Free The Nightmare Thief by Meg Gardiner Page B

One two three four , splintering the wood in a rising progression.
    The girls screamed. For the time it took to blink, Jo stood shocked. Then she yelled, “Get down,” and dived to the ground behind the pickup.
    Gabe lunged at Dustin, twisted the rifle from Dustin’s grip, and shoved Dustin away from him. “What the hell are you doing?”
    Dustin stared at the rifle with horror. “Jesus, what—? That thing …”
    Peyton ran into the clearing. “What was that?”
    Autumn clenched her fists in front of her mouth. Her eyes looked like silver dollars. Dustin gazed at her, baffled and terrified.
    For a moment, the echo of gunfire stank around the clearing. Ritter looked stunned but hyperalert, as if ready to jump—in what direction, Jo couldn’t tell. Von, his face white, raised his hands calmingly.
    “Sorry. It was supposed to be a surprise. My fault,” he said.
    Gabe spun on him. “Surprise?”
    “Live-fire exercises when we get to the assault training course.” He tried to smile. “That shouldn’t a happened.”
    Autumn raised both hands and said, “That’s it. I’m out.”
    She stalked toward the back of the Hummer. “This entire thing is screwed. Where’s my phone? I’m calling my dad.”
    Von turned. “No.”
    She opened the luggage compartment. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
    She froze. Then she screamed.
    In the luggage compartment, a large green duffel bag had fallen partially open. A body was stuffed inside. A man’s blood-soaked shirt was visible. Autumn lurched back. Friedrich charged, grabbed her by the hair, and twisted her to her knees.
    Gabe took the rifle in both hands and brought it up and got his finger on the trigger. But behind him came the sound of a slide being racked on a semiautomatic pistol. Von and Friedrich both had guns in their hands, aimed at his head.
    “Put it down,” Von said.
    Jo saw Gabe inhale. He was calculating. But the gunmen were too far apart to guarantee he could hit them both before they could get him. And there were too many people in the field of fire.
    “On the ground,” Von said.
    Gabe put the rifle down and raised his hands.
    For a moment the air seemed to tremble. Then the young man with GRIER on the back of his shirt turned and bolted for the trees.
    Friedrich swung his gun and sighted it on the kid’s back. The boy pounded toward the forest, arms flailing.
    Autumn and Lark screamed, “No.”
    “Friedrich,” Von yelled.
    Friedrich fired. The shot blew Grier off his feet.

11
    G rier dropped to the dirt like a bag of sand. The shot echoed. Blood bloomed through his shirt. Autumn screamed, a loud, continuing wail.
    Ritter shouted, “What are you doing?”
    Jo lurched to her feet. And found a pistol pointed at her face.
    “Don’t move,” Friedrich said.
    A quicksilver fear rolled through her. Friedrich looked frantic. The gun was matte black. The bleak eye at the end of the barrel wandered across her face.
    She struggled to keep her voice level. “I’m holding still. I’m unarmed.”
    Peyton applauded. “Bravo.”
    She wandered to the center of the clearing, offering a big, slow handclap. “Give Grier a hand.” She whistled. “Grier, you can get up. Take a bow.”
    Autumn pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.
    Peyton waved, broadly, at Jo and Gabe. “And welcome our newest escaped convicts.” She laughed again. “Don’t you get it? They’re with Edge.”
    Dustin looked like he’d just pissed himself. Noah stood, hands raised, blinking like a strobe light. Gabe was sweeping the scene with his gaze, checking that nobody else with a weapon was behind him. He was looking for an out.
    Von aimed his pistol at Ritter. “Get Grier out of sight. Into the trees.”
    Ritter cringed across the clearing. He picked up Grier’s feet and began dragging him away. Von casually took out his phone and snapped a photo of the body.
    Peyton watched, swaying. Grier’s face dragged along the dirt, painting a trail with blood. Slowly, finally,