to patrol the road with a vehicle—but the flip side of that was it’d also be easier for Thomas to hear them coming. Plus, patrolling from the warmth and comfort of an SUV or a truck? If you spotted something suspect from the windows—a flash of movement, a patch of unnatural color... If you even noticed such a thing at your much higher speed, you were more likely to want to assume it was nothing. A trick of your eyes, a reflection on the windshield. Nothing to see here, no need to stop and get out into the bitingly cold air, just move it along.
He was nearly back to Tash, within just a few meters of the hide, when he heard voices and the crunching sounds of movement through the dried leaves. Someone was coming down the mountain, on close to the same path he’d recently taken, clearly uncaring if they were heard or seen.
Thomas swung his weapon into ready as he crouched and froze, close enough to see Tasha’s eyes through the brambles and branches. He held up a discreet hand signaling Stop, echoing the Don’t move message he was trying to send her with his eyes and face.
Whoever they were, they came close enough for him to make out the words of an ongoing conversation. “Every fucking time,” a voice groused.
Tasha heard them then, too, and she nodded just a little, acknowledgement that she understood. Her eyes were wide as she watched Thomas try to melt even more into the late afternoon shadows, grateful there wasn’t snow on the ground.
Plan A: This patrol would move on past without noticing them.
Plan B: They’d see Thomas, but not Tash. He’d dive downhill, further from the hide—there was a huge tree he could use for shelter. He’d draw their fire away from her while he took them out. There were at least two—and yeah, it could’ve been one man on a phone, but nah. Not out here.
“Charlie’s a fucking idiot,” the same man continued. “I saw a car! I saw a car!”
Thomas saw their movement now. There were four of them, all heavily armed, just about to cross the ridgeline up above the hide. They were already moving away from them, thank God, their backs to both Tasha and Thomas as they started to scramble down the hillside that would put the ridge solidly between them.
He hadn’t been spotted, thank Jesus.
But he had a big problem. This patrol of complaining hostiles were now on the exact route Thomas had been intending to take toward the road, after scooping up Tasha and their gear.
Someone—Charlie, whoever that was—had seen a vehicle, presumably down on that same road. These four men were heading over to check it out, and would likely return to their encampment via this exact route after they were done.
No way would Thomas and Tasha still be here when they came back. Which meant they’d have to take a different, more difficult route down the mountain.
So be it.
Thomas kept his hand up for Tasha to remain both still and silent as the voices from the patrol continued to carry in the cold afternoon air.
“No shit you saw a car, dickhole, it was just Cody fuckin’ Hooper on another whiskey run, sneaking back in from town.”
Prince Tedric was not what Rio expected.
Well, except for the long, dark hair pulled up into a man-bun. That was right out of the rich hipster lifestyle manual.
But the dude moved through the woods like he was in his element, his pace swift and certain. His skinny jeans were too tight, for sure, but the expensive hiking boots on his feet were well worn in.
He was also a big guy—tall and solidly built. Which was probably why Dave had chosen to trail behind him silently in the winter-gloom of the afternoon shadows, rather than tackling him to the ground and sitting on him until Rio caught up. Not that he couldn’t do it—but it would’ve required some effort. Add in the fact that they knew the prince was armed...
Rio was in the middle of using hand signals to let Dave know his plan—he’d move swiftly forward in a wide circle around the prince, getting out in front of him while Dave moved in tighter on his royal six, and...
Dave grabbed Rio by his jacket and yanked him down, hard.
Someone was coming. Lots of someones.
Shit.
The prince was oblivious—until it was too late.
It was like watching a disaster unfold—like spotting an avalanche tumbling down a mountainside in seemingly slow