You don’t call out. That alerts your prey. Amateurs.
But Drew realized they’d seen the shack. He backed away from the window as he planned his attack.
“I want you to stay inside,” he told Tina. He didn’t want her in the line of fire but he didn’t have a whole lot of options. I’ll keep her safe.
“I can help you,” Tina said as her grip on her makeshift bat tightened.
“You will help me.” He hated to do this but... “You’re going to be my bait.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Say that again. I’m going to be your what?”
“When those men get close enough, I want you to call out and beg for help. You’re the prize they want. They aren’t going to fire on you.”
He wouldn’t give them the chance to fire.
But he did need them distracted.
“Stay against the wall when you call out. Do not let them see your body at all, understand?”
“I understand that I don’t like this plan.” Her jaw had firmed.
Damn but she was cute. “Think positive. Maybe I’ll take ’em out before they even get close enough to hear you.” He’d do his best. Drew turned away from her.
Tina’s hand wrapped around his arm. “Be careful.”
She was worried about him? “Don’t worry, Doc, we have unfinished business, right?”
Her fingers jerked back as if he’d burned her.
Ice shouldn’t burn.
He left her quickly, ready to eliminate this threat and move on as fast as he could. He exited from the back of the small house. He kept his body positioned close to the old walls. He’d need to circle around for his attack. The problem? There wasn’t a lot of cover. So those men had to stay totally focused on what was happening inside the house.
Not what was going on outside.
He could hear their footsteps rushing toward them, coming closer and closer with every tense second that passed.
Now, Doc. I need you now.
As if on cue... “Help!” Tina shouted. “Please, help me!”
The footsteps moved even faster. Drew crept around the house. He peered around the corner and saw the men at the front door. They weren’t ev
en looking his way.
Mistake.
He tossed his knife and it sank into one man’s side. The guy cried out, and down, down he went.
The other men spun at his cry, but it was too late. Drew grabbed the second guy, applied the right amount of pressure, and he was unconscious seconds later. A fast, hard kick slammed the third man into the side of the wall. His head connected with a thud and he fell with a groan.
“You...bastard!”
Technically, he wasn’t. Drew spun toward the new threat. The attacker had yanked the knife out of his side and blood dripped down his body as he advanced toward Drew. “I get to kill you,” he said, eyes bright. “Lee said you didn’t have to come in alive. Not you, just her.”
Drew backed up, trying to lead the man away from the house.
“I will kill—”