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Once Ajmal shot Hammer, he’d move on to her. Charlie lowered her head, swallowing again. She closed her eyes and shook her head violently.
Too many bad thoughts had flashed through her mind. And memories.
Memories of how Ajmal had always leered at her in the camp. Memories of his suggestive talk. Memories of the way he had touched her without her consent.
She was pretty sure that Ajmal would not just shoot her. He would do other things with her, to her, first. He would torture her.
Then he would probably let her die slowly.
“Come on, can’t you shoot me?” Hammer sneered at Ajmal. “You’ve already stolen everything from me, haven’t you?”
For the first time, Charlie saw Ajmal waver. She saw the tremor at his wrist. She saw the fear in his eyes.
She was almost elated, but she could not allow herself to be.
Not yet.
“Remember how you stole my life from me?” Hammer was still taunting Ajmal. “Remember how you lied and let me rot in prison? When I had never done anything to you?”
The field was quiet. Charlie could not even hear herself breathing. She wasn’t even sure she was breathing.
“Shut up!” Ajmal shouted suddenly, his hand shaking. A vein throbbed in his neck.
“Why should I?” Hammer roared back. For a second, Charlie saw the outline of dragon wings on Hammer’s back.
But then it disappeared. It was probably just a trick of the light.
“You’ve spent your life stealing people’s heritage and doing every illegal thing under the sun. Why shouldn’t I call you out on it? Since you’re going to shoot me anyway.”
Just then, Hammer lunged forward at Ajmal. He wrenched the gun out of Ajmal’s hand before the man could react.
This was enough for Ajmal’s goons to move because the one nearest to them took aim.
The shot rang out, and time froze. Everything froze, including Charlie.
She did stop breathing as she watched the bullet spin through the air.
Hammer reached out behind him, grabbed her into his arms, and stepped aside.
The bullet missed them both by seconds. By inches.
Hammer did not wait for another bullet but spun around and started firing shots. The men returned fire as they dove into the forest. Beside her head, a tree trunk splintered, sending shrapnel toward her.
Charlie ducked, feeling woodchips fly into her hair. “Hammer,” she screamed. He dragged her away from the battle, where the shooting quickly stopped. Either the others had abandoned their leader, or they were dead.
Hammer straightened and lifted his chin. “Listen up, Ajmal. You keep coming after me, and one of these times, I’m going to kill you. When will your luck run out?”
“We need to change directions!” he growled, pulled out his map for a moment, and then grabbed her hand. Charlie let him. There was no way he was going to have a conversation right then.
After several hours, they entered a small village, and Hammer got directions to the only space for visitors. He moved so quickly that it made her dizzy. But they were checked into a room within minutes. She wasn’t even sure where Hammer had gotten money.
Hammer dumped his bag onto the floor as they entered the room and headed for the bathroom. While Charlie looked around, she heard a bang in the bathroom. She winced but headed for the bathroom.
When she pulled the door open, Hammer was on the ground. The bathroom mirror was broken.
He was breathing hard, and his face was flushed again. Though this time, it wasn’t from a fever.
She got to her knees next to him.
