He walked to the heaviest piece of furniture he could find, a moth-eaten easy chair, and picked it up.
Charlotte called the time. “Forty seconds.”
With full force, he pounded the chair into the spot where the chain was secured. The floorboards splintered and cracked and finally gave way. Ripping the entire plank from the floor, Finn scooped Charlotte up like a bride.
She locked her arms around his neck. “Twenty-three seconds!”
“What do you say we get the fuck out of here?”
“Yes, please.”
Finn threw open the front door and sprinted. In his periphery, he saw his SEAL brothers emerging from the woods. Near the top of the hill, Samir Vogel shouted, “No!” and turned and ran.
“Fire in the hole!” Finn shouted and quickly changed direction, heading to his team.
A bullet whizzed by his head, grazing the back of his scalp. He raced into the trees and set Charlotte on her feet. Tox grabbed Finn, and Chat pulled Charlotte farther away from the blast radius. The explosion sent them all tumbling to the forest floor. Flames shot into the air, and pieces of debris flew.
When the dust settled, Tox looked up from his position flat on his back. “I love you, brother, but get the fuck off.”
Finn rolled off his best friend and crawled over to Charlotte. He scooped her onto his lap, and she tucked into his body.
“Charlotte? Angel?” Finn soothed.
She answered him with an embrace that said everything.
She spoke into the crook of his neck. “You did it. You saved me.”
“And you saved me.”
Tox stood over them. “What’s the plan?”
Finn felt the back of his head where the bullet had nicked him. “Someone took a shot at me as we were running, and it wasn’t Samir. If Charlotte and I hadn’t changed direction at the last second—” Finn showed Tox his bloody fingers.
Tox handed Finn another comm unit to replace the one at the bottom of the lake and spoke into his own. “Herc? You still up top?”
“You guys need to get up here. You’re missing the party,” Herc replied.
Steady and Ren started up the hill, staying in the trees.
Finn said, “You got eyes on Samir and the sniper?”
“Yes and no. Samir started screaming when you two ran out of the cabin. Then he took off running.”
Tox asked, “You clock a shooter up there?”
Finn could tell Herc was on the move.
“I heard the shot. I didn’t have a visual, but I fired over to where he probably staked out. Hold on.” After a few seconds, Herc continued, “Yeah, looks like he bugged out.”
“Copy that. Thanks, Herc.”
Chat joined them. “Strange a guy like that having back up.”
Finn met his friend’s knowing gaze. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Tox looked at Finn. “What do you want to do?”
“I’m going to kill Samir Vogel.”