Before Nightfall - Kat Martin Page 0,31

of the delivery truck exploded, but Lissa didn’t slow down. Colt lifted the strap of the assault rifle over his head, nestled it against his shoulder, and started firing through the shattered glass, sweeping a stream of bullets from one side of the road to the other, a rain of gunfire so loud Tim’s ears rang.

Flattening himself on the floor, he closed his eyes, afraid to see what happened next.

* * *

LISSA DUCKED DOWN in the seat and kept driving, heading full speed toward the two black SUVs blocking the road. There was only a few feet between them, but if she hit the front of the vehicles just right, she figured she could knock them aside enough to keep rolling.

“Don’t stop,” Colt said as he dropped a spent magazine on the floor next to her and shoved in a fresh one.

As if he has to tell me. Escape was their only option now. If the cartel caught them, they were dead.

She jammed her foot on the gas pedal and the engine whine increased. Colt started firing again as the truck got closer to the barricade. Men ducked and ran for cover, and Lissa crashed the truck into the parked vehicles, sending them flying off both sides of the road and opening the hole she had prayed for.

She kept driving, heading for the final turn before they reached the road. As she made the curve, the wheels on one side lifted off the ground, and she sucked in a terrified breath. Then the wheels settled back down with a thump. Heart pounding, she turned onto the main road, heading for the landing zone.

No one ahead of them. She shifted into a higher gear, pushing the truck to the limit, praying nothing had happened to Alex and he and the chopper would be waiting.

She spotted the space up ahead where they planned to stash the truck, as close as they could get to the landing zone. Slowing, she pulled over to the side and drove the truck out of sight behind a copse of trees.

“We gotta go!” Colt shouted, hauling Timmy to his feet, then slamming open the back door of the truck and stepping outside. “They’ll be on top of us any minute.”

Lissa jumped down from the driver’s side and ran to the back of the truck to join them. Colt flashed her a look she couldn’t read, then they were running, moving as fast as they could through the trees and the thick green foliage.

The clearing loomed ahead. No sign of the helicopter.

“We’re almost there,” Colt said.

“Where’s the chopper?” Timmy asked worriedly, speaking Lissa’s thoughts aloud.

“He’ll be here,” Colt said firmly. “Just keep going.”

The sound of vehicle motors coming down the road made Lissa’s pulse pound. The taste of fear filled her mouth.

“Keep going!” Colt shouted as they burst into the clearing where the helicopter should have been.

“Where is it?” Timmy asked again, his eyes wide with fear.

Lissa scanned the clear blue sky. In minutes it would be too late.

“There! There it is!” Timmy shouted, pointing at a dark shape in the sky that was growing larger as it drew near.

“Run!” Colt’s voice rang with authority, the tone of a man used to being in command. “We need to get over that rise!”

They ran up the hill as if the hounds of hell were on their tails—which they were—and dropped over the ridge out of sight just as Alex settled the helo on the ground a few yards away. The bay doors were open.

Colt lifted Timmy up and he scrambled inside, Lissa climbed in beside him, then Colt jumped in, and the helo lifted away. Lissa strapped Timmy into the middle seat and settled in beside him, while Colt wedged himself into the copilot’s chair. They all put on their headsets.

Through the plastic bubble, Lissa could see men running into the clearing below. She knew they were firing, but it was too noisy in the chopper to hear the gunshots. They were almost out of range when a second group appeared, a sea of armored vehicles, men and equipment, pouring into the clearing, surrounding the first group of soldiers.

“Looks like the cavalry has arrived,” Colt said and she could hear the smile in his voice. The task force brutally outnumbered the cartel men. A few would resist and pay the ultimate price. The rest would be taken into custody, including Ray Spearman. Timmy would be safe.

“Sorry I was late.” Alex’s voice came through the headset. “Had a little run-in