into thinking they were home free. Not yet. “I have a Humvee parked right outside the door. You will get into the driver’s side and take us safely through the gates. If you do anything to tip off the security guard, I’ll paint the window with your brains.”
Brandon didn’t respond. He opened the door and pushed it wide before speaking. “Give me the keys.”
Tony handed Brandon the keys, keeping the gun trained on him as he stepped out into the night air.
The parking area was well lit, and lights twinkled from all directions across the base. Thankfully, no one came rushing out or sounded the alarm.
“Get in,” Tony whispered to the decorated officer while waving Henry and the Bracadytes out. He opened the Humvee’s doors and ushered them in.
Once inside the safety of the armored vehicle, Tony relaxed slightly but kept his gun trained on his hostage.
Brandon backed out of the parking space and turned toward the gates, maneuvering the Humvee like the seasoned, decorated officer he was.
No one spoke as they slowed to a stop at the gate, all of them watching the security guard step from his shack.
Brandon lowered the window as was protocol and stared straight ahead. Baltzly leaned down and propped his arm on the frame. “Heading home for the night, sir?”
“Yep,” Brandon replied, lifting his hand toward the young guard.
“Sure wish I were.” Baltzly handed him a clipboard and an ink pen that Brandon accepted with a quick jerk.
Scribbling his name on the line, Brandon passed the clipboard back and waited for the gate to slide back before driving off without a backward glance.
“Which way,” Brandon seethed, coming to a stop at the main road.
“Left. Pull into the post office at the foot of the Shalimar Bridge.”
The bridge, being less than a mile from the west gate of Eglin, happened to be the perfect place to rendezvous with the hidden boat. And they were almost there.
Brandon eased the Humvee into the parking lot of the post office and glanced at Tony. “Now what?”
“Pull it around back. It’ll be better hidden there.”
A muscle ticked along Brandon’s jaw as he drove the Humvee around the back.
Tony understood the man’s rage. To be a highly decorated officer taken hostage by a civilian and a doctor had to be damaging to his pride.
Tony opened the glove box and pulled out a roll of Henry’s duct tape. “Put your hands on the wheel,” he ordered Brandon while ripping off a piece of the adhesive and covering the officer’s mouth with it.
Securing Brandon’s hands to the wheel next, Tony taped the officer’s ankles together for good measure and climbed out.
Henry scampered to the ground also, jumping back to keep from being trampled by the two Bracadytes following him out.
Sirens coming from the east caught Tony’s attention. He ran toward the bridge, shouting orders as he went. “Hurry to the boat. We’ve been made.”
Chapter Fifteen
Naura paced alongside Vaulcron, wringing her hands and fighting back tears. She’d been keeping in touch with Braum throughout their escape, aware of all that had happened. “They are going to catch them, brother. I can feel it in my stomach.”
Vaulcron stopped and gripped her arms. “They will not catch them. Tony is smarter than that. He is capable of handling himself out there. Braum and Gryke are with them also. He is in good hands.”
“I hope you are right,” Naura whispered, wrapping her arms around her oldest brother.
He returned the gesture, embracing her in his safety and warmth. “I am. You have to trust that Tony knows what he is doing. He does not strike me as the foolish type.”
She pulled back to study Vaulcron’s face. “If something happens to him, I —”
“ Naura? ” Tony’s voice inside her head was a balm to her soul.
Vaulcron frowned. “What is it?”
She held up a hand for silence. “It is Tony.”
“ Yes. I am here ,” she quickly sent back, aware that it must be urgent for Tony to
Brandon didn’t respond. He opened the door and pushed it wide before speaking. “Give me the keys.”
Tony handed Brandon the keys, keeping the gun trained on him as he stepped out into the night air.
The parking area was well lit, and lights twinkled from all directions across the base. Thankfully, no one came rushing out or sounded the alarm.
“Get in,” Tony whispered to the decorated officer while waving Henry and the Bracadytes out. He opened the Humvee’s doors and ushered them in.
Once inside the safety of the armored vehicle, Tony relaxed slightly but kept his gun trained on his hostage.
Brandon backed out of the parking space and turned toward the gates, maneuvering the Humvee like the seasoned, decorated officer he was.
No one spoke as they slowed to a stop at the gate, all of them watching the security guard step from his shack.
Brandon lowered the window as was protocol and stared straight ahead. Baltzly leaned down and propped his arm on the frame. “Heading home for the night, sir?”
“Yep,” Brandon replied, lifting his hand toward the young guard.
“Sure wish I were.” Baltzly handed him a clipboard and an ink pen that Brandon accepted with a quick jerk.
Scribbling his name on the line, Brandon passed the clipboard back and waited for the gate to slide back before driving off without a backward glance.
“Which way,” Brandon seethed, coming to a stop at the main road.
“Left. Pull into the post office at the foot of the Shalimar Bridge.”
The bridge, being less than a mile from the west gate of Eglin, happened to be the perfect place to rendezvous with the hidden boat. And they were almost there.
Brandon eased the Humvee into the parking lot of the post office and glanced at Tony. “Now what?”
“Pull it around back. It’ll be better hidden there.”
A muscle ticked along Brandon’s jaw as he drove the Humvee around the back.
Tony understood the man’s rage. To be a highly decorated officer taken hostage by a civilian and a doctor had to be damaging to his pride.
Tony opened the glove box and pulled out a roll of Henry’s duct tape. “Put your hands on the wheel,” he ordered Brandon while ripping off a piece of the adhesive and covering the officer’s mouth with it.
Securing Brandon’s hands to the wheel next, Tony taped the officer’s ankles together for good measure and climbed out.
Henry scampered to the ground also, jumping back to keep from being trampled by the two Bracadytes following him out.
Sirens coming from the east caught Tony’s attention. He ran toward the bridge, shouting orders as he went. “Hurry to the boat. We’ve been made.”
Chapter Fifteen
Naura paced alongside Vaulcron, wringing her hands and fighting back tears. She’d been keeping in touch with Braum throughout their escape, aware of all that had happened. “They are going to catch them, brother. I can feel it in my stomach.”
Vaulcron stopped and gripped her arms. “They will not catch them. Tony is smarter than that. He is capable of handling himself out there. Braum and Gryke are with them also. He is in good hands.”
“I hope you are right,” Naura whispered, wrapping her arms around her oldest brother.
He returned the gesture, embracing her in his safety and warmth. “I am. You have to trust that Tony knows what he is doing. He does not strike me as the foolish type.”
She pulled back to study Vaulcron’s face. “If something happens to him, I —”
“ Naura? ” Tony’s voice inside her head was a balm to her soul.
Vaulcron frowned. “What is it?”
She held up a hand for silence. “It is Tony.”
“ Yes. I am here ,” she quickly sent back, aware that it must be urgent for Tony to
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