AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Drop your weapon,” Rocco ordered.
Marta ran past them, out the door, screaming and crying.
Dusty stood facing the tunnel, and his eyes locked on Asia.
“No,” she cried, yanking free of Stan to run back toward Dusty. She couldn’t let them kill him.
He shook his head, and it was then she realized Rocco hadn’t spotted her yet.
“They’re getting away,” one of the other men shouted and pointed.
Dusty aimed his gun at the C-4.
Asia was thrown back as the tunnel entrance collapsed in the explosion, trapping Dusty in the estate.
“No!” she screamed.
Stan’s arms hooked under her armpits and hoisted her up. Then he put her over his shoulder, and she was bouncing as he and Zoe ran down the tunnel.
She beat on him. “We have to go back. We have to save him. We can’t leave Dusty behind.”
He didn’t put her down until they made it the half mile to the where the tunnel came out in the tropical jungle across the road. Then he grabbed her by the upper arms and shook her.
“You listen to me, Asia. I’ve got one chance to get you and Zoe out of here. Understand? I get you to safety, and I’ll go back for Dusty. I swear to you, I’ll get him home.”
Tears streamed down her face, and she glanced at Zoe.
“Think of the girl, Asia. I know this is hard, but she’s dead—we all are—if I don’t get us out of here, and I can’t help Dusty if I’m dead.”
Asia nodded.
He took her hand, and she took Zoe’s, and they ran into the dark of night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Dusty sat tied to a chair, his last image of Asia playing over and over in his head.
She was trying to run back to him. He shook his head, the voice in his mind screaming, No, don’t come back!
If he hadn’t done what he did, she’d have been captured or killed, just like when his SEAL team ran back from the exfil to save him in Afghanistan.
Flashback images of that horror played in his head. He wasn’t going to let that happen again. Not this time.
He would gladly give his life if it meant Asia and Stan and Zoe escaped.
It would be a poetic ending, at least.
Rocco’s fist slammed into his gut, and Dusty could only be thankful he hadn’t targeted his ribs, because with the power behind these hits, they’d be broken for sure.
He grunted, doubling over as far as his bindings would allow.
“I’m gonna ask you again. Who do you work for?”
Dusty grinned, his bloody teeth, he was sure, made for a macabre sight. He spit a mouthful at Rocco, the spray hitting the man’s thousand-dollar suit. “Who do you think, asshole?”
Rocco pulled out a handkerchief and wiped at the red splatter on his white shirt, then nodded to one of his men, who slammed his fist into Dusty’s mouth.
“Keep it up, tough guy. You won’t have any teeth left.” His phone went off, and he smiled. “Saved by the bell. Lucky you.”
