ELI CONSIDERED THEoptions and tried to figure out a way to keep his friends out of the line of fire. What he really wanted to do was toss Safara into their SUV and give them the job of keeping her under wraps until he and her father had dealt with the rogues. She would gut him with that sword of hers for even thinking such a thing, much less if he actually said it out loud. Before surrendering to the inevitable, he tried one last time to keep Mike and Doc safely on the sidelines.
“Like I said, this is a scouting expedition, but we all know even the best designed plans can blow up in your face in a heartbeat.” He paused to point at Mike’s arm. “You’re in no shape for a fight.”
The man wasn’t buying it. “It’s my left arm. I’m right-handed and can still pull a trigger.”
If bullets started flying, they’d need every weapon they could get. “Fine, you can come, but you’re providing support, not leading the charge. Agreed?”
He waited until Mike nodded before continuing. “I have an extra handgun one of you can use.”
Doc answered for both of them. “We’re good. When the major called me to come get him, I thought it only wise to come loaded for bear.”
“Okay, then. I think we should all ride together in your SUV rather than in a two-vehicle convoy. We’ll draw less attention that way. Any questions?”
“What kind of firepower will the enemy have?”
Safara winced at Mike’s description of her people, but she didn’t protest. “In some ways, Kalithia is less mechanized than this world, so no guns. That doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. They fight with the traditional swords of our people, like mine over there in the truck.”
She looked so damned sad as she continued her explanation. “Kalithia’s sun is dying, and some of our people are susceptible to what we call the light disease. It drives its victims to seek the bright sun in this world. The illness slowly destroys their minds, leaving them out of their heads with the need to kill anyone who crosses their path. If they get close enough to attack, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. The person they used to be is already dead, and the truth is that you would be showing them mercy.”
Eli added his own take on the situation. “We faced off against this bunch when eight of them attacked Safara at once. I’d like to say that I rushed in and singlehandedly saved the day, but that’s not what happened. Four cops from Kalithia joined the fight on our side to help drive the rogues off. These people might be crazy, but they’re damn good fighters.”
By that point, both Doc and Mike had their game faces on. So did Safara, for that matter. Good. This was serious business, the kind he’d been dealing with since his first deployment. He’d missed working with a team of warriors all dedicated to making the world a better place. While this group might number fewer than the ones he’d deployed with in the past, there was no one he’d rather have at his side when facing potential danger.
“Let’s transfer our gear to the SUV and then move out.”
It was tempting to punch Doc when he offered Eli a sloppy salute and said, “Yes, sir. Happy to, sir. I live to serve.”
“Remind me, Doc, why I used to like having you around.”
Doc was already pulling stuff out of Eli’s truck. “My charm, intelligence, and good looks?”
Both Eli and Mike shook their heads. “No, that’s not it.”
Eli dumped a lot more of the gear on top of the few things Doc had taken out of the truck. “Now I remember what it was that I liked about you.”
His friend’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And that would be?”
Eli clapped him on the shoulder. “You make a damn good pack mule.”
Doc rolled his eyes as he lugged the heavy load over to his vehicle. “Very funny.”
But to give the man credit, he grinned right along with the rest of them. Two minutes later, they pulled out onto the highway. The hunt was on.
18
By rights, as the only cop in the car, Safara figured she should be the one in the driver’s seat, not sitting in the back while Doc ripped down the two-lane highway toward the park. She considered pointing that out to her companions, but there was no use starting a battle she wouldn’t win. Not with this much testosterone packed into such a confined space.
“The entrance is about a mile farther up on the right.”
Doc met her gaze in the rearview mirror with a smile. “Thanks.”
When he frowned and quickly checked both outside mirrors, Eli joined the conversation. “What’s wrong, Doc?”
“Probably nothing, but a dark blue pickup passed us going the other direction a couple of minutes ago. Now there’s one right behind us. It might be a coincidence, but maybe not. Don’t everybody start twisting around to get a look at him. He’s close enough to notice.”
They reached the entrance to the park and turned in. The truck whizzed past, continuing westbound on the highway, but it was too soon to breathe a sigh of relief. If the driver thought they’d noticed him, he might be trying to throw them off his scent.
Doc slowed to a stop. “What do you want me to do?”
