breanna said, “Okay, send her to me. I’ll put the envelope on the ground and back off, with her. Once you check out the bonds and make sure they’re there, everybody walks away.”

Quentin hesitated, then said, “Agreed.” He said something to Kimberly, shaking her, and then shoved her forward.

Breanna held her breath as Kimberly walked over, hands bound, stumbling a little on the rough ground. When she got there, Breanna gave her a hug. “I’m so glad to see you,” she whispered. “Are you okay?”

Kimberly nodded, her hair half-covering her face. “Just give him the envelope. Please.” Before Breanna could activate the transponder, Kimberly grabbed the envelope out of her hands and tossed it towards Quentin. It landed on the ground between them.

Damn. Okay. Breanna guided Kimberly slightly to the side so they wouldn’t be in Switch’s line of fire if he had to shoot.

Quentin gestured to another one of his men to come forward and pick up the envelope, and bring it to him. Quentin opened the envelope and pulled out the documents. While his minion held a lantern and the SWAT guy kept Breanna and Kimberly covered, he looked over the documents carefully, even getting out a magnifying glass, and rubbing his fingers over the seals.