“Let’s get Neve, first. Reassess, but my vote’s on the ditch. Less chance of one of these assholes tossing a knife our way.”
He took a step, paused as Scout stared down the corridor toward the main yard. “He’s not worth it, Scout.”
She shuffled in behind him. “You weren’t there when he turned and shot Kane. How he hunted us through the forest. How we all blame ourselves for not seeing him for what he was. Especially Neve.”
“No, I wasn’t. And I promise, we’ll get the bastard, just not here.”
She clenched her jaw but followed him, sticking to the shadows. She pointed to a stack slightly higher than the others about fifty meters off. “Neve was up there, but I can’t tell if she still is.”
Coulter started down the next pathway before grabbing Scout and dragging her into a gap in the twisted metal when two men crossed in front of them, both heading in the same direction. A spotlight flashed to life off to their right, the massive beam panning toward the stack.
He inched out. “Shit. If Fraser lights her up…”
He took off, darting down the row, pausing just long enough to check each direction before hoofing it to the next junction. The light swept across the tops of the stacks, finally landing on the one Scout had pointed out. He held his breath, still heading toward her, that beam bouncing along the tops. A piece of metal clinked up ahead, followed by a low grunt.
That’s all the proof he needed that Neve was about to get ambushed, and he’d be damned if he lost her in a scrapyard no one would ever remember. Not when he’d just gotten her back. “Watch my six.”
He didn’t wait for Scout’s reply as he sprinted up the line, turned left then took the next right. The area beneath the stack was wider than the others, a piece of rusted bumper lying on the ground. One of the men reeled backwards, a metal spike sticking out of his shoulder as the other grabbed Neve by the throat, heaved her off her feet. She countered, locked her hands around his thick wrist, used it as a lever to anchor her body, kick the guy in the balls. He doubled over, loosening his grip when she elbowed him in the temple. He released her, still trying to recover from the strike as Neve hit the ground, breath rattling free, eyes watering as she sucked in some air.
Dead.
That’s what those assholes would be in five seconds.
No second guessing. No complicated strategy. Coulter just removed one knife, tossed it at the asshole who’d touched her — caught him in the neck. He arched backwards, voice cut off, just the hilt sticking out the back before he keeled forward, hit the ground with a splash of mud and gravel.
His partner turned, yanked the spike out of his shoulder and brandished it at Coulter, the metal slicing the bastard’s palms, not that he seemed to notice.
But Coulter was already moving. Ducking in low, avoiding that first strike, then catching the man’s arm between his ribs and his own arm. Three hard throat strikes with the edge of the GPS hard drive, and the guy’s eyes widened, his breath wheezing out in a frenzied attempt to draw in air. A hit to the groin, chest, and nose, and the bastard fell, landing beside his buddy in a bloody mess.
Pain cracked through Coulter’s ribs, but he shoved it aside, grabbing Neve’s arm and helping her to her feet. Blood dripped down her cheek from a gash across her forehead, more welling along her arms, though, he guessed those were a result of nesting on the stack. Her neck looked red, and he knew she’d have some bruising later, but nothing life threatening.
He performed a quick body sweep, hating the way her eyes seemed to take a few seconds to focus on him, what he suspected might be a slight concussion, then motioned her forward. He covered their six as that spotlight panned back, caught a glimpse of him in the outer beam as he stepped in front of Neve and Scout, kept their identities hidden. An alarm sounded behind them, more men bearing down on them from three sides.
Coulter started a mental timer in his head, T-minus five minutes until the RCMP arrived as Scout altered their direction, weaving in and out of the rows as if she had a map no one else knew about. She bypassed a few areas, climbed a section of pallets and crates, before crouching on top. Waiting as two more men charged past, a third trailing behind as if they’d suspected someone might double back.
Shadows shifted off to the left, moving with that eerie enhanced speed that created an almost ghostly version in their wake as the spotlight rolled back their way. Scout climbed down once the men had faded into the dark and made a beeline for one of the ditches. She chose a few non-trails, had them vaulting over rusted frames and discarded machinery, before stopping at the edge of the stacks, nothing but twenty meters of open space between them and that culvert.
Coulter glanced at Neve. She hadn’t spoken a word since he’d grabbed her, her eyes still looking slightly unfocused. He leaned in close, held up two fingers. “How many?”
She frowned, batting his hand away. “I’m fine.”
“Can’t tell, huh?”
“If I say four, and it’s really two, that’ll only make you more protective.”
“You saved me first. I was just returning the favor. And yeah, it was only two, so stay behind me until your head’s on straight again.”
She pursed her lips but nodded. He surveyed the area, listening for any indication Fraser had men moving this way, when Fraser and two other guys stepped out, standing in the open as if they were invincible.
Fraser scanned the rows. “I know you’re here. Might as well come on out…”
Coulter handed Neve the unit. “Hold this.”
Neve snagged his arm. “We’ll go around.”
“It’s going to be fine. Trust me.” He tapped his vest. “Got a little surprise for them.”
He removed a flash bang, gripped it in his left hand, before he took a breath, stepped out.
