Chapter 22

Otto started the snowmobile.

“C’mon, Xena,” Sarah said, scooting back to clear a spot on the seat. “Up.”

The dog tucked her tail, looking unhappy, but she obediently hopped onto the sled. Sarah wrapped her arms around Xena as Otto slowly accelerated, turning the sled around and heading back toward Gordon’s house. He kept the snowmobile’s speed low, for which Sarah was grateful. Without the adrenaline of the chase, the wind whipping by them felt even colder.

It seemed like an eternity before the workshop and house came into view. Sarah had never been so tired in her entire life. Her head kept bobbing forward, only the cold and the fear of toppling off the side of the sled keeping her in place. Otto slowed as they approached the place where Blessard had fallen. Sarah was torn. Even though she knew they couldn’t leave him out here to freeze to death, he’d betrayed them. She didn’t want to even look at the lieutenant, much less drag him into the bunker with them.

Sarah didn’t hear the sound at first, with the buzz of the snowmobile filling her head. Gradually, though, it got louder—the thump-thump she was going to hear in her nightmares. Her arms tightened around Xena as she looked up, scanning the sky, terrified of what she would see.

“Otto!” she yelled when she spotted the bright lights of the helicopter hovering above them.

With a terse nod, he sped up and turned south. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Sarah thought desperately. If the helicopter would only follow them, then Gordon’s property might not be bombed. The bunker would likely withstand a blast, just like Otto’s had, but the workshop certainly would not. She clutched Xena tighter, willing the snowmobile to go faster.

Wind whipped around them as the helicopter flew lower. Otto wove back and forth, heading across the yard and toward a wooded area east of the house. There was a loud, fast thump-thump-thump, and the snow kicked up around them.

Someone in the helicopter was shooting at them.

As the realization hit, Sarah hunched over Xena, trying to cover as much of the dog as possible. Otto turned abruptly, swerving and dodging in no discernable pattern. The small part of Sarah’s brain that hadn’t been consumed by terror assumed that Otto was in defensive mode now, and evading bullets was his only goal.

Sarah peered around Xena and Otto, blinking as wind and kicked-up snow immediately made her eyes water. If they could get into the trees, that would provide some cover. They could cross the property and ram through the boundary fence, leading the helicopter away. It wasn’t a good long-term plan, but it would keep everyone safe for a little while, at least.

There was a movement in front of them, catching Sarah’s attention. The door of the outhouse bunker entrance swung open. No! Go back inside! her brain screamed as a tiny figure appeared. There was only one person that small who’d been in the bunker.

Dee.

Dread and horror squeezed all the air out of Sarah’s lungs as she saw Dee walk out of safety and into danger, holding something bulky in her arms.

“Dee!” Sarah screamed, not knowing if she was yelling at the little girl or warning Otto. Dee didn’t react, but Otto shouted, “I see her!”

He turned, hard to the right, making a tight half-circle and flying back the way they’d come. Instead of heading toward the workshop, he steered the sled back to the open expanse they’d just left—away from Dee. He zigzagged back and forth, trying to dodge the bullets, and Sarah leaned into each turn. A strange calmness settled over her. There was no way to get out of this now. She couldn’t throw a knife at a helicopter and bring it down.

The helicopter circled around in front of them, the light shining directly on them like a spotlight. It felt like they were in the laser sights of a gun. There was no way that the shooter could miss them now, no matter how many turns Otto made. At least they’d led Aaron’s men away from Dee and the animals and the rest of the people in the bunker. Hopefully, they’d be okay.

Something flew over them, barely clearing their heads. Otto stiffened, and Sarah stared at it—whatever it was. It appeared to be a tiny plane, but that didn’t make any sense. Sarah was sure that her fear and the dim lighting was messing with her perception.

“What is that?” Sarah yelled.

“Not sure!” Otto didn’t slow but continued driving toward the object. It rose higher, flying directly toward the huge black beast of a helicopter. Otto banked left, turning again, giving them a tiny bit of breathing room before the helicopter caught up with them again. The tiny plane-like object trailed behind. When Otto steered right, the helicopter followed. The small flying object lifted higher, allowing the bulk of the helicopter to pass under it. As soon as it passed the main rotor, the little plane darted down—right into the tail rotor. There was a loud clattering sound, like a bolt caught in a high-powered fan, and Sarah hunched instinctively again. The helicopter sounded different, and she risked a look up and back. The remains of the tiny plane fell from the tail, where the rotor hung, useless and mangled. The helicopter started to turn, spinning in place like a top. It swung in crazy loops, heading toward the ground—and getting closer and closer to them.

