Ruthless Game

CHAPTER 10

The canyon was several miles away across open ground, but it was their only real cover. The M1165 Humvee with frag armor included two-inch-thick bulletproof glass. The doors alone weighed a good 250 pounds. Along with the state-of-the-art CROWS system mounted on the roof, they had firepower and protection but little speed.

Kane liked the idea of staying inside the Hummer now that they had half the cartel on their asses as well as a sniper and spotter. With the CROWS system, a remote-controlled weapon platform mounted on top of the vehicle, the gunner could sit in the vehicle and use a joystick, watching the action through a “TV” screen. The system had the capability to zoom in, use night vision, infrared, daytime, or heat sensor, with some very heavy-duty weapons. If necessary, and he hoped it wouldn’t be, he could disengage and use the system manually.

“They’re coming up behind us,” he said.

Bullets sprayed across the back of the Humvee. The first of the cartel vehicles had outdistanced the others and had gotten within firing range. In the distance they heard a massive explosion, and the ground shook. The blast seemed to trigger several smaller detonations. Kane saw a large mushroom plume rising out of the desert in the direction of Diego Jimenez’s subterranean house.

“What the hell was that?” he demanded.

Rose shot him a fierce look. “That was me being pissed off. If the cartel—or Diego’s sons—thought they’d be using his home and tunnel, or any of the weapons he acquired from Whitney, they have another think coming.”

“Remind me never to get you angry at me,” he said.

“Don’t ever betray me.”

Kane grinned at her. “You’re so damn sexy, soldada hermosa, especially when you go all blow-things-up and scary on me.”

She pursed her lips and made kissy noises. “Just a gentle reminder.”

He laughed out loud. “Just so you know, I’m the jealous type.”

Her eyebrow shot up. “Fine time to tell me. I thought I was going to get to take lots of lovers. Guess not.”

“Damn right you guess not.”

A heavy caliber weapon rocked the Humvee. Rose ducked and then bared her teeth, eyes flashing fire. “Check the baby and then teach that idiot a lesson in manners.”

“I do so love it when you go all soldier on me.”

“Quit flirting with me and get the job done.”

“You started it by blowing up the house,” he pointed out righteously. Dutifully he took another look at Sebastian. The bouncing of the Humvee didn’t seem to bother him, although he did open his eyes to stare at his father through narrow, sleep slits. “We’re fine, son,” Kane soothed. “Mommy’s a terrible driver, but she’s having fun, so we’ll overlook it this once.”

Sebastian’s little bow of a mouth curved in a smile, and his eyes closed.

Kane settled in front of the screen, his hand on the joystick. The lighter, much more mobile truck leapt onto the screen. One man was in the bed of the pickup with a machine gun. Another was strapped to the roof with a rocket launcher. A third man leaned out of the passenger window with what appeared to be a grenade in his hand. The driver, with a look of determination on his face, fought the wheel as the tires bounced over the rough terrain.

“This is a cool system,” Kane said. “I’ve got one sweet weapon for distance and damage.” He could hit someone a good one and a half miles away.

“You sound like a kid in a candy store. Shoot them already, or you’ll be doing the driving and I’ll be the one having fun,” she threatened.

“Bloodthirsty little wench,” he muttered. “I’m on it.”

The M2 .50 caliber, able to tear a vehicle apart, seemed ideal. “Keep it steady. I don’t really want to waste a lot of ammo on these morons. Do they not see the weapons?” Even as he asked the question, he fired a series of three rounds, hitting the roof, the back of the truck, and launching one through the windshield.

The truck explosion was spectacular. He grinned at her. “And that’s how it’s done, sweetheart.”

She laughed and shook her head. “My man is crazy.”

He felt the shift in his heart. A warm glow in his belly. He liked being her man. He grinned at her and gave her a small salute.

The Humvee was approaching the entrance to the canyon. There was only one real way down, consisting of a narrow slope that ran down over boulders and shrubs. The Humvee would have no problems, and that had to be where Whitney’s men would be waiting, if they were there.

“You know you can’t take us down there,” he cautioned. “They’ll have mines.”

“Great minds think alike,” she said, although she didn’t sway from her course.

