Kam leapt over a fallen log. He could sense Ian right on his six. The further that they get from the bus, the more he sensed a shift in Ian. The pain in Kam's shoulder started to radiate outwards. He wasn't sure how it would hold up in a hand-to-hand fight with Ian.
Ian stumbled behind him, toppling into Kam. Turning his good shoulder down, Kam rolled on impact, but it was not fast enough, because Ian came up with Kam's gun pointed right at his face.
"Thanks for the assist, but I'm going to take it from here." The bang rang in Kam's ears, but he had no time to waste. Rolling and using the element of surprise, Kam disarmed Ian.
Confusion gave way to rage as Ian stared at Kam. "It’s full of blanks?"
"No, just that one," Kam said coolly. Ian's eyes were calculated, trying to guess if Kam was speaking the truth. Kamshot a bullet right past Ian's head into the large tree beside him.Where were you, Taylor?Kam pushed the pain away and focused on not letting Ian get the drop on him again.
Ian's handsfisted and the vein in his neck began to bulge. He took one step towards Kam. Not on her watch. She blew out a slow breath just like Kam had taught her to right before she took a shot. Ian dropped. Taylor came out from behind a different tree with a smile on her lips. "Good distraction, Superman."
"I like this new nickname." Kam sauntered towards her.
"Well, we're not done yet. Help me hoist this waste of space up." Paul walked toward them from the direction they had been running. This wasn't the exfil spot, which meant that they had to now drag Ian a bit further to where the actual trail opened up enough to use the UTV back to a waiting vehicle.
Once Taylor had helped Paul and Kam hoist Ian in between the two of them, she picked the tranquilizer gun off of the fallen log all while trying to slow her racing mind. When she had heard that shot, her mind conjured up Kam in the boat with all that blood. She took a deep breath to slow her thundering heart. She would not cry on an op. Although she was going to have to lean into emotion when she got back to the bus.
A light touch on her elbow had her spinning around right into Kam. "You good, Annie?" Paul was headed toward the trail with Ian in a fireman's carry, leaving them alone.
"Annie?" She blinks at him.
One side of his lips ticks up, "As in Annie Oakley, the best shooter in the west."
How could Kam be joking at a time like this? She almost lost him again. The tears came this time and she didn't stop them.
"Hey." He wrapped her in a hug. "Everything turned out fine."
She knew that in her head, but her heart was still living in the what ifs. Pulling back she rubbed the tears from her eyes. They still had a mission to finish. "You better live through this because we have a life together to figure out."
Taylor took another step back towards the direction of the bus. She handed him the tranquilizer. "Take it. He shouldn't need another dose, but I'd rather you have it. See you at the airport."
Kam nodded then headed after Paul. Taylor started back toward the scene. Pictures of Kam bleeding out on the boat filled her mind and she let them come. Big emotions were needed to sell this next part.
As she approached the scene voices filtered to her, she stomped through the tree line in time to hear Davin tell the other guard that the man who broke Ian out was his right hand man. The guard's face was stormy. Taylor needed to lock down all of the defenses she wanted to use for Kam's honor, but Kam was playing a part and that man was a criminal.
Davin put his hands on his hips. "Where are the fugitives?"
Taylor swallowed, here went nothing. "They got away, sir. Maybe we can ask for a bird to search…"
"A bird won't help us with this kind of foliage. We'll need some K9 help." Davin paced away already on his phone, leaving Taylor there with the other guard and a bus of prisoners watching the whole thing.
"He said he was working with you." The guard was shaking his head. "I can't believe I fell for it."
The truth wanted to bubble out of her, so she settled for a small part of it. "This is the second time he's alluded capture."
Davin looked like he wanted to punch something. She had never seen him so upset before, but their band of witnessesdidn't need to know that he was usually more level-headed than this.
"This is the second time Gregor has slipped through our fingers." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ertz, without Ian and Gregor, I'm afraid I'm going to need your badge."
Davin had given her badge back to her and told her about this added part, but the words still hurt hearing them a second time from her friend. Her eyes began to burn with unshed tears, but she wouldn't let them fall this time.
"Here." She slapped the badge into his outstretched hand.
A cruiser with the Seward Police logo on the side pulled up behind the bus. "Good. Transport is here."
Kirk Peters got out of the SUV, taking in all of the details around him. Why did SPD have to send Peters? As far as Taylor knew, he had no knowledge of what was actually happening here.
He looked over Taylor then at Davin. "Everything okay?"