The wind whipped the snow into a blinding blizzard around them. Sarah squeezed her eyes closed and tucked her head down. The snowmobile shot forward.

“Hold on!” Otto shouted, his words barely audible over the noise. The helicopter sounded so close that Sarah didn’t want to look. She knew it was almost on top of them.

The sled flew, skimming over the snow so fast it felt like they were hovering above the ground. Sarah turned her head. She had to look. It had to be worse to feel the helicopter coming down on top of them without seeing it.

It wasn’t. Seeing the huge shape spinning over them, its main rotor moving so fast it was just a circular blur, was horribly, indescribably worse than just imagining it. Sarah screamed—at least, she thought she did, sound lost over the roaring wind and the engine and the thumping blades.

The helicopter spun in drunken circles right above them, dropping lower and lower until Sarah ducked, feeling as if it was close enough to graze the top of her head. The noise was terrible—shrieking and groaning and thumping—as the machine tumbled toward the earth.

The snowmobile went faster and faster, flying weightlessly across the snow as the helicopter turned in endless circles right above their heads. It tipped, the tail touching down first, hitting the ground right behind them with a boom loud enough to rival the bombs. It swiveled on the ground, whipping around toward them as it toppled over onto its side, the main rotor digging into the earth as it tried to keep spinning. The helicopter turned, the broken tail swinging toward them like a shattered baseball bat, and Sarah screamed again, not able to look away. The snowmobile engine shrieked as Otto pushed it to its highest speed.

They flew. There was no other way for Sarah to describe it. Like a stone from a slingshot, they crested a small hill and rocketed through the air, snow flying around them. The runners hit the ground with a bounce, and the sled shot forward again, earthbound this time.

Gasping for breath, Sarah looked at Otto’s back and Xena and her own snow-covered self. How could they still be alive? How were they not crushed by the downed helicopter? It had been so close to them—how had it missed?

Twisting around, Sarah looked behind her at the wreckage. The helicopter was on its side, the main rotor detached, flung far across the yard.

“Otto!” Sarah shouted, delight rising in her as she realized that they’d survived. Death had been so close, so sure, but they’d somehow managed to outrun it. Keeping one arm locked around Xena, she grabbed a handful of Otto’s coat. “You’re amazing! I love you and your driving skills!”

He slowed, looping around so that they were facing the downed helicopter. As soon as they stopped, Sarah kneeled on the seat, reaching over Xena to hug Otto’s shoulders. He wrapped his arms over hers.

“I can’t believe it,” she cried, staring at the wreckage as she squeezed him tighter. “Did I mention that you’re an excellent driver?”

His laugh boomed out, shaking his body, and Sarah clung to him, basking in the feel of him, of his joy and sheer alive-ness. So many times, she’d thought they were going to die, but they’d made it through. All of them had survived the horrible, endless night.

The helicopter cabin opened, and someone stumbled out, slogging through the snow toward them. Another person was slumped over the controls, either unconscious or dead. As Sarah watched, she saw the man who’d emerged from the helicopter reach into his jacket and pull out a pistol.

“Gun!” Sarah shouted, releasing Otto. She sat back down and wrapped her arms around Xena. As Otto sped up, Sarah twisted around to look at the man. He stopped and lifted the gun, and Sarah could finally see him clearly.

It was Aaron.

Blood streaked his face, but he was smiling as he aimed. Her own brother was about to shoot her with a smile on his face. Otto pushed down on the accelerator, but it wasn’t going to be fast enough. Sarah knew they were still within range of Aaron’s gun. He loved target shooting, and he was good at it. Her brother was not going to miss. Sarah felt a shot of pure fury jolt through her. She and Otto had gone through so much, survived despite the craziest odds, and now she was going to die because her brother was a dickhead?

Oh, hell, no.

“Fuck you, Aaron!” she yelled. “Fuck you and your stupid rules and your stupid fucking face! I’m going to live! I’m going to live, and it’s not going to be with you in your prison!”

That startled him. She saw his head jerk up before he took aim again. It wasn’t enough of a hesitation, though. They were still too close to the crazy man with a gun—and good aim.

There was a roar. Sarah didn’t know how else to describe it. It sounded like a whole bunch of very angry people, all shouting together. When she saw the crowd stampeding toward Aaron, Sarah laughed with amazement and delight. That was, in fact, exactly what it was.