Kane studied the walls of the canyon, looking for signs of activity. His gut was telling him they were heading straight for a trap. Twice he looked at her grim face, but he said nothing.

“Be ready,” she ordered. “We need a direction. Left or right?”

At the same time they both answered the question. “Right.”

Their eyes met. “Left.”

Two seconds later, just before they would have gone down the slope into the canyon, she cut hard to the left and ran parallel with the canyon. “If we both have the same answer, Whitney may have known that’s what we’d do.”

“Or he guessed we’d do just what we did,” he pointed out, laughing. “We could play this game all night.”

“Fire already,” she ordered.

Kane sprang into action, understanding her intention, but his mouth went dry. He knew the capabilities of the vehicle, but not of the driver. She planned on him opening up a path for them and taking them in. The Humvee was top-heavy with the mounted weapons in place. He didn’t want the whole damn thing to flip over. Nevertheless, he fired several shots to blow the boulders and trees out of their way, clearing a rough trail for them to take.

Instead of trying to go straight down, Rose angled the vehicle to take the incline at a slight slant. The moment he realized what she wanted, he was able to clear her line of travel much more easily.

Three of the cartel vehicles followed the Humvee. One of the trucks chose the easy path and drove right into the minefield Whitney’s men had set. The blast, although not designed to destroy, took out the unprotected undercarriage of the truck. The truck popped into the air and came down on its side. One man was flung from the back and landed hard, not moving. The one strapped to the roof hung facedown and made a slight effort to move. The driver and passenger both were still alive, one screaming relentlessly.

Three of Whitney’s men popped up with automatic weapons, firing indiscriminately, hosing down all four men. Instantly, Kane zoomed in on their positions. With the distance he had on the weapon, he was able to fire into their nest without difficulty. The third shooter returned fire from the safety of his blind, so Kane swung his attention onto him and sent a couple of presents his way. The explosions rocked the earth and silenced the weapons.

“Kane!”

Rose’s voice turned his attention back to their chosen path. He came around immediately to center his weapon ahead of them, blazing a trail down an impossibly steep incline. Boulders and large shrubs gave way to trees and thick undergrowth. She took it slowly, aware that the remaining vehicles chasing them, although four-wheel drive, were much lighter and ill-equipped to traverse such a difficult route. It wouldn’t do much good to soften the trail up with heavy weapon fire. They’d committed to the sharp drop, and they had to trust the vehicle to take them down into the depths of the canyon.

Several grenades struck the ground around them, blowing part of the land away just feet from the Humvee. The Hummer shook with the force of the explosions and careened violently, sliding for a heart-stopping moment before the tires gripped solid ground again. A flurry of activity in the narrow valley below revealed a small force of men waiting for them. They’d disrupted Whitney’s plans, startling his men. The barricades hastily put in place to stop them had been bypassed by taking the steep route. Whitney’s men rushed to regroup and cut them off.

The Humvee hit the bottom, bouncing hard into the nearly dry creek bed, and jolted over the heavy rocks, away from Whitney’s soldiers. The sound of machine guns was loud and mini explosions erupted all around them, so that for a time the world was gray and black with the debris and smoke surrounding them.

Behind them, one of the cartel’s trucks rolled, smashing everything in its path. Small saplings splintered and cracked. The truck uprooted shrubs and plants, sending them, along with smaller rocks, tumbling down the slope, creating a mini avalanche. The rolling truck landed hard, upside down, wheels spinning nearly on top of the Hummer.

The boom resounded through the narrow gorge. Sebastian woke with a cry, and Kane put a calming hand on the boy.

“Is he all right?” Rose demanded, staring straight ahead, trying to maneuver through the rocks and boulders in the creek bed.

“He’s fine, just a little shaken up, aren’t you, buddy?” Kane crooned.

“We’re jerking him all over the place,” she said, worried.

“We’ve got him tucked in tight. He’s barely moving,” Kane soothed her. “Do you hear your mommy, Sebastian? She isn’t worried about the gunfire, just you.”

“We’re taking a lot of gunfire,” Rose said unnecessarily, “but they aren’t hitting anything. Just around us.”

Which made it damn difficult to drive. Whitney’s men were aiming in front of them, blasting away, pitting the creek bed and throwing more debris into the air so that rocks hit the sides and roof of the Humvee.

