It’d taken a few hours to convince them of their plight and get them to agree to leave. He’d had to go as far as pulling out pictures of Phoebe and telling them what had happened. There were a few people resistant to the idea of abandoning their project. When Rafe pulled out a gun, put it up in their face, and told them pulling the trigger would be a lot less painful than what was going to happen to them if they stayed, they’d had a change of heart.

There was no doubt he’d crossed the line. It wasn’t the first time and sure as heck wouldn’t be the last. Most people had no clue what dangers were lurking out there. They liked to go along their merry way with blinders on. It was his job to smack them on the back of the head and wake their naïve tails up. If they live, they can thank me later.

What they did rarely came with thank yous. Their work usually revolved around some act no one ever wanted to think about or talk about again. Their thanks came in the knowledge that people made it back to their families alive. We give them a chance they may not have if they wait for the authorities to arrive.

“Last group heading down to board the chopper.”

One more to go. Us. “Roger.” Rafe was glad to have Gabe’s eyes in the sky supervising their exit while what remained of the team on the ground stood ready and armed. This wasn’t the best scenario, having the chopper pick up a load and head to the airport. Each trip became more dangerous than the previous one. They could fly low, but they drew attention no matter what.

“Rafe, another vehicle is leaving the village. Those rebels are armed, and it looks like they’re heading toward the airport,” David informed.

Snap. The chopper should make it there before those jerks, but there wouldn’t be much time to spare. “As soon as they are all on that plane, get them the heck out of here,” Rafe barked to Gabe.

“But—”

“Do it, Gabe.” It’d take the chopper more than an hour to get back to them. And doing so would make it a target in the sky. They each knew what that meant. They had to get as far away from the camp and village as they could from this point on. They weren’t just doing the watching. They were being watched. “We’ll send you rendezvous coordinates once we have them.”

“Snap.”

That wasn’t what Rafe wanted to hear. It meant Gabe noticed something he hadn’t yet shared.

“Two more vehicles just pulled out.”

“The airport?” David asked.

“Negative. Hauling wheels your way. Get the heck out of there,” Gabe said, his voice filled with valid concern.

Rafe still had the high ground. Someone needed to cover their six. “David, get your team out of here. I’ll hold them off.”

“The heck I’m leaving you,” David replied.

“That was an order!”

“Rafe, you can’t hold them all off. I’m staying,” David said. Their earpiece echoed with the rest of the team following suit.

He wanted to argue, but that would only delay their preparation. If they timed it right, they might be able to pull it off. They were seriously outnumbered and would be fighting people who knew the terrain. But they’d been in worse. Heck Tabiq was a freaking crap-show, and we made it out. That didn’t mean he liked cutting it this close. Not with his family in the line of fire too. Rafe knew without them covering him, he didn’t have a chance of getting out of there.

Since they weren’t leaving, they needed a plan. One that hopefully gets us all out of here. “David, you and your guys take out as many as you can in the vehicles. Once they’re on the ground, we’ll need to move quickly.

“Roger. Where are we headed?”

Rafe was tempted to make their way back to that cavern, but he knew those woods would be crawling with more men just waiting. They had to backtrack. That took them farther from the border, but it was the best option. “Fall back. We need to make our way over that other ridge. Gabe, get that chopper there.”

“Roger,” Gabe answered.

Rafe peered through his scope, watching the vehicles. As they were about to turn the bend right before the entrance of the now-vacant camp, shots rang out. David and his team had opened fire, and the first vehicle veered to the right then flipped, causing it to roll over into a ravine. Rafe watched as one of the men crawled out with his rifle in hand and pulled a second man free. Both looked shaken but not injured. That’s about to change.

This distance was pushing it for range, and he had no doubt David could’ve made the shot easily, but Rafe didn’t need to kill them, just stop their progression. Taking aim, he eased his finger on the trigger and pulled. He saw the first man grab his leg and fall. The second man stepped behind a tree. Rafe wasn’t taking his eyes off him. The clock was ticking, and Rafe would be happy if the jerk stayed where he was. It was just a matter of buying enough time for the chopper to arrive.

The snake must’ve gotten tired of waiting and after several minutes he started peeking his head out from behind the tree. There was no way he knew Rafe was lingering, waiting to finish the job. Rafe had been doing this junk a long time. The guy might be thinking he was taunting Rafe into revealing his position, but that wasn’t ever going to happen. I’ve got all day, or until the chopper gets here.

“We’re clear. Where the heck are you, Rafe?” David asked.

Rafe tapped his earpiece once. “ETA on that chopper?”

“Thirty minutes,” Gabe replied.

Dang it. Rafe knew if he joined the others they’d lose their high ground advantage. He needed to hold his position. That meant Rafe need to continue his cat and mouse game a while longer. Rafe contemplated putting a bullet in the jerk’s head to be done with it. If the threat changed, he’d do what he needed to. Now, it was a matter of who had more patience.