Jules and Theo and Viggy, Hugh and Lexi and Grace—with her crossbow—were rushing toward Aaron. Mort and Gordon and Steve were also there, and Ty and Tio and Sam and even little Dee bringing up the rear. They trampled through the snow, the dogs surging ahead, all three barking with the excitement of the chase.

“Look!” she yelled to Otto, slapping him excitedly on the shoulder. “It’s the villagers! And they’re pissed!”

Otto slowed the sled abruptly, circling around to head back toward the downed helicopter. Aaron, his face switching from smug glee to horror, turned and started to run across the snowy field. The crowd of people followed, quickly closing the distance between them and a fleeing Aaron.

As Otto steered the snowmobile toward her brother, Sarah whooped. “I love this town!”

Aaron hit a deep drift and stumbled, floundering through the knee-high snow. Aaron had just made it through and was beginning to speed up again when Viggy reached him. The dog’s mouth closed on Aaron’s right forearm and jerked it down. The gun toppled out of his grip as Viggy pulled Aaron to the ground, the dog’s tail waving wildly with excitement. The crowd closed around Aaron.

“Hurry!” Sarah said, bouncing in the seat with impatience as they headed back toward the action. “We’re missing it!”

“Bloodthirsty,” Otto called back to her, but from the tiny bit of his profile that she could see, it was obvious that he was grinning. Reaching up, she squeezed his arm. It was the closest she could come to a hug on a moving snowmobile with a big dog between them.

By the time they’d pulled up to the crowd, Aaron was lying on his belly with his arm cranked behind him and Theo’s knee on his back.

Sarah jumped off the snowmobile and wobbled as her legs threatened to collapse underneath her. Otto stood and grabbed her arms to steady her. She gave him a shaky smile. “We made it.”

“Yeah.” That slow smile was extra precious now. “We did.”

“Thank you, Theo. I’ll take him now. Okay, everyone. Back up! Give us some room.”

The sound of Lieutenant Blessard’s voice chilled Sarah’s blood, and she froze, her relieved smile slipping off her face. Her gaze met Otto’s, and the horror in his expression reflected her own.

“No!” she and Otto chorused. He moved faster than her, his long strides plowing through the snow more quickly than she could manage. Blessard had moved everyone else back. He stood apart from the small crowd, holding Aaron’s arm—Aaron’s uncuffed arm. Her brother turned to look at her, and he smiled…a cold, cruel, bone-chilling smile.

“Blessard is dirty!” Otto shouted, sprinting toward the lieutenant. “He’s Blanchett’s man!”

Theo and Hugh looked stunned for a split second before they were lunging for Blessard. It was too late. Aaron grabbed the lieutenant’s gun from the holster. Yanking it out, he aimed it at Sarah.

Everyone stopped moving.

“Alice.” Aaron’s voice broke the silence. Despite his bloody, messed-up appearance, his voice sounded just the same as it always had. “Come here.”

She couldn’t. She wouldn’t. After having a taste of freedom, there was no way she could return to whatever hell he had planned for her. Swallowing hard, she stared at the gun in his hand and forced out one word. “No.”

“No?” He smirked, and Sarah’s stomach twisted. She’d forgotten that Aaron always got his way. Xena growled softly, and Sarah put a hand on the dog’s head to quiet her. There was no reason that Xena had to die today, too. Bracing herself for the shot, she stared at her brother, refusing to close her eyes. If he wanted to kill her, then he was going to have to look her right in the face when he did it.

When he suddenly moved, she flinched, but there was no bang, no impact, no pain. He hadn’t shot her. Her immediate relief evaporated when she saw where Aaron was pointing the gun now: right at Otto.

“Don’t!” The word was ripped from her as she stumbled forward. “I’ll go with you.” She’d rather die than return to Aaron, but she’d do anything to let Otto live.

“Sarah, no! Run!” Otto shouted hoarsely, his gaze fixed on her rather than the gun pointed at his head.

She just shook her head and mouthed I love you as she walked toward Aaron. The look in Otto’s eyes was so haunted that she had to look away. She stared at Aaron as she got closer, letting him see all the hatred she held for him in her expression. A strange look flashed over his face for just a moment before his sneer returned.

As soon as she got close enough, he yanked her forward, turning her so that her back was against his front and his arm was hooked around her neck. He pressed the gun to her temple. Xena barked and snarled, making Aaron scramble back several steps, pulling Sarah with him. The painful pressure on her throat, the struggle to breathe, was horribly familiar. How silly she’d been to think she could escape this. She let out a hopeless, airless sob, and Xena charged.

