Slade (The Protectors #6)(77)

Jill carefully headed up the hill to snatch the map out of his hands. “Thank you.”

Adam, Steve and Dillon slowly ventured up, guns poised. Jill looked past the hunters to see another team raise their guns to them. Adam waved his thanks.

“Come on.” He grabbed the map from Jill, giving it to Dillon. “Don’t lose it again.”

They ran next to the other trainees who had helped them out, figuring they were stronger in numbers. Popping sounds echoed throughout the woods, making it sound like a war zone.

“We’re close,” Dillon whispered, scanning the area. “I think…”

A loud rustling sound surrounded them. Jill raised her gun, not knowing what was going on. Glancing over at the trainees they were running with, she watched in horror as they were swooped up in a large net. One of them looked toward them and shouted, “Run!”

Jill did just that, but started too slowly.

“Jill, come on, dammit.” Steve was waving his arm at her to come on.

“We have to help them,” Jill hissed, spinning around. “You guys go on if you have to, but I’m helping them. They helped us.”

“Fuck, is this a girl thing or something?” Steve cursed.

“She’s right.” Adam came up beside Jill.

The sound of others running toward them had them scattering to find a hiding spot. Adam fell down flat next to Jill. They watched as three hunters walked up to the captured trainees.

“This works every damn time,” one of them laughed.

They watched as the hunters dropped the net, releasing the trainees.

Jill frowned as an idea hit. She had no clue if it would work, but it was the only thing she could think of. “You got a plan?” she asked Adam who lay beside her, just to make sure he didn’t have a better plan than hers.

“Nope,” he whispered back.

“I do, but if it fails…” Jill looked over at Steve, “run your asses off like it’s on fire.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” Steve whispered back with a snort.

As the hunters were trying to get their confidential word from the trainees, Jill eased herself up. All three hunters held their guns loosely. Jill raised both hands, concentrating like she had never concentrated before. One hunter actually looked down at his gun for a second before dismissing its movement.

“What the f*ck are you doing?” Dillon hissed.

“The question is, do you know if what you’re doing will work?” Steve cringed, ready to make a run for it.

“I have no clue.” Jill pushed her hands forward, and then pulled them back hard. The guns were pulled out of the hunters’ hands. Jill threw her arms toward the trainees. The guns flew through the air landing near them.

The hunters and the trainees all stared in shock for a split second until all hell broke loose. Adam stood, taking the first shot, hitting one hunter on the side of the head. Dillon hit another one. Jill’s gun jammed as she aimed at the third. Steve took a shot, but missed. The remaining hunter snatched a gun from one of the trainees aiming it at Jill. Knowing her dreams were about to end, Jill frantically worked her jammed gun. The hunter took a shot, and for a split second, Jill prayed she could dodge it, but she never got a chance.

Steve jumped in front of Jill, taking the hit, knocking her over. Dillon and Adam blasted the hunter with continuous shots until they got the kill shot.

“Son of a bitch, that hurts.” Steve rolled off Jill.

“Dammit, Steve, what are you doing?” Jill scrambled up, grabbing him, praying he wasn’t hit by a kill shot.

Steve looked down at his chest. Jill’s eyes saw the unmistakable red splattered over his heart. Their eyes met.

“No!” Jill looked back down, hoping it was just a trick of her eyes, but it wasn’t. “Why? Why did you do that, Steve? Dammit.” She even tried to rub it off.

“Because you deserve it more than me.” Steve fake punched her in the chin with a smile. “Plus, I had to pee, so it’s all good. I can repeat next time. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I do not deserve it more than you!” Jill sat back, looking at him in shock.

“Fuck.” Adam stared at Steve’s chest.

“Go on and get your asses to the safety zone.” Steve rose, raising his hands. “I really do need to pee.”

Jill hugged him hard. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” Steve grinned. “I’ve got some things in mind. Paying me back for my hero sacrifice, will be worth it.”

“Come on, Jill.” Adam grabbed her arm, pulling her away.

“Go kick some ass.” Steve spun around, strolling toward the hunters who were walking off the field. “Okay, which one of you shot me? Hell of a shot, but it hurt like hell.”

Jill glanced back hearing Steve. She grinned when one of the hunters patted Steve on the shoulder, walking off the field with him. Steve could find a friend anywhere.

Travelling about a mile and a half since leaving Steve, Jill heard what sounded like gunshots, not the pop of a paintball. Stopping, they searched around them, then at each other. “That wasn’t paintball guns.” Jill stared in the direction of the sound. Suddenly, the horn blew long and loud.

Hunters sprang into action, running out of hiding places taking their vests off. Jill, Adam and Dillon took off following them, knowing that something bad was going on. Five hunters ran up beside them.