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Guess we haven’t been so lucky after all.
Jonas and the guy holding the gun stepped out from behind the wall. As soon as they were standing in the courtyard, a red dot appeared on the guy’s forehead, and he dropped to the ground, half his head missing.
Leif’s voice sounded through the earpiece. “Fuck, that was close. Get out of there now. There are two carloads of beefed-up guys headed for the compound.”
We jogged back to the fence. “Why didn’t you warn us?” Devon asked.
“We tried getting through to you but couldn’t as long as you were in the building,” Jonas said.
“I couldn’t get a clear shot until he came around the corner,” Leif complained in our ears.
We’d almost made it back to the fence when loud voices sounded behind us. Devon threw a grenade in their direction, the explosion throwing us to the ground.
“Everyone okay?” he called, helping the freed hostages stand back up. One of the kids looked like he was about to fall over. I scooped him up, then ran to the fence with everything I had.
Shots rang out, hitting the grass and trees all around us. Devon took shelter behind a tree and returned fire. “Get them out of here,” he shouted over the noise. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“Everyone clear of the compound?” Leif asked.
“All clear,” Devon replied.
An explosion rocked the area. Flames shot into the sky, and one building was missing a huge chunk.
“Someone finally got to use the rocket launcher,” Jonas joked.
We pushed on, not wanting to take a chance with the safety of our hostages. Another shot rang out, and I went down, twisting to my back at the last minute to avoid crushing the child I was holding.
Jonas fired behind me, and someone dropped to the ground with a loud crash.
Devon kneeled beside me. “Where are you hit?”
“Leg,” I gritted out between clenched teeth.
He unstrapped his backpack and pulled out the first aid kit we were all required to carry. He wrapped a bandage around my leg, each pass of the fabric feeling like I was being shot all over again.
Jonas picked up the kid, who was staring at me with wide eyes, and ushered the hostages farther into the jungle. There was no need for everyone to hang around.
Devon helped me up, then put my arm around his shoulder. “Let’s get you home.”
We made our way back up the hill at a much slower pace than before. My injured leg refused to hold any of my weight, and I had to rely on Devon to drag me along with him.
Leif rushed up to us as soon as he spotted us. He went to my other side and put my arm around his shoulders. “Fuck.” He glanced at my leg, the bandage already soaked through with my blood. “Fucking fuck.”
I didn’t remember much of the car ride back, drifting in and out of consciousness. Once we made it onto the plane, I collapsed into a chair while a doctor stitched me up.
We couldn’t risk staying in the country any longer, and Devon found a doctor who’d been willing to fly to the States with us—for the right price, of course.
Once the adrenaline faded, I passed out.
My last thought before the lights went out was of Thea.
16
THEA
“Honey, talk to me,”William pleaded through the door.
The two weeks since I’d left Archer behind in Chicago had been miserable. I believed him when he said we’d talk. And I knew that he was on a mission and that meant no contact. But the ache I felt at his absence was slowly eating me up.
