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Chapter 31
Crouched behind the open car door, she watched her phone’s timer as the seconds ticked by unbearably slowly. When a minute had gone by, she thought she heard movement off to her left. But she didn’t turn her head. Didn’t react in any way.
As the seconds ticked off, she peeled off the tape holding her gun on the cast and set the gun on the seat of the car. As soon as the two minutes were up, she fumbled for the box of matches she’d taken from the cabin, removed two of them and struck them on the box. Reached around the door to put the lit matches on the stack of money.
It took a few moments to catch. But within a couple of minutes, the pile of fake money was flaming. Sparks and tiny bits of burning paper shot into the air.
Two people inside the cabin began shouting. Since they weren’t speaking English, she assumed they were yelling at each other. As they argued, the stack of money flamed high, then began to burn down. Newsprint was apparently quite flammable. Alex smiled to herself, sending silent kudos to Mel and Dev for their cleverness.
Finally, when the brick of newsprint with the one hundred dollar bills on top and bottom was smoldering ash, she reached for another brick. Set it on top of the ashes of the first one. “Lots more where that came from,” she called. “I can do this all day. Send Jerry out, or I’ll light up another one.”
She struck another match against the box and reached around the door to drop it on the bills. “Stop!” one of the Russians yelled. It sounded like the guy she’d talked to on the phone.
Alex held the lit match above the bills. “Send Jerry out now,” she called. “This match is burning down. In another few seconds, it’ll burn my fingers and I’ll drop it.”
“Put out the match,” the same guy shouted. “We’re untying him.”
“You should have done that sooner,” Alex retorted. The flame touched her fingers, and she shook her hand. Dropped the match. It landed in the ashes of the first pile and fizzled out.
“You’re too slow,” she hollered, striking a third match. When she extended her hand around the door to drop it on the bills, the front door of the cabin opened. Jerry staggered out, assisted by a shove in the back that nearly made him fall.
Alex blew out the match as Jerry moved slowly to the car. As he reached for the passenger handle with his uninjured hand, Alex called to him, “Jerry, get behind the car. Right now.”
He shot her a terrified look from bruised, swollen eyes. But he obeyed, lurching around the end of the car. “Sit down,” she said quietly. “Don’t move until I tell you to.”
“Alex,” he began, his voice weak.
“Save it, Jerry,” she ordered without looking back at him. “I don’t want to talk to you. Not now, probably not ever. If you want to get out of here alive, keep your mouth shut and do exactly what I tell you.”
The Russians wanted to kill her and Jerry both. So no way would she and Jerry get into the car, where they’d be easier targets. She’d wait for the Russians to make the first move.
Still watching the cabin, she reached for her gun on the driver’s seat. Made sure it was ready to fire, with a bullet in the chamber.
It didn’t take long for the Russians to react.
“Get in your car and leave,” shouted one of them.
“You think I’m stupid?” she yelled back at them. “You just want a bigger target. Throw your guns out here. Then come outside, lay on the ground with your hands on your head. When you do that, Jerry and I will get in the car and drive away, leaving you the money.”
One of the men muttered in Russian. The other one answered. Then both of them stepped outside the cabin. One was taller than the other, but both were muscular. Hard-looking. The taller one aimed at her, and she ducked behind the protection of the door. The gun fired, and the door jolted hard, almost knocking her off her feet.
Another gunshot pinged off the car’s hood. From the other Russian?
Alex rested her gun in the small notch formed by the top of the door and the side of the car. When they spotted the gun, both of them began firing, one shot after another. She ducked her head and the door window exploded, raining fragments of glass on her. Where were Gideon and his backups?
Drawing in a shaky breath, she aimed at the taller man. More target there. She pulled the trigger, and he staggered backward. Toppled over.
The shorter, stockier man screamed at her in Russian. He lifted his gun, and she shot before he could. She hit his right shoulder and he slapped his hand over the wound. But he continued pointing his gun at her with his left hand.
Oh, God! Why wouldn’t he fall down?
Her hand now shaking, Alex took aim again. But a sudden volley of bullets sent the shorter Russian flying backward. He bumped into the side of the house, then slowly crumpled to the ground.
Nico rushed into the open, holding his gun in his right hand, steadying it with his left hand. He stopped at the Russian Alex had shot and kicked away his weapon. Stared down at the second one, then stepped over him into the cabin. In less than a minute he walked out. “Clear!” he yelled.
Spence, Brynn and Gideon appeared around the corner of the house. Spence and Brynn hurried over to the two Russians, while Gideon sprinted to her. “Alex,” he cried when he reached her. He snatched her into his arms and held her so tightly she could barely breathe. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He held her away from him and scanned her from head to toe. Sucked in a breath as he touched her head. “You’re bleeding.”
“Where?”
