“Copy that.” Miguel ended the call and relayed the news to Julia. “Axis and Axalia are almost here. You sure you want to proceed with our plan?”
“Yes!” She pulled the sheet off the couch and sat down. “Go!”
Miguel flipped off the lights and slipped outside. Their plan was to sandwich the Andersons between them. They were counting on Axalia freaking out upon seeing Julia and giving them an advantage over the siblings. Miguel hid behind the thick trunk of an oak tree. Spanish moss, hanging from its branches, provided more cover. Soon he heard the thrum of an engine and saw the first beam of headlights approaching the house. Adrenaline kicked in, causing Miguel’s heart to pump furiously in his chest. He gripped the butt of his gun in his sweaty hands.
The dark blue Taurus turned into the driveway. Axis and Axalia climbed from the car and gazed at the house and the surrounding woods for several moments. When Axis drew a pistol from his waistband, Miguel cursed. Without earpieces tocommunicate, he couldn’t warn Julia about the firearm. The siblings murmured something to each other that Miguel couldn’t understand, and they moved stealthily toward the front door.
Miguel’s breath came hard and fast. He’d locked the door and returned the key to its hiding place beneath the flowerpot. As he suspected, they knew where to look for it and unlocked the door. When light blazed in the windows, Miguel left his post and watched the ground to prevent his stepping on dry twigs or leaves as he approached the porch. Axis and Axalia had left the door open, and he used it for cover.
“Well,hello, darlings,” Julia drawled in an eerie voice. “I’ve been waiting for you. Waiting for a really long time.”
Miguel shivered. He wondered if her voice sounded like Lola’s.
Axalia shrieked, “Mama!”
Miguel peered around the door. Axalia rushed toward Julia, who kept her Glock between the cushions on the sofa where the siblings couldn’t see it.
Axis sprinted forward and caught his sister around the waist. “That’s not Mama! Remember? I told you, Axalia. That’s her.Julia.”
“No. He’s lying to you. Come to me, my sweet girl.” Julia held out her arms.
Miguel steadied himself, ready to act to secure Axis. Axalia muttered something unintelligible. In an unexpected flash, she grabbed the pistol from her brother’s hand and pointed it at Julia.
Miguel’s heart stopped for a beat before he shouted, “Police! Put the gun down, Axalia, and raise your hands. Both of you. Slowly.”
With cat-like reflexes, Axalia spun around, aimed the gun at him, and pulled the trigger. Then she grabbed her brother’shand. They sprinted through the open doorway and disappeared into the night.
The bullet struck Miguel’s lower right side. Searing, white-hot pain robbed him of breath. Stunned, he stared at the red blossom staining his shirt. A stupid thought treaded across his mind:I’ve been shot. He tried to form the words, but his mouth went slack, and his knees buckled beneath him. Julia might have screamed his name; he wasn’t sure. He also wasn’t sure about the gunshots reverberating in his ears or the yelp of pain he heard. As he lay on the neutral-colored carpet, his training and instincts kicked in and he pressed his hands against the bullet hole. Warm blood flowed through his fingers.
Jesus Christ.
He began to pray and became aware of Julia kneeling next to him. “Oh, my God, Miguel!”
“Go!” he gasped. “Go after them!”
“No! I’m not leaving you.”
“Go!” Miguel insisted. “Best chance…to catch them.”
Julia ignored him. She called 911 and yelled at the operator, “Officer down! Officer down! Secret Service agent Miguel Rivera has been shot by fugitives Axis and Axalia Anderson!”
“Sending officers and paramedics to your location now, ma’am. To whom am I speaking?’
“Agent Julia Washburn, DEA.”
“Help is seven minutes out. Do you want me to stay on the line with you?”
“No, no.” Julia ended the call. “We have to stanch your bleeding.”
“That bad?” he joked and attempted to smile through his pain and fear.
“Yes.” She jumped to her feet, disappeared for several seconds, and returned with two old towels. “Miguel, roll onto your other side. I need to see if there’s an exit wound.”
Miguel gritted his teeth and almost lost consciousness from the pain spiraling through his midsection as he shifted onto his left side.
“Damn. The bullet is still inside you.”
From the amount of blood loss, Miguel could have told her that. She bunched up a towel beneath him and pressed the other one against his gunshot wound. The last thing Miguel heard was the distant wail of sirens.
