Easy Target by Kay Thomas

moving. “Sassy, baby, wake up.” He heard the thread of panic in his voice.
    Bryan Fisher, who never got rattled, was flipping out. Nick and Leland would give him hell if they could see him. And he’d happily take all their shit and more if he had one of those guys here with him to help.
    He could smell smoke . . . and gasoline. There had been an automotive railcar several cars back. He’d seen more than a dozen vehicles loaded after their stop in Washington, D.C. Since they’d derailed, there was no telling where those vehicles were now. He had to get Sassy out.
    Still hunched over her, he looked around for the quickest exit. Their compartment was a ticking time bomb of a death trap. He pushed more debris away and stood. Balancing on one foot, he cleared the remaining rubble off her body. A metal pole with the circumference of a wide broom handle was across her lower legs. He had no clue where that had come from, but he picked it up and moved through the wreckage to the intact window.
    Smoke was now curling around his feet, lending an even greater urgency to the task. Where was it coming from? Holding the metal pole like a baseball bat, he slammed it against the glass.
    He glanced back at Sassy.
    Still no movement.
    His throat was dry with fear. She’s okay. She has to be okay.
    He whacked the window again, and it gave way. Shards of glass made a musical-­like tinkling sound that was at odds with the piteous screams and moans around them.
    More smoke filled the room, but the fresh air did as well. He heard the sizzle and hiss of flames but couldn’t see the actual fire yet. He hurried back to Sassy, wincing as he bent over her. With his back hurt, he wasn’t sure he could safely carry her. The last thing she needed was for him to drop her.
    The smell of gasoline was stronger. From behind them, an orange light suddenly flickered across the wreckage in the broken hallway of the car. This thing could explode any moment. His gaze fell on the door now lying across the bed.
    That could work.
    He took the thin metal door and balanced it on the ledge of the window, then shoved Sassy’s body on top of the door like a bizarre teeter-­totter. He looked out the window to double-­check. With the car listing to the side, it was only about a four-­foot drop to the ground.
    Smoke poured into their compartment. Despite the open window, he was choking. Sassy’d be okay . . . as long as she didn’t hit her head.
    Fuck .
    He couldn’t think about that now. Holding onto the door with one hand, he took one of the cushions that had flown around the compartment earlier and placed it under the door.
    Balancing Sassy precariously with one hand holding the door, he slipped his backpack off the other shoulder and tossed it out the window away from the train. Still holding onto the door, he slipped over the side of the ledge, only letting go of the door when he dropped to the ground. The jolt jarred his entire body, from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
    Shit . He might be hurt worse than he’d thought.
    The orange glow of the flames was quite visible now, licking along the ceiling of their trashed compartment. For a moment the door and Sassy remained perfectly balanced on the train’s window ledge, then it began to tip toward the ground. He stepped in front of the door, catching Sassy before she could slide onto the rocky terrain.
    He went to his knees and knelt a moment with her sprawled across his lap. He glanced over at his backpack a few feet away and weighed the pros and cons of leaving it. Their passports were in it, along with his weapons. Not an option. He’d just have to move his ass.
    God, why was he so incapacitated? He was used to running miles at a time for PT and lifting weights. What was wrong with him? He looked back up at the window, now completely engulfed in flames.
    This wasn’t over. They needed to get away from the train. Sassy was still out cold. He gently laid her on the ground and went for