Slade (The Protectors #6)(76)

“That’s the plan.” She gave him a wobbly grin.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but turned and walked away. Jill followed Adam as they made their way past the Warriors to the front. Stopping, they waited for the go ahead. Jill stared straight ahead. There was a clearing before them that ended where the thick woods began. Her stomach twisted painfully. On the other side of those woods, lay what she had worked so hard for, what they all worked so hard for.

“I got a plan.” Adam glanced behind them, then either side.

“Thank f*ck, because for a minute, I thought we were going to wing it.” Steve sounded relieved and just plain nervous.

Adam left their group and spoke to each group of trainees. He came back with a smile. “Once we hit the woods, find a good vantage point.”

“Vantage point for what?” Steve’s nerves were showing in his high-pitched voice.

“Dammit, Steve, be quiet,” Adam frowned, then grinned at them. “To take hunters out. Go high if you can.”

“Shouldn’t we just run straight for the safety zone?” Steve looked at the other trainees who were nodding and looking at Adam. “Shit. Guess not. Fucking crazy if you ask me. I say run like your ass is on fire, but no, not us. We do stupid, climbing trees and shit to shoot highly trained f*cking Warriors.”

“Shut up, dammit,” Adam hissed. “This will work.”

Jill nodded. Glancing over her shoulder, she found Slade who stood alone, but watched her. A loud horn sounded. Giving him a small smile, she turned and followed the rest of the trainees into the clearing.

As soon as they went into the woods, everyone dove for hiding spots, scrambling to find a clear shot. Jill scrutinized her surroundings. Staying close to her group, she climbed up a tree. Getting in position, she raised her gun and waited. This was either brilliant or suicide. To make sure she knew where her team was when the shit hit the fan, she scanned the area. Steve was just below her using another tree as a shield and looked like he was praying. Adam was on the other side of her, also in a tree but lower than her, his gun raised. Dillon was further up, kneeling in some brush with a clear view to the field.

Another horn sounded and Jill had a sudden case of fear. She wanted to drop out of the trees and run as if her ass was on fire, just like Steve suggested, but she held strong. Glancing at Adam, who held his hand up, she waited. Looking back at the field, she watched the Warriors arrogantly walk straight into a trap.

“Now!” Adam shouted and the popping sounds of paintball guns echoed throughout the woods. Jill hit three with kill shots. Curses and shouts filled the air as the Warriors realized what was happening.

“Get the f*ck out of here!” Adam yelled.

Jill jumped out of her hiding spot. Adam grabbed her as they followed Dillon who had studied the map and was their lead man. Tree branches smacked her face as she raced through the woods. Excitement mixed with fear kept them going. Jill had just turned around to look behind them when her feet hit nothing but air. It was like she was back at the paintball center. What the hell! As her body rolled, hitting small trees and rocks, she realized they had run right off a mountain. After what seemed like forever, the fall came to an abrupt halt. Trying to catch her breath and figure out if anything was broken, she sat up slowly. Okay, that was much more of a fall than at the paintball club. She understood what was meant by dying during the initiation.

Adam crawled toward her. “You okay?” He looked her over.

“Yeah.” She looked over at Steve and Dillon, who were also checking over each other.

“So I take it that mountain wasn’t on the map,” Steve whispered, limping over to grab his gun.

“Dammit.” Dillon looked around frantically.

“What?” Adam hoisted himself up, limping toward Dillon.

“I lost the map,” he hissed looking around.

They all looked at the top of the mountain. “So how important is the map?” Steve frowned, then raised his hands when they glared at him. “Okay, I get it. It’s important.”

“We have to find it.” Adam frowned. “Spread out, but stay alert.”

Jill retraced their tumble down the mountain. Climbing up, she was shocked by how far they had fallen. This was not a good start. Hearing brush rustle, Jill dropped, lying flat. Looking up, she saw two hunters right above her.

“Is that a map?” one of them said.

Shit, this cannot be happening. Jill glanced around, trying to figure out what to do.

“Sure the hell is,” the other one laughed. “Poor bastards are going to be running circles out here trying to find their safe zone.”

Glancing down the hill, her eyes met Adam’s. He shook his head at her, but she knew what had to be done. They needed that map. One thing going for her was they had their backs turned toward her. Slowly and as quietly as she could, she made it to her feet. Aiming her gun, she put her finger on the trigger and pulled. Purple paint exploded on the back of one of their heads.

“Motherf*cker!” He grabbed his head, swinging around as did the other one, his gun raised.

“I’m going to need that map,” Jill said, praying Adam or somebody had a drop on the guy.

“Looks like we got us a standoff, pretty girl,” he smiled, cocking his eyebrow.

The pop of a gun went off. “Son of a bitch.” The hunter turned, showing yellow on the back of his head.