Rafe adjusted his position slightly and as he did, that jerk waved his hand as though calling out for someone. Rafe widened his search area. Sure enough, there were several men farther down the road, making their way closer. There was nothing Rafe could do but wait. Eventually, they’d be within range. Hopefully, the chopper will be here before then.

“Chopper ten minutes out.”

“Roger.” The others had joined the man who’d been toying with him from behind the tree. They seemed to be debating if anyone was still up on the ridge watching them, or if they were clear to move forward. One by one they stepped out and moved a bit closer. Each time they became more confident. It didn’t take long for them to stop hiding all together and boldly approach the base of the camp with guns drawn.

Come on. Just a little closer. There were four of them, but once they were out in the open, the game changed entirely. Rafe’s hope to wound and not kill changed to stop the savages anyway he could.

Two of the four were in the clearing, and the other two lingered behind. Had they sensed his intentions? He had a clear shot, but not knowing where the other two had disappeared to concerned him. Once he started shooting, they definitely would know his location. Giving up that advantage wasn’t something he could risk, yet with each step two of them were becoming dangerously close.

Rafe could hear Gabe’s chatter in his ear. Reaching up, he tapped it once, breaking the connection. It wasn’t useful information, only nagging him to get his boots to the chopper. It was easy for Gabe to provide his opinion; he’d never been in the field. There were times you had to go with your gut rather than your practical training or what some computer was telling you.

Rolling over while holding his rifle, he repositioned himself, hoping a different angle might give him a view of the missing two men. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Time was running out. It was do-or-die time. He had to go for it. At least there will be two fewer scumbags on this earth.

Pulling the trigger, he dropped the first one and followed up with the second without hesitation. He heard shots ring out and felt chips of bark fall from the tree near him. They had his location, but he didn’t have theirs.

Rafe lowered his head to the ground, holding tight, waiting for a break in rounds. As he did, he heard the unmistakable sound of an M-16 going off as well. The bullets seemed to have stopped coming in his direction for the moment. Raising his head, he found his target, took aim, and brought another one to the ground. The last man was rushing toward Rafe when he heard the shot and saw him fall next to his cohort.

Rafe scanned the area one last time, and there were no signs of any other men approaching. He tapped on his earpiece and said, “I thought I told you to wait over the ridge.”

David said, “Couldn’t let you have all the fun.”

Rafe leaped from the ground, and with his rifle in hand, he booked it up over the next ridge. He could see the chopper ready for takeoff. Normally, he’d watch over his shoulder, but he knew his men had him covered.

One of the men grabbed his wrist and pulled him onboard. “Good thing you made it. I was gonna be mad as a hornet if I had to miss Sunday dinner again.”

Rafe laughed. They might all be veterans, but most of them still had someone at home to answer to. A wife.

Although Rafe would be the first to say he didn’t want one, there was a twinge of jealousy that they had someone waiting for them. A reason to go home.

As the chopper rose high above the trees and cleared the ridge, his team sat in the doorway keeping a close eye out. David said, “Take off your shirt.”

Rafe arched a brow then looked down to see what had caught David’s eye. That’s when he saw his black T-shirt was dripping wet below his ribcage on his left side. When the heck did I get shot? He started to move, but the adrenaline seemed to leave him, replaced by lightheadedness. Snap.

Rafe reached up and tapped his earpiece. He needed to give Gabe a message. This storm wasn’t over, and he needed to make sure she was okay. There was so much he needed to say, but only one word passed his lips before he blacked out. “Deanna.”

---

She couldn’t believe it. When Melissa had offered to help her go deep off the grid, she never imagined she’d help by providing her with an untraceable burner phone. It beat the heck out of being completely out of touch, but she still couldn’t call anyone she knew. That would defeat having this phone.

So when it rang, Deanna was almost afraid to answer it. The only person who knew the number was Melissa, but this wasn’t her number calling. Deanna didn’t know Rafe’s because he’d programmed it into her old phone. If he was calling, there was no way she was answering. Deanna honestly wasn’t in the mood to get yelled at about leaving without asking permission.

When the same number rang for the third time, she couldn’t stand it anymore. “Hello?”

“Is this, Deanna?”

She didn’t recognize the voice any more than the number, so she didn’t answer.

“How about Alice?”

Who the heck is this? As far as she knew only Rafe knew that name and this positively wasn’t him. He was too polite.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” She wasn’t going to admit to being either until she knew who she was dealing with.

“Not officially. I’m Rafe’s brother Gabe.”

It was a name she remembered hearing Phoebe mention several times over the years. He supposedly was very tech savvy. Enough to find me, I bet.

“What can I do for you?” If he was another one trying to get her to talk to Rafe, this was going to be a short call.