“They want you alive, honey, so they can’t exactly blast the Hummer. They have to stop us, not kill us. Well, not kill you. Apparently I’m disposable.”

Rose drove up the side of the shallow creek to avoid a huge crater and then back down into the hellfire. Kane steadied the joystick, swinging the M2 .50-caliber around until he had the two-man team tearing up the creek bed in his sights. He sent off three rounds and swung the weapon back to protect their flank as one of the cartel’s lighter jeeps fell in behind him.

He hesitated. The jeep was drawing fire from Whitney’s men. The second vehicle, a red jeep, turned tail and was making its way back up the steep slope. For a moment it looked as if the red jeep would make it, putting on a burst of speed, but then it stalled, stopping. The passenger bailed out, diving as far as he could from the jeep and scrambling for cover, still clutching his rifle. In slow motion the jeep flipped, slamming into the ground, rolling, picking up speed and momentum. Halfway down the slope, the driver lay crumpled and broken, his body sprawled out over a pile of rocks. The jeep hit a boulder jutting out and took to the air.

One of Whitney’s men hit it with a rocket in midair, turning the vehicle into a fiery ball of orange red. The explosion rained down metal and shrapnel. Behind them, the cartel’s jeep inched closer, one of the men half standing, clinging to the roll bar, as if he was considering jumping to the roof of the Humvee.

“He’s plain psychotic,” Kane said aloud.

“Have you considered shooting them?” Rose demanded.

“No, he’s actually providing a little cover for us.”

Kane’s belly took a dive, suddenly hardening into a series of tight knots. The hair on his arms raised. “Get us out of here, Rose.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, that’s what I’m trying to do.” She glared at him.

“No, I mean out of this creek bed.”

“How am I supposed to do that? We don’t exactly have a lot of options here, Kane.”

He ignored the bite to her voice. The hair on the back of his neck was now tingling, much like the whiskers on a leopard, a kind of radar, and right now, although he couldn’t explain it to her, he knew his warning system was shrieking at him.

“Fucking do it, Rose. I don’t care how. Get us out of here.”

He swiveled around constantly, looking for the threat. Everything inside of him urged him to take Rose and Sebastian and get out of the Humvee.

“Now, damn it!”

Something was just up ahead, just where the creek bed began a long slow, sweeping bend. He strained his eyes trying to see, nearly standing, one hand instinctively reaching out to protect his child, but the sense of urgency was so strong, he covered the child and the makeshift car seat and armor with his own body.

Abruptly the Hummer lurched as Rose fought the wheel, driving them up and over an impossible set of rocks. Kane swung around to look behind them, still protecting Sebastian. Unable to follow, the cartel’s jeep continued on a few more feet and suddenly vanished as if it had never been, dropping down into a large crater, a sinkhole a good hundred feet deep.

Rose swore under her breath as the Humvee rocked from side to side, laboring to climb over the dense shrubbery and rocky incline.

“We can’t make it straight up,” she said. “I’ll try inching my way up, but if they start shooting ...” She broke off abruptly as the hillside above them exploded and rocks and dirt rained down on them. “That’s what I was afraid of. We can’t get back into that creek bed, Kane. They’re going to trap us.”

Kane was already back in his seat, hand on the joystick. They were going to have to shoot their way out. “Keep moving forward, even if it’s running along the bank.”

She complied. “We’re awfully close to that sinkhole, Kane, and we weigh a hell of a lot.”

“I know, sweetheart.” He centered the screen on the mortar gun wreaking havoc above them. “When I say go, move up a few feet and keep running parallel.”

He blasted the mortar gun and all around it, firing round after round, providing cover. “Now, Rose.” He kept it up, pounding the area to prevent them from pitting the canyon wall and destroying any path they might find to take them out or around the stronghold Whitney’s men had established.

Rose was already jolting them forward, the Humvee rolling over the thick foliage and smashing down the displaced dirt.

Where the hell are you, Mack? Because if his team hadn’t gotten the message loud and clear that he’d left for them in the desert, he and Rose and Sebastian were bound to have to dig in and hold off Whitney’s little army. They had enough water and ammunition to last for a time, but they needed reinforcements—and soon.