“Xena, no!” Sarah cried, terrified that Aaron would shoot the dog. Otto caught Xena by the collar. His arm strained from the effort of holding her back.

“Let’s go.” Without waiting for a response, Aaron moved sideways toward the snowmobile, dragging Sarah along with him.

“Think about what you’re doing,” Gordon said, surprising her. “This is how you fall.” He stared at Sarah, and she blinked at him, trying to figure out what was going on. Why was Gordon giving life advice to her brother? “First thing to do when you get yourself into a hole is stop digging.”

Fall? Hole? The way he’d emphasized the words caught Sarah’s attention, but why was Gordon talking about holes, of all things, right now?

Realization hit her so suddenly that her body jerked.

“Watch it,” Aaron growled, pressing the muzzle harder against her skull.

“Don’t, Xena!” she shouted, and Aaron dragged her backward several steps. He stopped when he saw that Otto still had a grip on the dog’s collar, and Xena wasn’t even pulling against him.

“Whatever you’re doing, knock it off,” Aaron growled, tightening his arm. For a few terrifying seconds, Sarah couldn’t breathe. She tried to ignore the pressure on her lungs as she met Otto’s eyes.

“Wait.” Otto took a step forward. “Let’s talk about this.”

Aaron jerked Sarah back, farther away from Otto. “Come a step closer, and I will shoot her.”

Otto hesitated before moving forward again a single step, causing Theo to grab his arm to hold him back.

“I said, stay there!” As he stepped back, Aaron pulled the gun from Sarah’s temple and pointed it at Otto.

“No!” She bit Aaron’s forearm hard, clamping her teeth into his flesh. His bellow of pain gave her grim satisfaction. Releasing her grip, she twisted in his loosened hold until she was facing him. “If I’m dying, then so are you.” She threw herself forward, using her weight to drive him backward that final, critical step.

“What—?” His foot hit empty air, and his face flattened with shock. He started to topple backward, pulling Sarah with him, and she squeezed her eyes closed and pictured Otto’s beautiful face. Aaron released her, his arms flailing out to the sides to catch his balance, but it was too late. They were already falling.

Until Sarah wasn’t. Something caught the back of her coat, and she jerked to a stop, dangling above the booby trap. Aaron tumbled down, falling twenty feet before he hit the ground with a solid crunch. She watched as his body bounced, his head snapping forward and back, and then he was still. Deathly still.

She was hauled up, and her view was broken. Frantic hands turned her around and pulled her into a hard, wonderfully familiar chest. Otto clutched her close, breathing roughly but not saying a word. Wrapping her arms around him, this amazingly gentle man she’d thought she’d never see again, she held him just as tightly, just as quietly. She didn’t mind his silence.

After all, that was kind of Otto’s thing.

She smiled, closing her eyes. They’d done it. They’d all survived, and now could live happily ever—

Whump-whump-whump.

Her head jerked up as she searched the sky frantically. “Another one? I thought we got them all!”

“Two was only an estimate,” Theo said as he and Hugh grimly handcuffed a struggling Lieutenant Blessard. “Everyone back in the bunker!”

“No need.” Norman Rounds’s bland voice stopped everyone in their tracks. “It’s the FBI.”

“The FBI?” Theo repeated. “How do you know? And how would they know we needed help?”

“Because I called them.”

“How?” Theo demanded. “All our communications are down.”

“I used Gordon’s ham radio.”

Hugh swore. “I knew you had a ham radio! I knew it!”

“Norman!” Gordon said, turning a dark shade of red. “That is a secret of the brotherhood. I can’t believe we trusted you!”

“I can’t believe you had a ham radio and didn’t let us use it to call for help!” Hugh shouted.

“The feds aren’t help!” Gordon yelled back. “They’re just as evil as the rest of them—more, even!”

Everyone started arguing as the helicopter got louder. Fighting the urge to bolt, Sarah watched the chopper carefully as it closed in. It did look bigger. The light placement was different, and it was a lighter color. She didn’t completely relax, however, until it landed in the field next to the workshop and a half-dozen people wearing jackets with FBI on the backs poured out of it.

Finally, she leaned against Otto, and he wrapped his arms around her. She felt safe and warm for the first time that night. This was it. Her life in Texas was over. Now, she was truly free.