to his next worry: Was someone coming after her?
He hoped that Sunny was clever enough to avoid being caught by the surveillance cameras.
“I see her,” Carolyn said. “She’s almost to the trees.”
“It doesn’t appear that anybody is following. Go quick.”
She darted across the last stretch of open field. For tonight’s operation, Carolyn had exchanged her cowboy boots for running shoes. She moved with admirable stealth, standing when she reached the trees.
Through his goggles, he saw the two women meet. Carolyn wrapped her arm around Sunny and pulled her forward. Instead of running, they came toward him slowly.
Still no sign of pursuit.
Burke hurried forward and joined them. Sunny clung to Carolyn’s arm. Her face contorted.
“I could use a little help,” Carolyn said.
“Is she injured?”
“You need to carry her, Burke.”
“What’s wrong?”
“She’s in labor.”
Chapter Thirteen
Burke’s jaw dropped. He froze, standing in the middle of the open field between escape and the Circle M. He’d just warned Carolyn not to do what he was doing. Don’t just stand here like a big, fat target. A successful hostage extraction required stealth and cunning. Not babies.
“In labor,” he said. “Right now?”
“Yes,” Carolyn hissed. Though she was making a valiant effort to hold Sunny upright, the young woman’s knees folded. In slow motion, she sank to the ground, dragging Carolyn with her in a tangle of limbs. Through clenched teeth, Sunny emitted a sound that was something between a creaking door hinge and a feral growl.
“Help her.” Carolyn bounced to her feet and punched him in the arm. “She’s not going to make it to the car by herself.”
He handed his night goggles and gun to Carolyn, then squatted beside Sunny. She gasped and her belly heaved. Her face was pale and round and scared.
He needed to reassure her. “Um, congratulations.”
“Burke,” Carolyn snapped, “pick her up.”
“Right.” He got down close to Sunny. “I’m going to carry you, okay? Can you put your arm around my neck?”
“Yes,” she whispered, “thank you.”
Holding her under the arms and at the knees, he lifted her off the ground. Her weight wasn’t too much; he could easily bench-press two-fifty. But Sunny’s body was awkward—regular-sized arms and legs attached to a ripe watermelon.
From the SOF compound, he heard a shout. A woman’s voice. “Sunny? Where are you, Sunny?”
“It’s Sharon,” Sunny said. “She’s supposed to keep an eye on us at night.”
They needed to make tracks, but he couldn’t exactly break into a sprint with a pregnant woman in his arms. Though this field was flat, the ground was rocky. He didn’t want to stumble.
“How close are the contractions?” Carolyn asked as they lurched forward.
“It wasn’t bad until just a little while ago.”
“There’s nothing to worry about.” Carolyn’s voice was soft and gentle. “Just keep breathing. Try to relax.”
Relax? Was she joking? He wasn’t sure how Sunny felt, but he was operating under red alert panic.
Other voices joined the woman who had been calling Sunny’s name. Other people were looking for her. If the gang at the compound checked their surveillance cameras, they’d know which direction to go. The men would be armed. Burke could already sense the bullet piercing his back.
“Silverman,” he snarled into the darkness. “Neville.”
The two men in full body armor, goggles and helmets rose from their sniper’s nests in the field and jogged silently toward them.
When Sunny saw them, her eyes popped wide. “Oh, my God.”
“It’s okay,” Burke said. “They’re with us.”
“They’re from outer space.” She struggled in his arms. “Am I being abducted by aliens?”
Silverman flipped up his goggles. “I’m a person. See?”
“Settle down.” Burke gave her a shake, hoping her brain would engage. “You’re safe now.”
“I don’t feel safe.”
“Trust me,” he ordered. “Can you do that?”
She groaned, “Okay.”
“I’m taking her to the car,” Burke said to his men as he staggered toward the trees. On the other side, their van was parked. “Stay back and cover our retreat.”
“They have flashlights,” Carolyn said. “They’re coming this way.”
He wanted to make sure Neville and Silverman knew they had to hold fire as long as possible. There were still innocent hostages at the Circle M, and he couldn’t take a chance on anyone getting hurt.
“Don’t shoot unless—”
He couldn’t speak. Sunny’s arm had clenched around his neck in a stranglehold. Her body had gone into a spasm.
Only twenty more yards and they’d be in the shelter of the forest.
“Keep breathing,” Carolyn whispered.
He gasped. “Thanks.”
“I wasn’t talking to you, Burke.”
His forward progress stopped. He kneeled, fearful that he was going to drop her. Sunny’s contraction caused her to stiffen. She bit her lower