Mack had to have sent out a couple of birds to look for signs, and he’d left an abundance of them each night. The last sign had been unmistakable: Come now. They had to have seen his messages, and he’d pointed them back to the ravine. Surely ...

The ground around them exploded. Rose swore louder this time but kept the Humvee moving forward. One tire dropped into air on the passenger side, so that they tilted ominously. They kept moving forward relentlessly. Trees were thicker now and much larger than the saplings and thin round trunks they’d encountered, presenting an additional problem.

“Kane.” Rose’s voice shook. “In the air, coming at us. Three o’clock.”

Two helicopters were coming toward them fast, just above the tree line, swooping in low, racing right for them. “Are they yours?” she asked.

Her voice was strictly neutral, but he could see hope flare in her eyes. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, they aren’t.”

She took a breath, her knuckles white as she gripped the wheel hard, guiding the Humvee around a large tree, rolling over two smaller ones. “If this goes bad, Kane, you take the baby and get out of here. He has a better chance with you. They want me alive, and they’ll try to be more careful. They don’t know he’s born yet.”

“Not a chance.” He was already lining up his shot, the first helicopter in his sights, as it came right toward them. He could see the grim faces, the heavy artillery they carried. They planned on hitting the Hummer, knocking it out of commission and forcing it to halt where they could surround and control it. Most likely, they planned to drop their men on the roof.

“They think I’m Carlson James, Rose. He’s disposable. Whitney’s pissed at him. They’ll try to kill me, believing I’m him. I don’t want Sebastian anywhere near me. If it really comes down to it, I’ll buy you enough time to get him away.”

He took the shot just as the helicopter peeled off. He caught it on the tail, throwing the bird into a spin. Smoke trailed it. The pilot fought hard, but the helicopter began to spin out of control. He took it down as close to the ground as he could, allowing the men inside to bail and run. The helicopter dipped, pitched, rolled to the left, and slammed into trees, sending orange flames and black smoke shooting into the air. The pilot’s screams were cut off abruptly as the helicopter came apart, pieces of metal flying in all directions.

“You can’t play the hero trying to save me, Kane. This has to be about keeping Sebastian out of Whitney’s hands. That’s the only thing that matters.” She glanced back at him, a warning in her eyes. “You know I’m right.”

Kane continued firing now, as Whitney’s men advanced, trying to ring them in. The second helicopter showed a little more respect, but they were taking heavy fire. The .50-caliber tore up everything in its path, and Kane used the weapon liberally, pounding the ground to keep the soldiers from advancing.

“It’s bullshit to even talk about, Rose. We’ll make it. We just have to hold on until Mack gets here.”

Damn it, Mack, you’re late. Kane sent the distress call, feeling trapped.

He wouldn’t leave Rose behind. He couldn’t do it. He had to find a way to save both Rose and the baby. He knew he could make a stand and buy her enough time to make a run for it, and if Mack and the others were on the way, she’d have a decent chance. They had to be on the way.

The Humvee suddenly ground to a halt, sliding slightly toward the upper edge of the sinkhole. They hadn’t covered much ground, and the soldiers were shooting at the tires. If the tires went, they would have the runflats to depend on, but it wouldn’t get them very far or very fast.

Mack. What the hell are you doing?

Damn, Kane, try to live without your daddy for a few. I’m just finishing up my dinner here.

The instant relief was overwhelming. “They’re coming for us, Rose. Mack and my boys. They’re within telepathic range.”

“Helicopter coming in ten o’clock,” Rose said, her voice grim. “He means business, Kane.”

The helicopter filled his screen, and he saw the grenade launcher aimed at them. The first grenade hit just in front of them, and the world seemed to explode. The large tree blocking their escape to their left was blown into the air, splintered, raining branches and leaves all around them. The Hummer lurched as Rose kept it moving straight into the crater the explosion had made. The gunner had inadvertently aided them, clearing the path and at the same time, forcing the soldiers closing in, trying to surround them, to pull back.

Rose bulled their way through the debris and smoke, getting them back on the path, driving straight toward the nearest group of vulnerable soldiers. Kane pounded them with heavy rounds, forcing them to give way.

