The back door swung open as Daniel scanned the brush for movement.

Elvis Cole

Elvis Cole was scrunched so far down in the Prius’s back seat he couldn’t see anything, not even the back of Bill Rainey’s head.

“You see the van?”

“Yeah, we’re almost there. Don’t worry.”

The criminal with a Bolivian cartel after him telling Cole not to worry. Perfect.

“Make sure that gun is hidden. He sees the gun, you’re history.”

“Relax, for Christ’s sake. I’m fine.”

They had given Rainey a gun. They had also strapped him into a ballistic vest. They wouldn’t put him in Gregg Daniel Vincent’s crosshairs with nothing.

Rainey said, “We’re here. I’m turning.”

They bumped off the pavement onto the ridge. A cloud of dust swirled in through the open windows. The windows were down in case Cole had to shoot.

Then Rainey slammed on the brakes.

“The fuck? She’s already out. I was supposed to get out first.”

Cole saw Rainey’s head popping left and right, as if he thought Vincent would jump from a bush. Cole wanted to look, but knew Vincent would be watching their car.

“Take it easy. What’s she doing?”

“Looking at me. She’s waving her hands.”

“Is anyone in the van?”

“I can’t see.”

“Check our sides. Look for Vincent.”

“Fuck this! She’s running! She’s trying to get away!”

Rainey suddenly kicked open his door, and pushed out of the car.

“Rose! Ro—”

Cole heard the first shot.

Pike stood when he heard them shouting. Below him, Rose Platt ran toward the Prius as Rainey ran toward her, the two of them separated by almost one hundred yards.

Pike broke hard by a sage, trying to draw Vincent’s fire. He cut back through the brush just as a sharp crack broke the twilight silence, rolling across the purple canyons. Pike heard the bullet snap past, then dove into the rocks, rolled, and kept running, breaking left and right down the slope.

Rose Platt and Rainey stopped at the sound of the shot. Then Elvis Cole came out of the Prius, and Rose turned back toward the van.

The second shot cracked into the slope at Pike’s feet, but Pike saw the flash, and ran harder as he shouted to Cole.

“Other side. Trees up the slope.”

Pike fired three times, long shots at the flash, hoping to flush him. Cole and Rainey turned to look for Vincent. Pike saw another flash, only this time Vincent wasn’t shooting at Pike.

The bullet cut Rainey’s left leg from under him in a spray of pink mist. He spun with his arms and legs out like a puppet and didn’t scream until he was down.

Rose Platt screamed once, then lurched behind the van as another shot slammed into its fender.