SEAL's RESOLVE - Rebecca Deel Page 0,12
of her head and glanced at Rafe.
Her rescuer polished off his drink and took over holding the cold pack against Kristi’s scalp.
She shivered. The cold increased her trembling, but lessened the headache that had plagued her since the abduction.
The medic handed her the other cold pack. “Press that against your jaw to reduce the swelling and pain. Ribs next.” Rio traced each rib, pausing when she gasped. “Here?”
“Can’t you tell?”
He smiled. “Any other sore places on this rib?” he clarified.
“Yes. Sorry for snapping at you.”
“You’re allowed to be cranky.”
Josh snorted. “You don’t tell the rest of us that.”
“She’s beautiful.”
Rafe scowled. “You’re married, Kincaid. You aren’t supposed to notice other women.”
“I’m married to the most beautiful woman on the planet, but I still appreciate the beauty of other women.”
“Yeah? Keep your compliments to yourself.”
Rio chuckled. “Kristi isn’t the only cranky person in this vehicle. What rubbed your fur the wrong way?”
“Keep it up, Kincaid, and you’ll find my fist in your face.”
“Dial it down, Torres,” Josh ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
Rio continued his examination of Kristi’s ribs, asking questions in a low voice as he finished the left side and shifted to the right before moving on to check her stomach.
As the medic completed his exam and sat back, Josh stiffened. “Copy that,” he murmured. He glanced into the rearview mirror. “We have company, boys.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Adrenaline poured into Rafe’s veins by the bucket. He’d hoped the kidnappers would still be searching the mountain for Kristi. “Where’s your gear, Josh?” Rafe’s Go bag was in his SUV.
“Cargo area.”
Rafe pressed Kristi’s hand to the cold pack on her head. “Hold this in place.” When she took over, he twisted in the seat and reached into the cargo area for Josh’s gear bag. Inside, he found the Delta soldier’s AR-10 and two magazines. He hoped he didn’t need that much ammunition.
Although Kristi noticed eight kidnappers, Rafe wasn’t convinced there were only eight. She had been unconscious for hours. He didn’t know how many men were involved in this scheme, and that worried him. The kidnappers should have cut their losses and disappeared. Instead, they were pursuing her. Any advantage Fortress had was gone. The kidnappers knew a team had rescued Kristi.
He checked Josh’s AR-10, unsurprised to find everything in perfect working order. The Delta Force soldier never took chances with his equipment.
Rafe scrambled over the seat into the cargo area and pressed a button to lower the back window. “Rio.”
“I’ve got her. Kristi, get on the floor.”
“Why?”
“Safety. Come on,” the medic said. “I’ll help you. The floor won’t be comfortable for your ribs. I’ll fix you up once we’re clear.”
“Rafe?”
His stomach clenched at the uncertainty in her voice. “The floor is the safest place inside the vehicle.”
“What about you?”
“The SUV is reinforced. I’ll be fine.” A reinforced vehicle wouldn’t help if the kidnappers shot him. He wasn’t wearing his bullet-resistant vest, and nothing would protect him from a head shot.
A soft groan had him glancing over his shoulder and glaring at Rio. The medic ignored him.
“Focus, Torres,” Josh snapped.
Rafe shifted his attention from Kristi to the job at hand. “Tell Quinn to get in front of us. I don’t want to explain to Bear why my ride needs repairs.” Quinn was also driving alone. He couldn’t fire a weapon at the pursuers unless they pulled up beside him.
After a pause, Durango’s leader laughed. “Quinn heard you. He’s coming around us.”
“Who’s Bear?” Kristi asked, her voice muffled.
“The mechanical wizard who upgrades all of our vehicles and keeps the fleet running in top form,” Rio answered. “He takes repairs personally and lets us know about it.”
“You’re afraid of him?”
“Anybody with common sense is afraid of Bear.”
“The only people he’s not gruff with are our wives or girlfriends,” Josh added. “They think he’s a teddy bear.” He shuddered. “The rest of us know better.”
“Will I meet him?”
“He’s not based in Otter Creek, so probably not.” Another pause. “Rafe.”
“I see him.” The vehicle behind them was closing in fast.
“Got one in front of Alex, too.”
He frowned. How did that happen? Only one road led in or out of the area where Kristi had been held captive. His jaw clenched. As he’d feared, more than eight men were involved in Kristi’s kidnapping. Fortress needed to get to the bottom of this mess soon.
Rafe raised the AR-10, waiting until the vehicle moved closer before he pulled the trigger. “Hold it steady, Josh.”
“Do it. I want Quinn behind us as soon as possible.”
Rafe’s SUV would offer another layer of protection for Kristi. “Copy that.”
“Cover