We’re coming in fast from the east, Kane, Mack advised. ETA, three minutes.

Be advised there’s a bird in the sky.

Roger that.

“They’re coming in from the east, three minutes,” he repeated aloud to Rose. “We’re almost there, sweetheart.”

“How the hell are they going to get us out of here?”

“We’re going to climb out. Straight up, honey. Whitney’s boys aren’t going to shoot you or Sebastian.”

“Are you out of your mind? We’re going to go up a rope into a helicopter with the backwash from the blades, sharpshooters taking potshots, and a baby?”

He grinned at her. “Sounds like a fun date, doesn’t it?”

She shook her head, a small, answering smile curving her soft mouth. “You really are nuts. You’d better hope Whitney wants us as bad as you think.”

“My boys can keep the peace,” Kane said with absolute confidence.

The Humvee limped over the pitted terrain heading doggedly toward the east and freedom. The first helicopter had circled and was coming in for another try.

This an exclusive party, or can anyone join?

Mack McKinley’s voice filled his mind.

A second helicopter burst out of the night sky, silent and lethal, no running lights. From the open door, a rocket streaked through the darkness, trailing vapor, seeking a target.

The enemy’s helicopter tried to maneuver, but it was far too late; the rocket was on top of them. The helicopter burst apart, spilling wreckage and flames in every direction.

“Find us stable ground in an open area,” Kane yelled, fending off the soldiers with his heavy caliber weapon.

“I’m doing my best,” Rose shouted back. “There aren’t a lot of open areas here; that’s why we chose it, hoping for cover. There’s the creek bed, but I’m not certain we can trust the surface.”

Can you spot an open area, Mack? We’re a little pushed for time down here.

Creek bed is the only area possible for us to drop down to get you. You’re nearly past the sinkhole. We’re coming in.

“Get down into the creek, Rose. It’s our only option.”

She turned her head. Her dark eyes met his, and there was stark fear there, not for herself but for their child. She resolutely turned back and took the Hummer bumping and bouncing back into the creek bed. She drove a few yards to get as clear of the trees as possible and then abruptly leapt up to crawl back to the baby.

Kane fired repeatedly, cutting a wide circle around them. From above, he could hear covering fire as well. Once Rose made up her mind to do it, she was all business, paying no attention to the battle taking place outside. She gathered up the baby, strapping him into a front pack in order to leave her hands free. It took a few minutes to wrap the large bulletproof vest around both of them.

Kane paused just long enough to make certain it was secure. She leaned down and caught his face in her hands. “You’ll be right behind us, right? Right behind us. No hero crap. You’ll get into that helicopter no matter what.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Promise me. Say it. I promise, Kane. I need to hear that.”

He leaned forward and kissed her mouth, uncaring that bullets were flying. She needed reassurance, and he was giving it to her in the only way he knew how so that she could read his honesty. “I promise.”

We’re in position, but we’re sitting ducks. Get moving. Mack’s command was a definite order.

Kane put his hand where the baby’s head was hidden by the vest. “Go.”

He went back to giving covering fire, trusting his men to do the rest. Gideon Carpenter had eyes like an eagle and could shoot the wings off a fly. Javier Enderman—well he just looked where he wanted to shoot, and that was as good as pulling the damned trigger.

Rose pushed open the heavy door to the roof and cautiously put her head out. Once she caught that rope, she would be committed. Kane expected hesitation. She didn’t know the men in the helicopter the way he did, but there was no vacillation, and that told him a lot about her. Once she made up her mind, she followed through. She’d pulled on thin gloves, and she caught the rope, one foot looping it.

She went up as fast as possible. She was strong—after all she was a GhostWalker—but she was a sitting duck and expecting someone to shoot her at any moment. The backwash from the helicopter blades was hellacious. The rope spun a bit, and that made it difficult to keep Sebastian facing away from the biggest threat. They were using a pulley system as well, which helped move the rope up even faster.

She was halfway up the rope before she realized the night had gone eerily silent. No one on the ground fired at them. Not a single soldier—as if a cease-fire had been declared and everyone was abiding by it. She climbed faster, afraid the silence was the lull before the storm.

