Breaking Away (Delta Force Strong #3) - Elle James Page 0,35

the racing vehicle.

The truck slowed as soon as his foot left the accelerator, but not soon enough to stop it from crashing into the bluff.

A moment later, the gas ignited, shooting a column of flame into the sky.

Mac lay for a moment in the ravine, knowing that if he stood, he would be silhouetted against the fire and make an easy target for the Taliban. And if all went according to his plan, they would be heading toward him and away from Kylie and the others.

Low-crawling to the top of the ditch he’d landed in, he blinked to adjust his night vision after being blinded by the light of the flame still burning behind him.

For a moment, he could see nothing but blackness. But as he studied the hillside he’d come down from, he could see the silhouettes of men hurrying back down to investigate the crash of their only mode of transportation.

He let go of the breath he’d been holding. His plan to distract them had worked. Before he could break his arm patting his own back, he realized he would soon be surrounded by Taliban soldiers.

With the bluff behind him, he didn’t have many avenues of escape. He could really use a miracle to get him out of the situation alive.

As the roar of the fire faded, Mac could hear another sound that gave him hope…the thumping rumble of rotors beating the air grew louder.

Mac looked to the sky. Two Black Hawk helicopters sped toward them.

Could it be possible his team had found them?

A miracle he’d needed. Now one winged its way toward him.

All he had to do was stay alive long enough for the people in that chopper to rescue him from the bloodthirsty men converging on the crashed vehicle and his position.

He crawled along the shallow ravine, heading away from the fire, staying low to the ground.

As the chopper neared, the Taliban soldiers slowed and looked up at the sky.

“That’s right,” Mac murmured to himself. “Focus on them, not me. They’re bringing a whole lot of whoop ass on your heads.”

At least he hoped that was why they were there and not on their way to another engagement.

One moment he could see the choppers in the sky, the next they’d disappeared.

His hope for a rescue drained.

If he wanted to live, he had to save his own ass.

Chapter 11

Kylie followed Mac until he disappeared, praying that wouldn’t be the last time she saw him alive.

Then she turned to guard her side of the boulder. She didn’t have a knife or the same kind of strength to subdue a man without creating a whole lot of noise. Yes, she knew Krav Maga, but those techniques were defensive. She would have to go into offensive mode to protect Musa and Blade.

As she waited for whatever diversion Mac had in mind, she spotted the blink of a flashlight headed toward her side of the boulder.

Kylie tensed and prepared to shoot rather than be shot. Pulling the trigger had been what got her into this mess in the first place. But, like the first time, it was kill or be killed. Blade and Musa relied on her to protect them.

Raising her rifle, she aimed at the figure heading her way, holding her fire until absolutely certain it was the only alternative.

As the man inched forward, Kylie drew in a deep breath an held it, sighting her weapon on her target, her finger moving from the trigger guard to the trigger, resting lightly on the cool metal.

Then a loud crash was followed by a burst of flame lighting the sky.

The man in front of her spun toward the commotion. Moments later, he ran back the way he’d come, heading for the fire and away from Kylie, Blade and Musa.

Kylie released the breath she’d been holding and removed her finger from the trigger, slumping over the rifle.

What had Mac managed to explode in his successful diversion? And had he managed to get out of the way in time?

“Come on, now’s our time to get away.” Blade bent to loop Musa’s arm over his shoulder. “The Taliban area headed toward the explosion.”

“What about Mac?” Kylie asked. Now that they could leave, she didn’t want to.

“He’ll find his way back,” Blade said. “He’s a cat with a lot of lives left to live.” He started up the hill. “Cover me until we get over that ridge.”

Because she couldn’t abandon Blade and Musa, Kylie followed, backing up the hill, aiming her rifle downward in case some