I can’t leave him here. I can’t lose him.
Adrian can’t lose his father. Not now that they’ve finally found their way to each other.
“Noah! Wake up! Please wake up!”
Please wake up.
I push myself to my feet, nearly toppling over from the effects of the blast.
Fires blaze all around me and a rush of vertigo once again threatens me, but I fight through it.
I’m swaying on my feet and my hand goes up to shield my nose as I sputter from the smoke permeating the air.
I’m a few feet from the car when a masked gunman, at least a foot taller than I am, blocks my way. I aim for his groin area but miss when someone else grabs me from behind.
I struggle against the rope they’re now tying around my arms, but they flip me onto my back, and I lose the battle as they tie my legs too.
Tears gush out of me as I arch my back, enough for me to see that a few armed men are approaching the car where Gabe and Noah lay unconscious.
“NOAH!”
A white cloth is suddenly shoved into my line of sight, blocking me from seeing what’s happening. Before I can yell for either one of them again, the smell of chloroform fills my nasal passages, and everything goes dark.
RIA!
I awaken to the sound of Ria screaming my name ringing in my head.
Instantly, my skin prickles with awareness.
Ria.
Leaving Adrian.
My son.
Leaving Nebraska.
Gabe swerving to avoid a wayward car skidding across the interstate.
The windshield getting struck by debris, and the impact causing the car to spin out of control.
Tires blowing out.
Falling back inside the car and a bullet grazes my shoulder.
Gabe.
I see Gabe sprawled out on the driver seat, blood all over his face.
That’s when it hit me. I passed out.
Adrenaline rushes through me, and I let my senses take over as I mentally break down what I'm up against.
Feel. Smell. Sound. Sight.
My cheek is pressed to a cold, dank cement floor and I’ve been freed of my weapons.
My shoulder, chest and ankle holsters are all empty.