A man caught her around the waist and hauled her into the helicopter, dragging her deeper inside, not letting go until she was steady. Barely glancing at him, she unstrapped the baby as fast as possible, looking around for the safest, most protected place she could find. She used the vest to construct a barrier around him. She was quick, her movements efficient as she turned back, pulling her automatic rifle back around her neck to the front by the strap, and stepping to the entrance to provide cover for Kane.

“Ten o’clock, your side, Gideon,” someone barked.

Gideon fired without hesitation, the shot ringing out in the night. “He’s down, Top. We’re ready.”

Her stomach tightened. Everyone was going to be shooting at Kane. These men and she would have to keep the shooters off him. She put the rifle to her shoulder and looked into the night scope. Only seconds had gone by, but it seemed an eternity.

Climb fast, Kane. She tried not to allow her fear for him to show in her mind. We’re waiting for you.

Just waiting for Top to give me the okay, sweetheart. I’ll be right there.

His voice was steady, but she knew it would be. Very little seemed to shake the man.

Has to be easier than delivering a baby, right? he teased, laughter in his voice.

The knots in her stomach tightened with dread. Her mouth went dry. She was rock steady in combat as a rule, nothing fazed her, but deep inside she felt jittery.

Damn straight.

Coming up now, honey. Top just gave me the word.

She glanced down, although she knew she shouldn’t, to see Kane leap up, gripping the rope. She’d never seen a man climb so fast. Hand over hand, he went straight up as the backwash from the helicopter’s blade blew the rope into a whirling frenzy, not nearly as bad as with her lighter weight. His strength was beyond her comprehension, and she had to force herself to stare into the scope to protect him.

He was more than halfway to the helicopter when two of them with her began shooting rapidly. She spotted a soldier lifting his rifle, and she took the shot, seeing him go down. A volley of shots rang out, and the helicopter jerked.

She gasped and looked down. Kane was right at the entrance, reaching with one hand to pull himself inside. She never actually heard the bullet tear into him, but she saw his body rock back, away from the helicopter, and she flung herself forward and with both hands caught his wrist.

Don’t you let go of that rope! Rose put every ounce of command she had into her voice.

There was blood everywhere, all over him. He was too heavy, much too heavy, and she had no time. One of the men beside her leaned out with her and caught him under his arms.

“Fucking shoot that bastard,” came a command behind her.

“On it, Top,” two voices said simultaneously.

Kane was unconscious, but when the bullet hit, instinct had him clutching the rope, his only lifeline, with his remaining hand. They had to pry it out of his closed hand. Before the sniper could shoot a second time, at least two men behind her fired over her head.

She didn’t have time to identify the man beside her who was keeping Kane from falling to his death. “Get him in. Get him in. We don’t have any time. Set up for a transfusion. Move. Move. I need a medical kit. Open one fast, get out the iodine.”

She put every ounce of strength she had into helping the man beside her haul Kane’s dead weight into the helicopter. She dragged him inside and laid him out, scrambling to kneel beside him, her knife out. She cut away his clothes, exposing his belly. The bullet had torn into his abdomen and ricocheted through his chest.

“Get a needle into him before his veins collapse,” she snapped, not looking at the grim-faced men surrounding her. Her entire being was focused on saving Kane—and she only had minutes. Her palms burned, scorching, unbearably hot.

“Iodine. Hurry, pour it over his belly and my hands and knife.” She held them out, and even as they poured, she cut into Kane’s flesh.

Someone—again, she didn’t know or care who—crowded tight against her back and placed a blade firmly against her neck, a threat one shouldn’t ignore, but she did. If the bastard wanted to kill her, so be it, but she wasn’t going to take even precious seconds to try to make him understand. There was no way to explain how she had known the moment she laid her hands on Kane that the artery was severed and he was bleeding out fast—too fast.

Everything around her faded until she was in that deep tunnel where there were only her hands answering the needs of a critically injured human being. Already the energy was surging through her. Her fingertips tingled and burned. She plunged her hands into his body, unerringly finding the artery. She grasped it between her fingers, slipped on all the blood, and had to fish again. The artery felt like a noodle, or worse, a squid. She wasn’t squeamish unless she allowed herself to think about failing.

“What the hell are you doing?” a voice demanded.

“Don’t distract her.”

