Read Online Under the Wire: Bad Boys Undercover by Helenkay Dimon - Free Book Online
Authors: Helenkay Dimon
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drowned out everything else. More men could be out there, ready to shoot, but they had to take the risk.
She struggled to her feet and nearly screamed when her knees buckled. But Reid was there, He caught her,half carrying and half dragging her as they stumbled through the small opening in the fire and fell onto the dirt outside.
They rolled a few more feet, then Reid braced his body on his elbows above her and he scanned the area. Two more bodies littered the ground. She spied another set of unmoving legs in the distance. No car or truck. No obvious way in or out. No sign of more, but the attackers could just be waiting.
Her insides started to shake. Bile rushed up the back of her throat and she had to fight off the urge to throw up. A hacking sound filled the air, and it took her another few seconds to realize it came from her. Her lungs’ way of choking out the deadly smoke.
Reid rested an arm across her back as she rose to her hands and knees and breathed in huge gulping breaths. “Cara, can anything in there explode?”
“Something blew up the door.”
“That was a smoke grenade gone wrong.” A coughing fit broke up his explanation. It took another few seconds for him to get his body back under control, and even then his voice stayed scratchy. “I don’t think they meant to set the fire.”
“There are explosive materials in there, but mostly just rocks that would need extreme heat to cause damage.” Except for the popping of the fire, she noticed the quiet. Then she thought about all that shooting. “Parker?”
What little color remained in Reid’s face leeched out. He pushed to his feet, wincing and holding his injured arm loose at his side. “Stay here.”
He needed help and possibly stitches. No way was she letting him wander around on his own. “I’m not leaving your side,” she said.
“I’ll refrain from being an asshole and giving the obvious response to that.” He reached a hand down and helped lift her to her feet.
Her boots had barely touched the ground when Reid shoved her behind him again. A second later his shoulders relaxed and he lowered his weapon.
Parker was aiming a hose, directing a flow of water at the fire. “There’s a water tank in the back.”
“That’s our drinking water,” she said, knowing that sounded ridiculous, but so was the sight of Parker dragging the threadbare hose, walking around and . . . Was he whistling?
“I don’t think you’ll need it.” His gaze drifted over her and Reid. “You two look like shit.”
Reid just shook his head. “You okay?”
Parker held up a hand and wiggled one finger. “I caught my thumb on that shitty gun you bought for me.”
The laughter bubbled up out of nowhere. Cara almost doubled over from the force of it. Relief, hope . . . she wasn’t sure what caused it, but the panic subsided and took what felt like most of her common sense with it.
Parker frowned at her. “She finally lose it?”
“Nerves.” Reid stared into the dying fire. “I’m afraid whatever you wanted to collect is gone.”
She didn’t even try to hide her smile. “Wrong.”
Instead of getting angry or issuing orders, Reid looked amused. “What am I missing?”
“The backup of all our findings so far is on a jump drive I hid in the bathroom of the one building not on fire or in danger of catching fire at the moment.”
Parker nodded as he shut down the hose. “Impressive.”
“There should also be supplies and some extra clothes in the cabin at that end.” She pointed, hoping they were still there since the idea of walking around in bloodstained clothes made her physically ill. She knew she should have changed before, but her mind hadn’t been working right. Now it was . . . so long as she blocked out the memory of stabbing a guy.
“Maybe I should put you in charge,” Reid said.
“No doubt about it.” She glanced to Parker, hoping to get an assist for what came next. “We need to check Reid here before he passes
She struggled to her feet and nearly screamed when her knees buckled. But Reid was there, He caught her,half carrying and half dragging her as they stumbled through the small opening in the fire and fell onto the dirt outside.
They rolled a few more feet, then Reid braced his body on his elbows above her and he scanned the area. Two more bodies littered the ground. She spied another set of unmoving legs in the distance. No car or truck. No obvious way in or out. No sign of more, but the attackers could just be waiting.
Her insides started to shake. Bile rushed up the back of her throat and she had to fight off the urge to throw up. A hacking sound filled the air, and it took her another few seconds to realize it came from her. Her lungs’ way of choking out the deadly smoke.
Reid rested an arm across her back as she rose to her hands and knees and breathed in huge gulping breaths. “Cara, can anything in there explode?”
“Something blew up the door.”
“That was a smoke grenade gone wrong.” A coughing fit broke up his explanation. It took another few seconds for him to get his body back under control, and even then his voice stayed scratchy. “I don’t think they meant to set the fire.”
“There are explosive materials in there, but mostly just rocks that would need extreme heat to cause damage.” Except for the popping of the fire, she noticed the quiet. Then she thought about all that shooting. “Parker?”
What little color remained in Reid’s face leeched out. He pushed to his feet, wincing and holding his injured arm loose at his side. “Stay here.”
He needed help and possibly stitches. No way was she letting him wander around on his own. “I’m not leaving your side,” she said.
“I’ll refrain from being an asshole and giving the obvious response to that.” He reached a hand down and helped lift her to her feet.
Her boots had barely touched the ground when Reid shoved her behind him again. A second later his shoulders relaxed and he lowered his weapon.
Parker was aiming a hose, directing a flow of water at the fire. “There’s a water tank in the back.”
“That’s our drinking water,” she said, knowing that sounded ridiculous, but so was the sight of Parker dragging the threadbare hose, walking around and . . . Was he whistling?
“I don’t think you’ll need it.” His gaze drifted over her and Reid. “You two look like shit.”
Reid just shook his head. “You okay?”
Parker held up a hand and wiggled one finger. “I caught my thumb on that shitty gun you bought for me.”
The laughter bubbled up out of nowhere. Cara almost doubled over from the force of it. Relief, hope . . . she wasn’t sure what caused it, but the panic subsided and took what felt like most of her common sense with it.
Parker frowned at her. “She finally lose it?”
“Nerves.” Reid stared into the dying fire. “I’m afraid whatever you wanted to collect is gone.”
She didn’t even try to hide her smile. “Wrong.”
Instead of getting angry or issuing orders, Reid looked amused. “What am I missing?”
“The backup of all our findings so far is on a jump drive I hid in the bathroom of the one building not on fire or in danger of catching fire at the moment.”
Parker nodded as he shut down the hose. “Impressive.”
“There should also be supplies and some extra clothes in the cabin at that end.” She pointed, hoping they were still there since the idea of walking around in bloodstained clothes made her physically ill. She knew she should have changed before, but her mind hadn’t been working right. Now it was . . . so long as she blocked out the memory of stabbing a guy.
“Maybe I should put you in charge,” Reid said.
“No doubt about it.” She glanced to Parker, hoping to get an assist for what came next. “We need to check Reid here before he passes
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