When I scrambled up on top of the tallest boulder, I climbed into the bolt hole I’d used for months and pulled out my gun and tranqs. I almost felt bad. I took out the slowest target first, right at the tree line with a simple pop. He went down quietly, so the others didn't hear him. They were busy thrashing through the forest.
From my vantage point, I could see most of them. This time, the competition was designed so that they had to take each other out. Most people tried to find me first and then take out the competition. But I saw Saint was not taking that tactic. He took out one target about fifty meters in. I accessed the mic in that region of the woods and heard her saying something about an alliance. Working together.
Saint’s voice was light when he said, "That sounds like a great idea. Except those aren't the rules." And then he shot her with a tranq gun. I chuckled at that.
When she sagged, he caught her easily. And Saint being Saint, he lifted her and placed her against the tree with a yellow flag over head, marking that she'd already been taken and the others had to leave her alone.
Jesus, that was one and two, I had ten to go.
Rook actually took out Robert, who was so busy thrashing around that he hadn't even seen Rook hiding behind a tree. Rook was coming along with his combat skills, and he just stepped around the tree, clotheslined him, then hit him with a tranq dart. I winced, almost feeling the pain for him. And wonder of wonders, Rook didn't even flinch. He just planted his flag and kept moving.
Sadly, he was going to have to go. I took out him and two more targets by the lower falls, making sure to mark each of them by the tracker in their tranq dart. And on and on I went until only Saint and Lachlan were left. So much for my plan of taking Saint out first. I couldn't even see Lachlan. He had gotten better. Far better.
I still could see Saint in the bushes. He started to go west, following my tracks, and then something stopped him just at the boulders. He glanced at the ground again and then started to laugh, shaking his head as he turned east.
Which was going to be his downfall. I didn't have much time and space, but just as he headed down the tree-lined path, I aimed and fired.
But just before my dart went in, someone tackled him to the ground.
Son of a bitch. I hit the mic for the region he was in, and sure enough, it was Lock. "Sorry, mate. She's mine."
Saint laughed. ”It should stand to argue that whoever catches her, she's theirs. And I intend to catch her."
“She’s mine.”
“I let you have her last time."
“I'm not letting you have her, mate. Sorry." Lock's voice, while light, was all menace.
Saint, just laughed. “I see you've got it bad."
Lock winced. "Nope. I just have every intention of being sent back in the field. And I’ve got to get good."
Saint laughed. “I do love how you say that. Got to get good. Meanwhile, I was born good."
Lock laughed as they danced around each other. “I see you're delusional. That's okay. I like you anyway."
And then Saint lunged at him, but Lock had gotten good. Very good. He was quick. Efficient. He anticipated movements. I knew even I might have a difficult time with him in hand-to-hand combat at that point. He'd taken all of the fight training and paired it with his finely honed instincts. He was going to be a problem.
It took him no time to deal with Saint, and then he put a tranq in his friend's neck.
Oooff, cold.
He was coming for me. And it was time I let myself get caught.
Anticipation hummed in my veins. Technically speaking, this wasn't part of the skill. But we had to talk, and this was the most privacy we were going to have for several days. Inside the cave, I paced. He had to have known I was coming here. It provided the best vantage point, and if he'd seen me shoot at Saint, he knew the trajectory of where the tranq dart had come from. It only took five minutes before I heard his footsteps outside. And even that was more of an instinct than anything. He was being very stealthy. If my brother knew what was good for him, he would make him a field agent.
"Sweetheart, I know you're in here,” he said sweetly.
“You're not supposed to call me sweetheart."
I stepped out of the shadows, and he relaxed. "There you are. That was dirty with Saint. You tried to tranq him."
"Sorry, but isn't that the point? It's his job to avoid getting tagged."
“Yes, but I wanted the honor."
"Are we going to argue about who the right person is to tranq him? Your job is to tranq him before I do. You did your job. Well done."