That had to be the master gunnery sergeant. She could tell by his voice. It sounded as if from a great distance, but she was aware of all them on some level.

She could hear sounds. Harsh breathing. The blades of the helicopter. The rustle as one of the men fed plasma through an IV, holding the vein open for life-saving blood, if she could just do this. If. There it was. Oh, God, she had it.

Live, Kane. Don’t leave us alone.

She felt the ends and pushed them together, closing her eyes, taking a slow, deep breath and breathing down, through her body, sending the healing heat, that scorching-hot heat through her veins and out the fingers of her hands. She had to fuse the ends together, but it was delicate work to keep the blood flowing through while she held the severed ends with heat.

The intense burn took her breath away, but she held on. For a moment everything went dark, and there were only stars and a fading sensation. Her stomach lurched. She became aware of the blood all over her clothes, of her hands inside Kane. The blood was up to her elbows. She couldn’t fix the rest of the damage done to his organs, but they had a chance of keeping him alive until the surgeon took over, if she could hold on.

“Hurry. Use me for the transfusion. Whitney always gave pairs compatible blood.” Now it was her own voice that came from far away, or maybe from a deep, deep hole. “Have your surgeon meet us. And for God’s sake, hurry. He has to be set up for the operation wherever we land. Can you do that?”

“The doc will be there.”

She turned her head tiredly, and her eyes met a pair of cold black eyes surrounded by ridiculously long lashes.

“Who has my baby?”

“I’ve got him, ma’am,” another voice said. “Name’s Ethan Myers. You must be Rose.”

She was too tired to state the obvious or even look. The knife slowly disappeared from her throat. Only then did she feel the slight sting. The threat had been all too real. She did manage to look up at him from over her shoulder, and her heart dropped. She recognized the one called Javier. Death stared back at her. There was no expression on that face.

“Rose,” the man with the black eyes spoke her name gently, the man they referred to as Top. “Javier is going to support your back while we make our run. Can you hold on?”

“Yes.” Because there was no other choice. None. If she didn’t, Kane was dead.

“I’m putting in the needle. You’re going to feel it. I’m Mack McKinley, by the way.”

“Just do it. Are you certain the baby’s all right?”

Ethan answered, “He’s fine. He looks very aware. He keeps turning his head toward the sound of your voice.”

The smell of the blood made her want to gag. It felt like she was bathing in the stuff. She was going to have nightmares for the rest of her life, but it was Kane’s blood, and she wasn’t losing him.

Do you hear me? I won’t lose you. She heard the small internal sob and hoped she hadn’t lost control in front of the others. Not now, not when we’re so close. Hang on, Kane. Just a little longer. Fight for us. Fight for me.

Her body trembled now as the helicopter dipped and bumped, flying fast over the desert. She could feel the heat draining from her body and flowing into Kane’s. She was certain she was sitting upright until she felt Javier’s arm suddenly slide around her waist and ease her back against his chest. She thought rather fuzzily that he was far stronger than he looked. In the distance, Mack McKinley, the one they called Top, was barking orders into his radio.

She shivered, cold creeping into her bones. Javier rubbed her shoulders.

“Hold him a little longer. Don’t let go.”

No, she couldn’t let go of him, because her fragile repair would burst, and Kane would bleed out before they could get him to the surgeon.

She was vaguely aware of the helicopter setting down. Of grim-faced men surrounding her, helping to lift Kane onto a gurney, setting her there with him. She never let go, even when they rolled her into the sterile tent hastily erected and the doctors and nurses regarded her bloody hands inside Kane.

She looked around at them with their masks and gowns, afraid to turn him over to them.

“It’s all right, Rose,” Mack said gently. “We’ve got him now.”

The cold took her then, like it always did when she used this particular talent, sliding inside her, freezing her from the inside out. Her teeth began to chatter, and she couldn’t move her stiff body, as if every muscle was completely frozen.

“Let them take over,” Mack said again. “She’s holding him together, Doc.”

A pair of hands came into view, and Javier lifted Rose. “Let him go,” he whispered. “He’ll be safe.” Those black, killer eyes jumped to the doctor. “Won’t he, Doc?”

Those softly spoken words penetrated, and she released Kane into the hands of strangers.