Page 73 of Twilight Tactics

They slipped out,crouched low,and ran. Smoke curled in the distance where the drone had fallen. Shouts echoed, and the blessed sound of the horses’ hooves pounded in the distance. Someone—likely their prisoner’s guard—had released the animals from their stalls and into the pasture.

Another drone swooped overhead. Sully shoved Piper and Ollie down beside a woodpile. Elena tumbled next to them. Bullets shredded the air behind them.

Elena and Piper covered Ollie while Sully aimed at an approaching drone. He fired. Missed. Fired again and sent it into a spinning nosedive. The crash sounded seconds later. “Come on. Behind the barn!” Sully led the way. “Hurry!” He pulled Ollie from Elena and Piper and shielded her while he guided her to the Bronco, parked right where Maya said it would be. “Everyone in!”

Another drone shrieked overhead, flying too fast and too low. Elena dove into the passenger seat. Piper vaulted into the back with Ollie. Sully stomped on the gas, and the Bronco fishtailed before the tires caught and rocketed forward. He aimed the vehicle in the direction of the front gate. No hiding that they were leaving now.

Sully hated to abandon the others to deal with everything, but they needed to get Ollie to safety. She was his priority. His heart ached at the thought of the damage the ranch would suffer if the others couldn’t shoot down the drones, and he sent up a prayer for their safety, fighting the temptation to go back.

Sending help would be better than staying put. Once theywere through the gate, he headed toward town, pressing harder on the gas. “See anyone?”

“No,” Piper said.

Elena echoed Piper.

His vigilant study of the rearview mirror told him no one had followed them thus far. Whoever was planting the bombs and after Ollie or Elena wouldn’t have expected him to be able to get out of the gate. The plan had worked. For the most part.

He breathed slightly easier and slowed, not wanting to cause an accident before he was able to get help. There were no cars on the two-lane road this time of night, and the convenience store located at the bottom of the mountain would be locked up tight.

“I’ve got a signal!” Elena’s delighted cry jarred him.

“Fabulous! Call the sheriff and let him know we’re on the way. We may need to spend the night at the jail to keep Ollie safe at this rate.”

“Already dialing.”

“You want me to sleep in the jail?” Ollie asked. “Cool.”

Ollie stared out the windowas the Bronco raced down the mountain road. The darkness outside pressed against the glass like a living thing. Math equations scrolled through her mind—a habit that helped when everything else spun out of control.

Four people in the car. Two FBI agents. Elena. And ... her. The equation of her life these days.

“You okay?” Piper asked.

“Yeah.” Ollie pulled her backpack closer. Another safe house. Another move. Another temporary place. What else was new?

She unzipped her backpack and dug around inside. Her fingersbrushed against the familiar pill packet and relief surged. She still didn’t understand what happened to the other pills, but whatever.

The Bronco hit a pothole, and Ollie bounced in her seat. Fitting. Her life had become one jarring bump after another, trying to avoid the giant pothole that would end it all. First witnessing the murder. Then the safe house. Then the attacks. Now this ranch with its drones and bombs.

But these people—Sully, Piper, and now Elena—they’d stuck with her. Protected her. They cared whether she lived or died. Of course it was their job, but still. They cared. She could tell. Well, Sully and Elena did. She wasn’t sure about Piper. But at least the woman did her job.

“You’re going to be okay, Ollie.” Sully’s voice carried from the front seat. “I know you don’t want to leave the ranch, but hopefully, one day soon we can go back. You’re not alone in this.”

Not alone. The words settled in her chest. When was the last time she truly hadn’t been alone? Even in the crowded foster homes, she’d been alone. A visitor passing through other people’s lives.

“Thanks.” The word came out smaller than she intended.

Piper squeezed her hand. “That’s what we’re here for.”

Ollie nodded and squeezed back. She wanted to believe them. Wanted to trust that they meant what they said. But trust was dangerous. Trust meant letting people close enough to hurt you when they left. And everyone left eventually.

Elena’s phone conversation with the sheriff ended. “He’s meeting us at the station. Says he’ll send deputies and call the state police.”

“Good.” Sully checked the mirrors again. “No sign of pursuit so far.”

No sign of pursuit—for now. But they’d find her again. They always did. The people who wanted her dead wouldn’tstop until they succeeded or until she testified. Six days until the trial. Six days to stay alive.

“Everything okay?” Piper asked.