Breaking Away (Delta Force Strong #3) - Elle James Page 0,34
a pulse indicated he was still alive. Mac secured the man’s hands with his own belt. Then tearing a piece of fabric from the soldier’s loose-fitting outfit, Mac stuffed that wad into his mouth, effectively gagging him, in case he woke before Mac got Kylie out of there.
“We’ve got more coming,” Kylie said. “We’re far outnumbered. Any plans for getting out of here alive?” she asked.
Mac shook his head. “Not one.” If all four of them left the protection of the boulder, they’d be spotted. Even with two fewer soldiers, they still outnumbered Mac and Blade ten to two. They could attempt to pick them off, one by one until the others got smart and came at them from another direction. Hell, if they circled and came at them from behind, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Between what ammo we brought with us and the additional weapons we just acquired,” Blade said, “we can make it sound like there are more than two of us. Maybe we can scare them off.”
“And when the ammunition runs out?” Mac asked.
Blade shrugged. “It was a thought.”
“Or we could create a diversion,” Kylie offered in hushed tones. “Any way we can blow up their vehicle?”
Mac’s mouth twisted. “One of us would have to get there without being detected.”
“I’ll go,” Blade said.
Mac shook his head. “You’re better at hand-to-hand combat. You’re more likely to take down one of these guys without all the noise of firing a weapon. I’m better at making a lot of noise.” Mac pulled Kylie into his embrace and brushed a kiss across her lips. “I’m going.”
She held onto his hand. “No.”
“I’ll draw their attention away from here. Then I’ll work my way back to their truck and find a way to make a statement. When their attention I diverted, get back to Josh and the SUV.”
“Please,” Kylie whispered. “Be careful.”
He nodded. “I will be. But I have to do this.” After a quick kiss, he left them and eased out from behind the boulder.
At that moment another Taliban soldier appeared, shining his light at a different outcropping.
Mac clamped his arm around the man’s neck and cut off the air to his windpipe to keep him from calling out to his comrades.
Instinctively, the man dropped his rifle and flashlight and grabbed at the arm around his neck with both hands.
Tightening his hold, Mac dragged him back behind the boulder.
Blade was there to gag he man and took over. He secured him, tying his wrists and ankles. “Go,” Blade urged. “It won’t be long before the others find us here.
Mac left, swinging wide of the line of men with flashlights combing the hillside for Kylie and Musa. He hurried downward, formulating a plan as he went. A couple times on the way down, he chucked a rock toward some of the searchers, making them think they were getting close to their quarry, when, in fact, they were led in the opposite direction.
Most of the man were in the hills. A couple had remained at the truck, guarding it with their AK-47s. But they were looking up at the men conducting the search.
They didn’t see Mac as he circled around and came up from behind. The truck doors hung open. He thought about lighting a rag and sticking it in the gas tank, but he didn’t have a match or lighter to create a flame.
As the two men stood near the front of the vehicle, their backs to him, Mac slipped into the driver’s seat. Taking a deep breath, he twisted the key in the ignition, praying it would start on the first try. He wouldn’t get another chance.
The engine turned over and engaged.
The two men in front of him spun, their eyes wide.
Mac pointed his gun out the window and fired at them, forcing them to dive to the ground. At the same time he shifted into first gear and stomped on the accelerator. The doors on each side slammed shut as the vehicle leaped forward.
The men on the ground rolled to get out of the way of the oncoming truck. By the time they got up, Mac had the truck heading toward a rocky escarpment at full speed.
Bullets slammed through the back windshield, spraying glass into the cab.
Mac ducked low and kept going, increasing the speed as he bumped over rough terrain.
At the last moment, he gunned the accelerator, flung open the driver’s door and threw himself out. Hitting the ground hard, he tucked his arms and legs and rolled away from