Page 32 of Twisted Road

Savage and Reaper followed Czar into the brush. “There’s his mark.” Savage spotted it. “He’s following someone.”

“Four someones,” Storm corrected.

“We’ll follow the trail,” Czar said. “You get the chopper in the air and head to the next site, Storm. We’ll meet you there. There’s no question that’s where he’s headed.”

Storm nodded and took off while they continued at a jog to follow the signs Keys had left behind for them. It didn’t take long to come across the first body and then the second one.

“You see either of them before?” Steele asked.

“Nope. Definitely ex-military,” Savage said. “No one we’ve had a beef with.”

They found the second kill site. “He shot both of them,” Reaper said. “Didn’t bother covering anything up. Drug them to the cliff and threw them over.”

“He’s headed to the peak,” Czar said, already jogging toward the next site.

Keys had clearly marked every twist in the trails, every turn he made or path he took through the trees. He’d left a sign no one would recognize but them. They’d used it as children, in the Russian schools. When they snuck out through a crack in the wall to find food or weapons. Or to kill.

Both helicopters were at the peak, and their men were casting around for signs. Czar and Steele jogged up to them.

“What do you have?” Czar demanded.

“He took out two of them under their noses,” Absinthe answered for the others. “Bodies fell over the cliff. Firefight, bullets flying. One SUV took off and went that way, top speed. Keys cut through the trees running full out.”

“We’ll stay on the ground. Storm, Ice, you take the helicopters,” Czar said. “Absinthe can be Ice’s spotter; you take Reaper with you.”

Reaper clearly didn’t agree, but Czar gave him one piercing look and Reaper turned to Savage. “Don’t leave his side. I don’t care if you have to hit him over the head.”

“I got it,” Savage said. “Seeing as Czar knows I enjoy inflicting pain, I’d say he’ll behave himself.”

“You don’t actually have to hit him,” Steele said. “Just tell Blythe. Man’s pussy whipped.”

“And happily so,” Czar declared. “Get a move on. We’re catching up to him.”

They went back to a ground-eating jog, covering the terrain fast until Steele stopped abruptly. “Something’s happened. Something’s wrong. He’s cutting through the trees and brush, running full out. You can see the change in his stride.”

“Not good,” Czar admitted. “The only thing that could have triggered this is gunfire. I think the last two found his woman.”

They picked up the pace, following in Keys’ footsteps, racing down the trails until, again, they stopped abruptly. A man, still alive, was tied to a tree. He didn’t look to be in good shape. There were no bullet wounds, but he’d been worked over. He was bound so tightly it looked as if the circulation was cut off to his hands.

“A little help here,” he muttered. “Maniac had a trap set and I stepped in it. You don’t want any part of him.” He coughed and spit blood and a tooth. “Seriously, man, cut me loose.”

Czar stepped around him and the others followed suit, moving quickly to follow the now-visible trail. Blood marred the green grass, a lot of it. A dead man lay crumpled a few feet away from what was an obvious crack in the mountain.

“Keys?” Czar raised his voice. “Got Steele with me. Don’t shoot anyone.”

Keys emerged from that crack. His face and clothing were streaked with dirt and blood. He looked exhausted. But he was alive. Steele grinned at him. “You wreaked a little havoc up here, Keys.”

“Didn’t leave us any fun,” Savage groused.

Keys shrugged. Swayed just a little. “Nothing much to do up here, so decided to play with the bad boys.”

“They didn’t fare too well. Looks like you took a headshot,” Czar said. “Let Steele take a look at you.”

“Need him to look at Lyric. I’m worried about her. She’s been sleeping on and off. Coherent when she talks to me but has a vicious headache we can’t seem to stop. She saved my life a couple of times. Wouldn’t make me happy if she died.”

“I’ll look at her,” Steele volunteered immediately. “Storm and Ice are bringing in the helicopters. We’ll get you two ready to travel and take you home the easy way.” There was no way Keys would allow him to look at his head before he took care of the woman, so he wasn’t going to bother arguing.

Keys turned and led the way inside. The little cave couldn’t even be called a cave, but Keys had done a good job of making it warm and bringing in the supplies they needed. Steele glanced at the wall of dirt at the back and jerked his head in that direction, alerting Czar to the numerous bullets embedded there.