That left Palazzi, with a gun to the teen’s head, and three men, armed and spooked enough to open fire at anything that moved. Travis would, no doubt, be busting through the back door, drawing fire from every direction. The girl and any number of innocent bystanders were bound to get hurt if MacGyver didn’t take steps to end this. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe Palazzi would let him live, but if he could be convinced to trade his hostage for MacGyver and let her step away, Travis would have the clear shot he needed.
MacGyver leaned his head back against the column and closed his eyes. The memory of Kellie’s face as he turned away, leaving her at the chopper, haunted him. He should have never left without telling her how he felt. Suddenly, he needed her to know he was in love with her.
Damn it!The shock of admitting it to himself sent a pang of longing straight to his heart. If he never came back, would she be sad or indifferent? Jeremy would take care of both her and Charlie—see that they got settled somewhere. MacGyver was thankful for that.
“You—behind the pillar. You can’t hide forever. Throw the gun out first and step out where I can see you. If I count to five before I see your hands in the air, this lovely young lady is going to die. Do you really want to let that happen?” The callousness of Palazzi’s threat made it clear he didn’t care either way. “One…two…”
The girl whimpered, clearly scared to death, and gut-wrenching sobs tore from her mother’s throat.
“Please…don’t hurt her. She’s a child. Let her go and take me.” Her father begged, as any father would, and MacGyver’s heart ached for him.
Palazzi ignored him. “Three…four…”
MacGyver steeled himself for what he had to do. There was no guarantee Palazzi would leave anyone alive, but MacGyver had to give him what he wanted. Bending down, he laid the gun on the floor and gave it a shove. He straightened, swept the hood of his sweatshirt back and hooked his dark glasses on the neck of his T-shirt. Lacing his fingers on top of his head, he stepped from cover, just as he caught the back door cracking open from the corner of his eye, letting in a sliver of light from the parking area. Everyone inside was focused on MacGyver, and no one else seemed to notice.
Travis.He wouldn’t fire unless he had a clean shot, and he wouldn’t have one as long as Palazzi controlled the girl. “Let her go. She’s just a kid.” MacGyver had to raise his voice on the last part to make sure he was heard over the rumble of a truck outside the front entrance.
Recognition flashed in Palazzi’s eyes. “Well, look who it is. Kellie’s new husband. Iverson, isn’t it? You’ve caused me a lot of trouble. Why would I listen to you?” He wrapped his fist in the girl’s long hair and hauled her up against him. She shrieked in obvious pain and terror.
MacGyver shut out everything else around him, focused on her and smiled. “Look atme, sweetheart. That’s right. What’s your name?”
“Lexi.” She zeroed in on him as though he offered salvation. Hopefully, she wasn’t wrong.
“Okay, Lexi. That’s a cool name. How old are you?”
“Fourteen…and a half.” A sob rocked her, but she watched his every move.
“Enough! This isn’t a fucking reunion.”
MacGyver tried to calm her panic for a couple more beats before he raised his eyes to look at Palazzi. “It’s simple. You let her and the rest of these people go because you’ve got me.” MacGyver lowered his hands slowly. “I know where Kellie and Anna are, but if you hurt one hair on Lexi’s head, I’ll die with that secret, and you can rot in jail.” He was bluffing. No one knew where Anna was except Jeremy, and, by now, the marshal would have Kellie somewhere safe too.
“Tell me where they are and the girl can go.” Palazzi glanced toward the front door in obvious annoyance as the truck revved its engine again.
“That’s not the way it works. You first.”
The three hired guns next to Palazzi shifted nervously. He seemed to consider the offer, his scowl deepening as the silence returned. Abruptly, he shoved Lexi away. “Okay, we’ll try it your way. Where are they?”
Suddenly, the truck’s engine roared as though someone had floored the gas pedal and held it down. The next instant, the double glass doors at the entrance shattered, and at least 40,000 pounds of diesel powered eighteen-wheeler rammed through the front of the building.
Palazzi and his men scrambled out of its way. MacGyver caught a glimpse of Travis, easing through the back doorway, a semi-automatic pistol in each hand. Was there someone with him?
Lexi, clearly not expecting the hasty shove or the crash and flying glass, stumbled, tried to regain her balance, and tripped over her own feet. MacGyver dashed forward and caught her around the waist in time to keep her from falling. Once he had ahold of her, he swung her around and shoved her to the floor, his large body dropping over hers, shielding her.
“Everybody down!” Travis’s warning came half a second before bullets started flying both directions over MacGyver’s head.
A searing pain bit him in the side, but he didn’t move, determined to protect Lexi. No way was a kid taking a bullet in this crossfire as long as he was still kicking.
Time stood still. The gunfire increased to a fever pitch, then slowed and finally stopped altogether. He looked up as Travis knelt beside him. “MacGyver, you’re hit.”
No shit.Somehow he managed to roll off Lexi, and she struggled to her feet. Her eyes widened as she stared at the blood staining one side of his shirt. He tried to reassure her with a smile, but he winced as a sharp pain in his ribcage knifed through him.
Blake’s grinning face appeared beside Travis.What the hell is he doing here? He should be with Kellie, making sure she’s safe.Blake turned Lexi toward the two people who dashed toward her, calling her name. Her parents smothered her with hugs, then led her from the bloody scene. She mouthed “thank you” as they dragged her away.
Suddenly, Kellie was leaning over him.I must be hallucinating.But it didn’t matter if it wasn’t really her. Seeing her face, imaginary or not, was balm to his battle-weary soul. He latched onto her hand and tried to form the words he needed her to hear. Instead, a groan rumbled around in his chest.
Her cool hand swept his brow. “Stay with me, MacGyver. An ambulance is on the way. You’re going to be fine.”
An ambulance? Am I wounded that bad?As long as he didn’t move, the pain was bearable, which was probably a gift, judging by the amount of blood he could see. “Did we get Palazzi?” He forced the words out with the last of his strength.