The Betrayed Series: Ultimate Omnibus Collection With EXCLUSIVE Post-Shiva Short Story by Carolyn McCray Page A
Authors: Carolyn McCray
Tags: The Betrayed Series
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head.
Stay put. She got it.
Looking down at the screen, she realized her stalker had also gotten braver and was about to enter the wreckage. The doctor looked up in panic. Did Davidson have a clear shot?
In answer to her unspoken question, she heard a sound not even as loud as a soda pop can opening, and then the dot slumped backward.
The kid was that good.
She looked up as Davidson repositioned himself to fire into the southern portion of the hangar, but one of the enemy must have seen the private’s muzzle flash, because the gunfire shifted toward the rafters.
Davidson could maneuver only so much on the narrow girders. He didn’t cry out when he took a round to the stomach, but she did. Even hit, the private grabbed hold of a pulley chain and might have swung to safety if his injured shoulder hadn’t given out.
“No!” she screamed as Davidson tumbled through the open air until he caught the chain with his bad arm.
Rebecca slung her laptop over her shoulder as the private dangled precariously from the rafters. The only thing preventing a deadly plunge was his dislocated arm. Brandt and his men must have realized the danger as the gunfire quadrupled. They might be able to keep the shooters from picking Davidson off, but the private couldn’t hold on much longer.
Without hesitation, Rebecca began climbing the metal lattice like a huge jungle gym. Sure she could pretend she was suddenly brave and all about the heroics, but in truth she simply didn’t want to live with the guilt if Davidson fell. She had enough of that emotion to last a lifetime.
What if she had dived into the river after Yerato? What if she had followed the river another quarter mile? Could she have saved him? She would never know. Rebecca wanted no such questions about Davidson.
Free of the tangled metal, she stood atop the wreckage. “Hang on.”
The only response was a thin, pained whisper, “Don’t.”
Ignoring the private, Rebecca grabbed hold of the chain. She noticed that her hands were no longer shaking. She might not be able to hold her own with guns, but this, this she could do. As it turned out, climbing the metal was even easier than the jungle vines. No thorns.
Hand over hand, she made her way up the chain, every second expecting Davidson to plummet past her, but somehow the kid hung on. However, unable to brace against his bad shoulder, the private flailed, trying to catch hold of the chain with his good hand, which only made it harder for her to climb.
“Hold still,” she hissed, but didn’t know if he could hear her over the barrage of gunfire. Brandt was definitely holding down his end of the job, keeping the enemy occupied, as Rebecca reached Davidson’s feet. Now she could see his pained features.
“Brace off my shoulders,” Rebecca said, as a bullet flew past her ear. They were dangling midair above a full-scale firefight, but the soldier still thrashed. “Damn it, boots on my shoulders!”
This time the private obeyed, and after a toe to her jaw, Davidson balanced long enough on her shoulders to grab the chain. Breaths of relief escaped both their lips. “I’m climbing over you, but don’t get any ideas.”
The military tone returned. “I can get up on my own.”
As the air took on the smell of gunpowder, Rebecca didn’t have time to argue. She simply grabbed the chain between his legs. Instinctively, Davidson tried to stabilize himself, but the pain caused his arm to drop limply. He wasn’t going anywhere on his own. Rebecca pulled up face to face with him as the chain spun them gently.
“What did I say about getting ideas?” She put a hand above his head.
Davidson wouldn’t look at her, let alone answer. Rebecca made sure to brace against his good shoulder as she climbed over. After that, it was a quick ascent to the catwalk. Dark and gloomy, the bright muzzle flashes of the gunfire far down below almost looked pretty.
Grabbing the chain, Rebecca pulled up as hard as she could, but only
Stay put. She got it.
Looking down at the screen, she realized her stalker had also gotten braver and was about to enter the wreckage. The doctor looked up in panic. Did Davidson have a clear shot?
In answer to her unspoken question, she heard a sound not even as loud as a soda pop can opening, and then the dot slumped backward.
The kid was that good.
She looked up as Davidson repositioned himself to fire into the southern portion of the hangar, but one of the enemy must have seen the private’s muzzle flash, because the gunfire shifted toward the rafters.
Davidson could maneuver only so much on the narrow girders. He didn’t cry out when he took a round to the stomach, but she did. Even hit, the private grabbed hold of a pulley chain and might have swung to safety if his injured shoulder hadn’t given out.
“No!” she screamed as Davidson tumbled through the open air until he caught the chain with his bad arm.
Rebecca slung her laptop over her shoulder as the private dangled precariously from the rafters. The only thing preventing a deadly plunge was his dislocated arm. Brandt and his men must have realized the danger as the gunfire quadrupled. They might be able to keep the shooters from picking Davidson off, but the private couldn’t hold on much longer.
Without hesitation, Rebecca began climbing the metal lattice like a huge jungle gym. Sure she could pretend she was suddenly brave and all about the heroics, but in truth she simply didn’t want to live with the guilt if Davidson fell. She had enough of that emotion to last a lifetime.
What if she had dived into the river after Yerato? What if she had followed the river another quarter mile? Could she have saved him? She would never know. Rebecca wanted no such questions about Davidson.
Free of the tangled metal, she stood atop the wreckage. “Hang on.”
The only response was a thin, pained whisper, “Don’t.”
Ignoring the private, Rebecca grabbed hold of the chain. She noticed that her hands were no longer shaking. She might not be able to hold her own with guns, but this, this she could do. As it turned out, climbing the metal was even easier than the jungle vines. No thorns.
Hand over hand, she made her way up the chain, every second expecting Davidson to plummet past her, but somehow the kid hung on. However, unable to brace against his bad shoulder, the private flailed, trying to catch hold of the chain with his good hand, which only made it harder for her to climb.
“Hold still,” she hissed, but didn’t know if he could hear her over the barrage of gunfire. Brandt was definitely holding down his end of the job, keeping the enemy occupied, as Rebecca reached Davidson’s feet. Now she could see his pained features.
“Brace off my shoulders,” Rebecca said, as a bullet flew past her ear. They were dangling midair above a full-scale firefight, but the soldier still thrashed. “Damn it, boots on my shoulders!”
This time the private obeyed, and after a toe to her jaw, Davidson balanced long enough on her shoulders to grab the chain. Breaths of relief escaped both their lips. “I’m climbing over you, but don’t get any ideas.”
The military tone returned. “I can get up on my own.”
As the air took on the smell of gunpowder, Rebecca didn’t have time to argue. She simply grabbed the chain between his legs. Instinctively, Davidson tried to stabilize himself, but the pain caused his arm to drop limply. He wasn’t going anywhere on his own. Rebecca pulled up face to face with him as the chain spun them gently.
“What did I say about getting ideas?” She put a hand above his head.
Davidson wouldn’t look at her, let alone answer. Rebecca made sure to brace against his good shoulder as she climbed over. After that, it was a quick ascent to the catwalk. Dark and gloomy, the bright muzzle flashes of the gunfire far down below almost looked pretty.
Grabbing the chain, Rebecca pulled up as hard as she could, but only
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