Force’s head smashed back against the aluminum divider with enough power that it vibrated, while Raider and Eddie were slammed against the back of the front seat. Pain burst through Raider’s shoulder. He turned to see Eddie pushing himself to sit, blood flowing from his right cheekbone.

Raider’s door opened a sliver. He turned and kicked it as hard as he could, using both feet. The tree cracked loudly, and branches rained down. Steam hissed from the crumpled-up engine area. He kicked again.

Eddie hit his shoulder. “Hurry up.”

“I am.” Dizziness slammed into Raider’s brain, and he swayed but kept kicking. Finally, the door opened all the way. “Let’s go.” He scrambled out, stood on the uneven ground, and a branch jarred his injured shoulder. Pain hit first, and he fell on his ass.

Eddie fell out of the car and rose to his knees. “You okay?”

“No.” Raider looked up the embankment to see Josh and Jonny P peering down. “We have to get out of here.”

Eddie tried to stand and ended up bent over, heaving out air. “Jesus.” He gestured to the cop in front. “He can identify us.”

So could Wolfe, who’d been left behind, but apparently Eddie wasn’t thinking clearly. Raider staggered to his feet and opened the front door. Force was hunched over the steering wheel, bleeding from the back of his head. Oh God. Was he alive? Nausea rippled through Raider’s gut. His hand trembled when he reached for the pulse point on Force’s limp wrist. Slow but steady. How badly was the agent hurt?

Raider drew the gun from Force’s holster, and shoved him as gently as possible across the seat. Then he pressed the barrel against the seat near Force’s ass and squeezed the trigger. The sound was deafening. He turned and slammed the door. “Took care of him.” He looked up the long slope to the road. “We have to run. Now.”

Eddie turned and stumbled over a rock, landing on his face.

Raider limped to him, grabbed his arm, and hauled him to his feet. “They’ll be looking for this guy. We just killed a cop, Eddie. Run.”

Eddie started to climb. They helped each other, balancing on rocks and downed trees, falling several times. Eddie heaved and moved to puke, and Raider grabbed his biceps and shook him. “Don’t throw up here. Can’t leave any evidence.”

Eddie sucked it down and trudged up again.

Finally, they reached the road.

“We don’t have much time,” Josh said calmly as Jonny P opened the back door and urgently gestured them inside.

Raider’s vision hazed, turned red, and then hazed again. He helped Eddie into the car and then fell in himself, his entire body aching like one pulsing bruise.

Josh peeled out, heading away from the town. “How bad you hurt?”

Eddie coughed. “Not bad enough to stop.”