Even though JJ almost shook with the need to check on Caz, she knew he was probably safe inside the Hermitage. Regan would be even safer down in the tunnel system.

When JJ reached the white cargo van, she recognized Hawk. He was standing on the van’s back step-pad and shooting over the roof. The thin moonlight also showed the blood that soaked his sleeves and matted his sand-colored hair.

“You look like shit, Hawk,” she yelled over the noise of gunfire. “You okay?”

“Yep. Am now.” He fired again, then stepped down beside her, avoiding the body that lay in the dirt.

Behind a pickup on the left, Uriah fired twice and made a satisfied sound.

On the right, Tucker shot and grunted. “Three.”

“Loser,” Guzman retorted from beside him. “I got four.”

Hawk eyed the vehicles and the men. “No state troopers?”

“They’re delayed,” JJ said. “It seems Sterling is blocked with landslides on each side of town. These are volunteers from Rescue.”

He grinned. “Probably better shots than the Feds, anyway.”

“I know, right?” Their town had a lot of hunters. She grinned. “I told them it’s open season on the pissers with no permits required.”

Hawk snorted.

The firing from the SUV area was diminishing. A rifle was flung out into the dirt. Then another.

Someone shouted, “I surrender!”

“Stop, please, stop!” another PZ yelled.

That did it. The PZs—the ones left alive—threw down their weapons.

Gunfire still came from the Hermitage and her troop. Her voice came out loud and piercing over the noise. “Ceasefire.”

The last shots stuttered to a halt.

Hawk nodded at her. “Looks like they’re all yours, Officer.”

“Damn.” So much for checking on Caz. She scowled at him. “No good deed goes unpunished.”

He huffed a laugh.

She sighed. Her troops, her command.

“Patriot Zealots, stand up with your hands on your head.” She glanced at Hawk and asked the question burning in her heart. “Is Caz okay?”

“Yeah. He took Frankie and the kids back to the Hermitage.”

“Oh good.” Her sigh of relief clogged in her throat. “Wait, what? The kids?”

Kit heard the shooting stop after someone—had that been JJ?—yelled for a ceasefire. Didn’t matter. Right now, she wanted to curl into a ball and shake. Maybe she also wanted some covers to pull over her head.

Only she needed to find Hawk.

Her hands clenched at another influx of worry. How badly was he hurt?

Thank heavens Aric was safe down in the tunnel.

Bull’s weight moved off her. “Stay down, Kit.” He stood with a low groan.

She’d felt him flinch right after they hit the ground. “Are you hurt?”

“Caught one in my back armor. Like you got in the front.” He scanned the area as he spoke. “We’ll both be sore tomorrow.”

The armor. Heavens, no wonder her shoulder hurt so bad. She’d been shot.