Page 77 of Silent Target

“I’m fine.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“No, I’m not.”

“That may be the biggest lie yet.”

His mouth almost curves.

A bullet strikes the tree above us.

Caleb pulls me into the shelter of a boulder.

Three mercenaries emerge through the dust below.

One sees us.

He raises his rifle.

I fire first.

The bullet strikes his thigh.

He falls with a shout.

Caleb turns toward me.

I keep my pistol trained on the man.

“You said I knew how to shoot.”

“I remember.”

The second mercenary charges up the slope.

Caleb fires.

His round strikes the ground in front of the man, spraying dirt into his face. Before he can recover, Rook emerges through the dust and drives him into the rocks.

Cobra appears behind him and takes down the third.

Then Fathom climbs onto the trail.

Mac follows last.

He looks terrible.

His face is bruised. His wrists are bloody, and every step appears painful.

But his eyes remain alert.

Calculating.

He notices me standing beside Caleb.

“So you’re Evelyn Hart.”

“Evie.”