It had been a technique she’d learned in therapy. Her therapist hadn’t been entirely pleased with the option, but it helped Mercy keep herself from becoming a walking zombie, so Mercy was wholly on board.

She opened her eyes, seeing Sasha lying on her side next to Erin, putting pressure on the wound in Erin’s leg. Gideon was holding one of his hands with the other, his face contorted in a grimace.

They were hurt. Her family. Her friends. They were hurt.

And then Gideon was standing, holding his service weapon in his left hand as he aimed at Ephraim, who’d slipped far enough into view to point his rifle at her brother. Gideon got off a single shot before Ephraim squeezed off three in rapid succession. Gideon went down on his butt in the snow before curling onto his side.

Mercy tried to scream, but the sound stuck in her throat. Daisy was at Gideon’s side, remarkably calm, as she ran her hands over his chest. Mercy started to move, but Daisy shouted that Gideon was all right.

“Kevlar vest,” Rafe muttered, shaken. “He’ll be bruised. Maybe a few fractured ribs. But he’ll live.”

Mercy was glad she was on her stomach because she was certain her knees would have folded beneath her. I need to do something. Think, Mercy. Think, dammit.

She didn’t have a gun. Didn’t have any weapons at all. Not even Mace.

But she did have herself. Me. He wants me. Stand up. Let him take you.

But she couldn’t make herself move, self-preservation holding her back. Don’t be selfish. Dammit, Mercy. Gideon, Rafe, and Erin had sacrificed for her. It was clear that they were Ephraim’s targets as well. They were the cops. They had the guns. They were in his way.

But I’m who he wants. She pushed herself up to her knees and time seemed to stand still when Ephraim froze next to the wall of the church, staring at her. For what seemed like forever, they stared at each other. And then, like it was slow motion, Ephraim raised his rifle and aimed, his lips curving in a triumphant smile.

But Mercy dropped back to her stomach as the blast that came from beside her had her covering her ears out of reflex.

Rafe had fired.

Mercy thought she heard Ephraim scream, but it had to have been in her mind, because she couldn’t hear anything now. Her ears were ringing, her heart pounding, her eyes watering, and her glasses were wet with snow, but her vision was clear enough to see that Ephraim was backing up as he fired again. One, two, three shots.

Sasha pitched forward, landing across Erin’s body.

Mercy’s heart dropped into her stomach. “No. Sasha!” She started to rise, but Rafe yanked at her coat, pulling her back down. She wanted to fight Rafe’s hold, but she saw Sasha moving, one hand on her upper arm.

Gideon had staggered back to his feet, taking shelter behind a tree, firing at Ephraim with his other hand.