* * *

Levi fought back a moan when he pushed up on his elbow. His shoulder throbbed from where he had landed, and he could only imagine Cassie had her own share of aches and pains from when she had hit the ground.

She rolled over so she was facing him and opened her mouth to speak.

Levi lifted his finger to his lips. “Shhh.”

She nodded.

He scooted closer to her and whispered, “Are you okay?”

“I am, but Darius . . .”

“We can’t do anything for him until we’re sure we won’t get shot.” Levi hated that, but he knew the fastest way to help Darius was to neutralize whoever had shot him.

Levi listened for a moment, unable to discern any movement nearby. He pushed himself up with his good arm. “Come on. We need to get out of here. The shooter knows where we are.”

Cassie followed his lead and stood.

Levi ignored the throbbing in his shoulder and drew his weapon. With his free hand, he motioned Cassie forward. Cautiously, he sidestepped the bushes to his right, keeping his body between Cassie and the direction the shots had come from. A twig snapped to his left, and Levi pulled Cassie behind two trees that had grown together at the base.

A gunshot rang out, and Levi acted on instinct. He grabbed Cassie’s arm and pulled her to the ground. “Stay down.”

Another bullet splintered into the wood a few inches above him. So much for hiding. His hand gripped his weapon, and he listened for any sound.

The click of an empty cartridge being expelled from a gun sounded, followed by a new one snapping into place. Their pursuer had come prepared, and Levi didn’t doubt the man wanted both of them dead.

Levi straightened, aimed in the direction of the sound, and fired. A blur of movement flashed in the bushes. Levi shot again, and his opponent returned fire.

Levi ducked, retrieved a clip from his holster, and reloaded. He leaned back against the tree currently protecting him.

Cassie scooted closer. “What now?”

Levi looked at her and stared. Someone was shooting at them, and her voice was relatively calm. Yet, when they had been safely hidden behind the rocks by the cliffs, she had fallen apart.

Another shot sent bark flying. Cassie flinched but didn’t scream.

“Since when are you this calm under pressure?”

“I’m learning,” she said before repeating her question. “What do we do now?”

“We call for reinforcements.” Levi pulled his phone from his pocket to send a text message, then realized everyone he had worked with directly had either left the country or was wounded.

He handed Cassie his phone. “Text your father. Tell him Darius is wounded and there’s another shooter.”

Cassie took the phone as another shot fired. His cell slipped through her fingers and fell into the underbrush. She leaned down to retrieve it, patting the ground as she searched the knee-high grass.

“Where did it go?” Cassie asked. A hint of panic entered her voice when she added, “Levi, I don’t see it.”