the pace. She focused on her stride, making each footfall count as she closed the distance, nothing but catching his ass intruding on her thoughts. She watched as he took a sharp bend, darting down a small path between two buildings off to her left. She hit the opening at a full speed, nearly brushing her shoulder on the brick wall. The distance narrowed to a hundred yards, and she kept running, never taking her eyes off him. She knew he was more than close enough to get a shot off, but between the rain and the shifting shadows, she’d be lucky just to clip him.
The man glanced back at her, taking another hard left. She cursed under her breath and slowed enough to make the turn, taking three steps down the wider street before something hit her hard from the right. Mallory’s breath caught as her body twisted sideways, bouncing her off a wall and across the pavement. The force of the blow knocked her gun out of her hand, and she heard the barrel skid along the asphalt, the sound fading into a rumble of thunder. She rolled to a stop, pain pulsing through every inch of her body. Footsteps padded in front of her and she had just enough time to raise her head before a fist pummelled her jaw, knocking her back on her ass.
The impact sparked her reflexes, shaking off some of the shock. She shifted her weight, focusing on the man advancing towards her, recovering just enough to grab his foot as he kicked at her ribcage. His voice echoed through the air as she used his momentum to shove his foot skyward, tossing him onto his back. She took the momentary lapse to push to her feet, wincing at the pain radiating from her face. Blood dripped down her chin, but she didn’t stop to wipe it away, as three more men emerged from the shadows, hoods shielding their faces, their hands covered in fingerless gloves.
She scanned the alley, but Davies was gone. Anger flared through the pain as she faced off against the punks standing in front of her. “For the love of God—I’m a federal agent and you jackasses are impeding an arrest. Get the hell out of my way before I take you all in for assaulting an officer.”
The man closest laughed, spreading his arms wide as he looked around the small area. “I don’t see nobody here but us, bitch. And you ain’t looking so good.”
He shuffled closer as the other two men helped the creep she’d tossed to the ground gain his feet.
The man smiled at her, his teeth flashing white in the afterglow of the lightning. “Now how about you play nice, and maybe we won’t kill you.” He licked his lips. “But we will make you scream.”
Mallory held up one hand, shaking her index finger at him. “Last chance, asshole. Get out of my way before you all get hurt.”
He laughed again and the men moved as one. She stood her ground, stopping the first guy with two jabs and a hard kick to the groin. He fell to the pavement and cupped his crotch as two of the other men grabbed her arms. She twisted and dropped, breaking their hold as she lashed out one leg, sweeping one of the men’s legs. He hit the ground hard. Another pair of hands grabbed her jacket and lifted her up, smashing her against the wall. Black dots flickered across her vision as her breath wheezed out in a harsh rasp. She growled and slammed her fists down on his elbows, head-butting him as he dropped his arms, releasing her. She shifted forward just enough to turn and finish him with a roundhouse kick to the head.
More hands pushed her back as a voice shouted in the background, words lost to the beating sound of the rain. She hit the wall again, pain sparking through her shoulder. She blinked back the droplets, then a deafening bang bounced off the walls. The man in front of her pulled away slightly, twisting to look behind him. The other two men stopped, turning towards the rear of the alleyway.
Sawyer stood at the head of the street, gun pointed at them, hair slicked back from the rain. “I said, FBI. Step away from my
The man glanced back at her, taking another hard left. She cursed under her breath and slowed enough to make the turn, taking three steps down the wider street before something hit her hard from the right. Mallory’s breath caught as her body twisted sideways, bouncing her off a wall and across the pavement. The force of the blow knocked her gun out of her hand, and she heard the barrel skid along the asphalt, the sound fading into a rumble of thunder. She rolled to a stop, pain pulsing through every inch of her body. Footsteps padded in front of her and she had just enough time to raise her head before a fist pummelled her jaw, knocking her back on her ass.
The impact sparked her reflexes, shaking off some of the shock. She shifted her weight, focusing on the man advancing towards her, recovering just enough to grab his foot as he kicked at her ribcage. His voice echoed through the air as she used his momentum to shove his foot skyward, tossing him onto his back. She took the momentary lapse to push to her feet, wincing at the pain radiating from her face. Blood dripped down her chin, but she didn’t stop to wipe it away, as three more men emerged from the shadows, hoods shielding their faces, their hands covered in fingerless gloves.
She scanned the alley, but Davies was gone. Anger flared through the pain as she faced off against the punks standing in front of her. “For the love of God—I’m a federal agent and you jackasses are impeding an arrest. Get the hell out of my way before I take you all in for assaulting an officer.”
The man closest laughed, spreading his arms wide as he looked around the small area. “I don’t see nobody here but us, bitch. And you ain’t looking so good.”
He shuffled closer as the other two men helped the creep she’d tossed to the ground gain his feet.
The man smiled at her, his teeth flashing white in the afterglow of the lightning. “Now how about you play nice, and maybe we won’t kill you.” He licked his lips. “But we will make you scream.”
Mallory held up one hand, shaking her index finger at him. “Last chance, asshole. Get out of my way before you all get hurt.”
He laughed again and the men moved as one. She stood her ground, stopping the first guy with two jabs and a hard kick to the groin. He fell to the pavement and cupped his crotch as two of the other men grabbed her arms. She twisted and dropped, breaking their hold as she lashed out one leg, sweeping one of the men’s legs. He hit the ground hard. Another pair of hands grabbed her jacket and lifted her up, smashing her against the wall. Black dots flickered across her vision as her breath wheezed out in a harsh rasp. She growled and slammed her fists down on his elbows, head-butting him as he dropped his arms, releasing her. She shifted forward just enough to turn and finish him with a roundhouse kick to the head.
More hands pushed her back as a voice shouted in the background, words lost to the beating sound of the rain. She hit the wall again, pain sparking through her shoulder. She blinked back the droplets, then a deafening bang bounced off the walls. The man in front of her pulled away slightly, twisting to look behind him. The other two men stopped, turning towards the rear of the alleyway.
Sawyer stood at the head of the street, gun pointed at them, hair slicked back from the rain. “I said, FBI. Step away from my
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