Free Red-Hot Santa by Tori Carrington Page A

remaining uninjured members, got Taylor over the wall and to safety, and then decided they were all in. Now they had to rework the original strategy and get those hostages out.
    Within minutes, they each had their plans and split up, aware that around every corner lay the potential of running into guards.
    “Wait!” she called, catching sight of something.
    Everyone double-timed back.
    “There,” she said, pointing to the northeast guesthouse some hundred yards to their right.
    It had seemed strange to her that a counterattack hadn’t been made against them. Now she understood why: the compound guards had been moved to protect that guesthouse.
    Somewhere in the back of her mind, a time clock ticked down. There was little doubt calls had been made and reinforcements were even now on their way. They had maybe five minutes to do what needed to be done and get out of Dodge.
    “Odds are good they’re being held in there,” Jackson agreed.
    “Could be the warlord.”
    He shook his head. “No. A number of guards also went into the main house, which means there’s someone there, as well.”
    She considered him for a long moment. “Should we split up? Hit both?”
    He shook his head. “No. Too risky. This is a one shot deal.” He looked at the others. “I say we make a run on the guesthouse.”
    The others immediately agreed.
    Of course, deciding to go that route was more easily said than done. Of the three structures, it was the most difficult to reach. There was no cover. It was all open territory between here and there.
    Which was another reason it was most likely that’s where the hostages were being held.
    “Okay, here’s the plan…” Jackson said.
     
    WHILE HERSHEY AND EVANS focused on taking out the visible guards, he, Max and Bachman advanced in an uneven pattern, keeping an eye out for snipers. Selznick stayed near the wall where they would make their escape, providing any needed cover. By the time they reached the front of the two-story structure, the three visible guards had been taken out, and a fourth slumped forward from his hidden position just inside the open doorway. That coup had been compliments of Max, who must have spotted him a moment before Jackson had.
    He and Max flanked the open door, while Bachman went around the back, followed by Evans and Hershey who continued to provide cover fire as they joined them.
    Jackson nodded and then rushed the door at the same time Max aimed her weapon inside to provide any needed cover. They switched off like that three additional times, verifying there were no others on the first floor. They both looked up the stairs…
    Evans joined them inside, leaving Hershey and Bachman at the front and back entrance.
    “Cover me,” Max said.
    She began climbing the stairs and Jackson and Evans aimed their weapons farther up, following after she was five steps up. They reached the second landing to find it empty.
    Damn…
    “Check ’em!” Max ordered.
    One by one they checked all the rooms to find them empty.
    Nothing.
    No guards.
    No warlord.
    No hostages.
    They double-timed it back out just as a series of Jeeps roared out of an unconnected garage near the front of the compound, nowhere near any of the three structures they’d been given to check.
    “Let’s get out of here,” Max said next to him.
    He couldn’t have agreed more.
    Of course, that decision proved to be as complicated as any they’d made thus far. As the convoy no doubt holding the hostages sped out, another set of vehicles sped in.
    Gunfire spit at the ground at their feet.
    “To the back!” he shouted.
    He led the group through the empty house to the rear door. The containment wall lay twenty yards behind it. If they could make it there, they could scale it and be out, ordering Selznick to follow from his position farther up the wall.
    The sound of gunfire filled the air.
    He ran, blindly aiming his M-16 and shooting back, aware of Max doing the same on the other side of him. Evans took a