Enemy soldiers were scattering on all sides, yet she was calm about choosing which man to pick on. To say I was impressed was an understatement. However, this wasn’t the right time to admire her form or technique in punching the shit out of anyone.
Suddenly, we were a team. Her brutal punches matched by my follow-through without a second of hesitation. Some would say we were a match made in heaven.
At least in my line of work.
I would contend she needed taming.
That would come with time we had yet to find.
Two more came at us and this time, I threw the first punch, which seemed to delight her. “Not bad. For a rookie,” she countered, showing off her technique as she’d done in the bar when three more raced toward us.
Fallon appeared unstoppable, kicking and spinning, her mastery of martial arts more impressive than before. Yet when she was finally brought down, the fucker holding a knife at her throat, I reacted. Or maybe overreacted, jerking him up by the back of the neck and tossing him by a few feet.
My anger still fresh, I grabbed her knife, grinning before I took long strides, smashing my boot on the man’s chest and slicing his throat.
She pressed her hand against my back, snagging her knife and wiping the blade on my cargo pants. “I’ll give you a passing grade.”
“I could say the same about you. Although maybe you need a few lessons in anticipation.”
“And maybe you continue to underestimate me.”
When I heard a loud growl along with a slam of metal against metal, I realized we’d found our way closer to the fencing. Someone was tossed over. The animals went wild.
The scream of the man was full of terror. It was one I’d remember for some time.
At least the darkness shadowed the horror. Instead of turning away immediately, Fallon took several deep breaths. I could tell she was rattled but was holding her own.
“What the fuck?” Jago said as he flanked my side.
“Eduardo’s men. We need to get to Brooke before—” My words were cut off by a sharp, strangled cry.
A woman.
Fallon didn’t hesitate, or worry about her safety or that of anyone else. She flew toward the sound. I raced after her, Jago following. Trees surrounded the concrete bunker, the sweltering heat even at night creating a stench of mold and piss, stale liquor and tobacco.
The door was flung open, a fucking asshole dragging a woman across the threshold. She was kicking, but her movements were slow, disjointed. Yet her anguish was evident by every sound she made.
“No!” Fallon screamed, the high-pitched yell somehow managing to echo.
The first things I learned when being trained as a soldier was never to hesitate. The second was never to underestimate theenemy. It would seem Fallon had a much better warrior instinct than I’d given her credit for.
She threw herself toward the soldier but expected him to immediately retaliate. As soon as the blade was driven into his throat, she wrapped her arms around the shaking girl, pulling her away by several feet and to the ground.
Both Jago and I reacted as other soldiers rushed from the darkness.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
There was also no hesitation on our part.
When the bodies slumped to the ground, I turned in a full circle, ensuring there weren’t additional men hiding in the bushes.
Jago turned toward me, shaking his head. “I’m burning the shit down for what the fucker did.”
“You still give a damn about Eduardo.”
He half laughed. “He is family, Navarro. One day you’ll realize that blood truly is thicker than water. Let’s get the women out of here.”
“Yeah. I have no intention of hanging around for seconds.”