“Melissa asked me to call you.”

“Is she okay?” Her heart raced, hoping the trouble that’d been haunting her hadn’t found Melissa. I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to her.

“Yes, she’s fine.”

Thank God. Although that was good news, she had no idea why Melissa would share a number she’d worked so hard to conceal. “So why did she want you to call me instead of calling herself?”

“She didn’t want Rafe to overhear.”

Rafe? Yeah, me either. It was good to know Melissa still seemed to have her back. Someone has to. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait until she’s free to talk.”

“If it could then I wouldn’t be calling you now, would I?”

She heard that little sarcastic tone all the Turchettas seemed to possess. One I can do without. It wasn’t what they said that bothered her so much. Phoebe had that sharp wit as well. Maybe that was why it irked her so much; it reminded her of the private jokes she shared with Phoebe that no one else seemed to get. Something special between the two of them.

Deanna would humor Gabe and listen to whatever so-called important message he needed to deliver. Then she’d explain how she couldn’t be of any assistance. “What does she need me to know?”

“She needs you to go back to Rafe’s house.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” There was no way Melissa would ask her to do such a thing. When Deanna left, they agreed Rafe’s house brought on too much emotion, not just for her, but for Melissa as well.

“She insisted you were the only one who’d be able to help.”

“What exactly does she think I can do?”

“She said for you to return, and she’ll explain everything when you get there.”

He didn’t wait for her to reply before he ended the call. When she tried calling back, it didn’t even ring. Just dead air. Strange. But then again, should I expect anything else from that family?

Deanna paced the hotel room for the next hour, debating whether or not she could comply with Melissa’s request. She wasn’t positive it actually was from Melissa. There was always the possibility the dirt bags who’d threatened her had Melissa and was using her as bait.

Oh, God no! She visualized Melissa tied and gagged in a chair, waiting to be rescued. I wish I’d kept Rafe’s number. He’d know what to do.

Deanna couldn’t call the police, and since Gabe or whoever he really was wouldn’t take her call, she was left with no choice but to do as asked. She once again tossed her clothes into the suitcase. Maybe I’ll stop unpacking. It certainly isn’t working for me.

She went outside and hailed a taxi. Deanna hadn’t gone far, just a few hours away. She wasn’t sure they’d actually drive her that far, but it was worth asking. Everyone has a price.

Sure enough, the driver had one, a steep one too. She didn’t care. Right now, all she wanted was to speak to Melissa, face to face. Then whatever this was could all be cleared up, and everyone could go on their merry way. After a long drive listening to the driver talk about his family, they finally arrived back at Rafe’s home. She paid the man what he’d asked and even tipped him, although he didn’t bother to get out and assist her with her luggage.

Deanna dragged her bag to the door and knocked. There was no answer, so she knocked louder.

“The door’s open.”

She halted, knowing that unfriendly voice. What is he doing here? Deanna turned back toward the taxi, but he’d already pulled away and was out of earshot. Really? Can’t you even stay to make sure I get inside? What a jerk.

Placing her hand on the doorknob, she turned it and found Rafe was correct. It was unlocked. It made sense; who would want to enter if he was there? I know I don’t. But she’d come this far. Finding out what the heck was so important that she needed to come back only made sense.

Deanna left her bag outside, hoping not to stay long. She closed the door behind her and looked around. Nothing seemed different, and Rafe was nowhere to be seen. “Hello?”

“Deanna?” Rafe called out.

“Yes.”

“What the heck are you doing here?” Rafe snapped at her.

Guess this is a surprise to you too. Melissa, what are you up to? Deanna followed his angry voice and found his bedroom door open and him lying inside. His shirt was off, and she could see he was bandaged on his left side. Without hesitation, she rushed over to him and sat on his bed.

“Rafe, what happened?” she asked as her fingers gently ran over the bandage covering his injury. He brushed her hand away, and she feared she hurt him.

“Why are you here?” Rafe asked again as he glared at her.

“Gabe called me.”

Rafe arched a brow. “Gabe? You expect me to believe my brother called you?”

She wasn’t pleased that he was calling her a liar. Her track record might not be great with him, but for the most part, she was an honest person. “Well, really Gabe asked on behalf of Melissa.”

Rafe seemed to relax a bit and shook his head. “I told her I don’t need anyone here.”

“You mean don’t want anyone because, by the looks of it, you do need someone.” She got up from the bed and walked to the door. Before she left the room she turned and added, “If I’m right, that privilege falls on me.” With that she slammed the door behind her.

Although she wasn’t happy to be stuck being his caregiver, any more than he was to have her there, she was glad Gabe had called her. Rafe didn’t say what happened, but by the way his jaw tensed when he moved, she knew he must’ve been shot. Even an angry bear like him needs some TLC once in a while.