Page 81 of Paths
Oh fuck.
*****
Grady –
We were walking to the tarmac as these guys appeared from the other side of a nearby plane. I knew we’d have trouble right away when I recognized the old, heavy-set guy. He was the one with Weston at the Ranch. The second I made eye contact with them, they made their move. I tried to pull Maya out of the way, but they were close.
When the old guy goes for my throat, I do the only thing I can with one free arm since I’ve got Maya in my other. I go for his pressure point on his jugular with my thumb. The guy’s eyes widen and his grip on me loosens, but he doesn’t give up.
That’s when I hear Maya yell and feel her being pulled from me.
The younger guy has his hands on her. No fucking way is anyone going to take her from me.
“Damn it, Trevor. Get her!” the old guy yells again.
I try to pull her in back of me, but the old guy goes for my hair and chin, trying to yank my head back.
Amateur move.
I swing my free arm up and over, easily dislodging his hands, and quickly kick, putting a foot to his chest. He loses his footing, landing hard on his ass and back.
“No!” Maya screams and I tighten my arm around her waist. The younger guy is big, strong, and seems to be ten times the adversary compared to his friend who’s lying on the ground. Even so, for as big as he is, he doesn’t seem to be trying very hard.
Turning Maya as much as I can, I lift my leg and put a foot into the side of the younger guy with all my might. He stumbles back a couple feet, but out of the corner of my eye, I see movement.
The old guy is rolling to sit on the ground and when he brings his gun up, I don’t have a choice.
I’m forced to let Maya go, and yell, “Get on the plane!”
I hear a scuffle behind me, but don’t take my eyes off my target. I swear, every hair on my body stands on end when I hear Maya let out a painful cry.
By the time the old guy’s arm swings forward, gun in hand, I’ve made the three strides it takes to get to him. He’s still on his ass, so his hand is an easy mark. I circle my leg just in time.
He gets a round off, but he’s fucking slow. My boot already made contact and the shot goes astray, his gun flying through the air.
Then I put my boot to the side of his head.
His body follows, flipping over to his side and rolling onto his face. I bend, yanking up the leg of my jeans and reach for my gun that’s holstered at my ankle.
“Grady!”
I stand and turn with my weapon, but I’m too late, the younger guy has her. Her back is plastered to his chest with her wrists bound in one of his big hands. It’s not enough, and he’s doing everything in his power to keep hold of her.
This is because she’s struggling, kicking, and twisting her body. Even though he’s twice her size, she’s strong, in shape, and making him work for it. But her face is full of fear and I grit my teeth when I see blood seeping from scratches on her cheek.
I take two steps to the right so the old guy isn’t behind me, although I’m pretty sure he’s knocked out.
The young guy glances quickly at his unconscious friend as he struggles with Maya.
I raise my gun, making him my target. “You’re fucking crazy if you think I can’t put a hole in your head without touching a hair on hers. Let her go.”
His eyes narrow, shifting quickly between me, my gun, and his friend lying on the ground. I’m not sure what I expected, but he instantly gives in, lifting his chin, and lets Maya go, giving her a little push in my direction. He raises his hands to show me he’s done.
Once freed, Maya runs to me. Without taking my gun off my target, I wrap her up in my free arm and move us sideways to the plane. When we get there, I push her up the stairs first and the pilot reaches for her hand to pull her in the rest of the way.
After we board, he yanks the door quickly and locks it before looking from me to Maya. This is the same pilot Asa, Crew, and I have used for years, so he doesn’t question me as to what just happened, but says quickly, “We’re cleared, let’s get out of here. Get yourselves belted in and then get her some ice after takeoff—she hit the ground hard.”
Looking to Maya, she’s sitting on the sofa holding her head in her hands. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket at the same time I bend to look out a window. The young guy has moved away from the plane and toward his friend on the ground, but what’s weird is he just stands there, with a hand on his hip while running the other through his hair.
