CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Dawn broke gray and frigid, icicles formed on the eves in lethal looking shards. Todd had been up for a while; he lit a small fire and walked the perimeter of the cabin. There was nothing but silence and whispered pit of snow hitting the trees and branches.

He let himself quietly in the cabin and shook the snow off his hair. Darcy was up and alert. “See anything?”

“No. Not yet,” he said. “But they’ll be comin’, you can count on it.”

Darcy eased herself up from the floor and stretched. “What’s the plan?”

He smiled a little. “You’re gonna get the everybody outta here. I’m waiting here for Gaines to make his move.”

Darcy shook her head. “I don’t want to do that Todd. There’s no way I’m going to let you stay here all alone.”

“I agree, Todd.” Karinna padded softly up to the both of them. “You can’t face all of Christian’s men alone. That’s crazy.” She reached up and cupped the side of his face. “I just found you. I’m not ready to say goodbye,” she whispered.

He looked down at her pale face. She was frightened and worried sick over the prospect of being separated from him. He felt himself weakening. “I can’t Karinna,” he whispered. “I need my daughter out of here. Kelly is still a kid and you…” he traced his finger down his cheek. “I can’t lose you, baby. I need to know that Starr will be safe and I trust you with her life.” Karinna bowed her head. He was right, this was life and death and his child was an innocent. Starr and Kelly’s safety was what really mattered.

“Okay,” she said quietly. Tears slipped down her face. She scrubbed them back with her palms. “I need to wake Starr then.” She tamped down the panic she felt. Christian would not stop until he killed Todd. Why did she have this awful feeling in the pit of her stomach? Why did she feel as though she would never see him again?

Darcy stepped up to Todd. “Are you sure, Todd?” She whispered. “How are you going to manage this alone? You could very well get killed,” she said seriously.

Todd sighed deeply. He knew that he might never see his child or Karinna again, but it was too late. He needed to finish this. “Don’t worry, Darce. The biggest thing you can do for me is to just get the girls and get the hell out of here. You will take Rocket with you.”

Darcy ran her fingers through her platinum hair in frustration. “Just end it, okay, Todd? Kill the son-of-a-bitch and come home.”

Todd smiled at his friend. “I’ll die trying.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

He sat in silence and waited. He didn’t mind the solitude; he was at the core a loner. It twisted his guts to let Starr and Karinna go, but there was no other choice. He trusted Darcy with their lives; and he knew that the place she was taking them was completely safe.

He heard a small shift outside. Just the slightest whisper of a sound and he knew he was no longer alone. He leaned up and back against the wall. Both guns were up and ready.

He crept into one of the bedrooms and saw a shadow pass in front of the window through the tattered curtains. He quickly stepped into the next bedroom and silently opened the window.

When the man passed in front of it, Todd grabbed him by the neck and twisted it brutally. He eased the man to the ground and ducked his head back in.

That’s when he heard the unmistakable click of a hammer being cocked. A cold barrel was pressed none too gently against the back of his head. He shut his eyes briefly. “Fuck,” he muttered.

Christian smiled nastily. “Yes, I imagine so. You see, I took a page out of your book, Manning. I cause a simple diversion and then boom…I gotcha.” He kept the pressure against the back of his head.

“Now I want you to drop those guns nice and easy, asshole. Try anything stupid and I’ll punch a hole through the back of your head.”

Todd dropped them gingerly to the ground, but was thinking. He glanced up through his lashes and counted the men that materialized into the room like mist. There were four of them including Gaines.

Christian spun Todd around and punched him full in the face. Todd staggered back and took the hit. He licked the blood at the corner of his lip and smiled eerily. He stared at Gaines. His eyes had the same flat, disconnected look, as did a cobra.

Christian took a mental step back. Manning just stood there silently clenching his fists, and letting the blood run down the side of his jaw. His eyes narrowed and never left his face for a second. He truly looked like a killer. He was glad for the men.

“Tie this fucker to that chair,” Christian snapped.

The three men converged on Todd at once. Todd dropped to his feet and swept his leg across the legs of the men in one smooth movement. They tumbled to the ground, surprised by how quick Manning struck.

Todd grabbed one of the men and shielded himself against the hail of bullets that rang out through the room. He walked backwards and knocked over the scarred wood table and dropped to the ground behind it. He yanked the AK from the dead mans hands and sprayed the room in short, controlled bursts.

Glass shards and wood were flying everywhere. The gunfight seemed to last forever until there was silence. The air was thick with smoke and gunpowder. He poked his head up and saw nothing but dead bodies. Christian was not among them.

He grunted in pain and felt his side. He’d been shot. The blood was forming a circle the size of dinner plate. He pressed his hand over the wound to stem the flow. He pulled his bandana from his head and wrapped it around his waist like a tourniquet.

He sprayed the room again with the assault rifle then quickly got up and retrieved his guns. He stepped into a doorway as a bullet zipped by his ear.

“Give it up, Manning!” Christian bellowed. “I’m not gonna let you live, you fuck!”

Todd laughed. “Keep dreamin’ old man,” he sneered. “I’m still standing.” He fired two quick shots across the room and stepped out of the doorway, then ducked into the bathroom. He eased the window open and punched out the ripped screen.

He climbed out and dropped lightly to the frozen ground. He winced and almost blacked out from the pain at his side, but he keep on his feet. He gingerly made his way around back and pulled out his duffel from the thick bramble that surrounded the cabin.

He reached in and grabbed his crossbow. He pulled the wire taut and fit a customized arrow into the slot. He aimed and released the C4-tipped arrow through the bathroom window. The arrow sliced the air silently. He slung the bag over his shoulder and sprinted to the left of the cabin.

The explosion was deafening in the early morning air. The cabin fell like a house of cards. The old wood caught fire and it licked at Todd’s face. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gaines coming. He was running pell-mell straight toward him. Todd threw the bag down and charged him. The two men came together like a pair of wild animals.

Todd punched him hard in the throat. Christian dropped to the ground gasping for air. Quick as a flash he pulled out a blade and stuck Todd in the upper thigh.

Todd grunted and kicked Gaines under the chin and sent the man sprawling. He winced and pulled the blade out of his leg. He felt nausea hit him in waves. He took a deep breath and pulled out his P7. Breathing heavily he aimed it right at Gaines’ head.

“It’s over. You’re done.”

“I’ll see you in hell,” Christian whispered.

“And I’ll live a long, full life before you do, Gaines,” Todd slyly whispered back. He pulled out a pair off cuffs and threw them at Gaines’s feet. “Put em’ on.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m gonna hand deliver you to the FBI and then there gonna fry your ass. And I will pay anyamount to be there when you get the needle.” He casually turned his back and started walking. “Get em’ on, Gaines. I haven’t got all fucking day.”

Christian reached behind his back and pulled out his Glock. He raised it and began to squeeze.

Todd spun around and shot Christian Gaines once. It was a clean shot right between his eyes. He walked over to him. He lifted his sweater and pulled out a manila envelope and dropped it on Christian’s chest. “So the world will know what you were,” he said impassively. He turned and limped toward his duffel and pulled out a first aid kit. He quickly dressed the wounds on both his leg and side as best he could. He zipped up the bag and walked away without looking back. There was one person missing in all this. Todd’s jaw tightened. And he knew for a fact that Gabriel Escobar was every bit as dangerous as Gaines was.

To be continued…