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Back Critical Alliance
Chapters (53)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Half Title Page
  4. Books by Elizabeth Goddard
  5. Title Page
  6. Copyright Page
  7. Dedication
  8. ONE
  9. TWO
  10. THREE
  11. FOUR
  12. FIVE
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. EIGHT
  16. NINE
  17. TEN
  18. ELEVEN
  19. TWELVE
  20. THIRTEEN
  21. FOURTEEN
  22. FIFTEEN
  23. SIXTEEN
  24. SEVENTEEN
  25. EIGHTEEN
  26. NINETEEN
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. TWENTY-NINE
  37. THIRTY
  38. THIRTY-ONE
  39. THIRTY-TWO
  40. THIRTY-THREE
  41. THIRTY-FOUR
  42. THIRTY-FIVE
  43. THIRTY-SIX
  44. THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. THIRTY-EIGHT
  46. THIRTY-NINE
  47. Author’s Note
  48. Acknowledgments
  49. Another Thrilling Story from the Author
  50. ONE
  51. About the Author
  52. Back Ads
  53. Back Cover

Alex took the drone from Nora and leaned against the truck next to the security guard. Nora and Carson held each other. He eyed Carson—Mackenzie had thought he was the villain.

“You said the man who took Mackenzie was the cybercriminal. What else can you tell me?”

Nora closed her eyes, then opened them again. “William. His name is William.”

William? He didn’t know a William. It didn’t matter. He looked to the terrain behind them.

Into the woods. To Tilden, he said, “Keep them safe. The ambulance is at the front, and I’m guessing a lot more police presence. I need to find Mackenzie.”

Nora seized the drone from him and powered it up along with the controller that included a small screen. She gave him brief instructions. “I can search from here, and if she’s out there, you can get her.”

She sent the drone up and into the woods. Only the heat signatures of animals came up on the controller screen. The explosion had probably sent them running.

“Where could she be?” Alex asked. “Maybe she’s not in the woods.”

“That helicopter isn’t ours,” Nora said. “My guess is he wanted to take her on it, but she got away and ran into the woods. You were right to get the drone.”

Nora and Alex gasped at the same moment. They spotted the heat signatures of two people. One figure was gaining ground on the other one.

“Where are they headed?” Alex asked.

“Toward the ravine,” Nora said. “She might be trying to get to the zip line. She probably thinks if she could cross it, then she could disable it on the other side.”

Desperation corded his throat. “He’s gaining on her. She won’t make it.”

“Doesn’t matter if she makes it. The zip line is down for the foreseeable future. She can’t get across.” Nora handed the controller off to him. “You might need this while you’re out there. Now, go get my sister.”

THIRTY-FIVE

Mackenzie heard the explosion and stumbled. Her knees hit the ground, then she fell forward and sobbed into the pine needles. Oh, God . . . Nora!

There was no way Nora, Tilden, and Carson had made it out of there without a rescue. But Tilden had called 911, and she’d heard emergency vehicles. She had an ounce of hope.

God, please, please, please let them be okay!

Whatever had happened, Mackenzie had to survive so that William wouldn’t win.

She pushed from the ground and started running again. How much farther was it to the ravine and the zip line? Taking it across then disabling it would get her to safety. William was a runner, and there was no way she could outrun him.