Free Her Next Breath (Uncharted SEALs Book 2) by Delilah Devlin Page B

camp.
    Awkwardly, they went together down the steps. Two men in black Federales uniforms stepped out from the side of the hut to take up positions on either side of her and Diego.
    “I created a little diversion,” he said, sounding very pleased with himself. “Something to draw away your friends.”
    “Alejandro is my friend,” she said, although she wasn’t so sure about that anymore. She suspected he’d been taken because he wanted to be. She blinked against the cool raindrops. “Alejandro wore some kind of tracker, didn’t he? But I’m sure he was searched.”
    “I placed a tracker beneath his scalp when he was a child. Did they search his skin, his hair?”
    Gunfire continued to pop in the distance. The group drew near the back of the ops building, and Suri thought it strange that clearing was bare. No one waited in front of the building. No one was in sight.
    Diego must have thought the same thing, because his arm tightened, constricting her breathing, and the muzzle of the pistol dug into her temple. “Keep moving,” he whispered harshly.
    To the right, the man beside him dropped. Blood spread over his chest from a single shot to the forehead. A moment later, so did the soldier on the left.
    Diego growled, the sound coming from his belly before exploding beside her ear. “I have your whore!”
    Gunfire stopped. The site grew quiet except for the plop of raindrops on tin roofs.
    “I think that means you don’t have anyone left,” she said softly. “Maybe you should make a deal.”
    “Shut up!” His knee connected with her hip. “I’ll kill you!”
    Pain shot through her body, and she gasped.
    “And the moment you do, motherfucker, I’ll drop you to the dirt.”
    Jackson’s voice, coming from behind them. Suri’s eyes filled with tears.
    Teague stepped out from around the side of the ops van, his hands out to his sides to show he wasn’t armed. “Diego Guzman, all your soldiers are down. Most dead. Your son is trussed up like a turkey inside. You have no place to go, no one who can help you.”
    Guzman snorted but his hold didn’t ease.
    Teague shook his head and gave him a tight smile. “And if you think Jave is coming to your rescue, dream on. He bit it ten minutes ago.”
    Guzman held still as a statue for a long moment, and then whirled with her to face Jackson.
    Jackson stood in the open, sighting down the barrel of his raised weapon. “You don’t have anywhere to go. Release her.”
    “I’m leaving through the gate. Try to stop me, and I’ll kill her. I swear I will.”
    Suri believed him, and knew that if he managed to make his way outside, she wouldn’t remain alive for long. Her stomach clenched. She had few choices. And they narrowed to just one. Jackson.
    Her glance locked on him and she slowly mouthed, One, Two, Three . Then sagged, catching Guzman by surprise because she slid partway out of his grasp. A shot rang out. Guzman’s arm fell away, and he dropped backward to the dirt.
    Suri scrambled to her knees, and then her feet, and ran for Jackson, launching herself at him. He held his gun away from his body and grabbed her waist, hauling her in while she wrapped arms and legs around him, and held him tight, her head buried against his shoulder.
    “I stayed put,” she said with a sob. “He found me.”
    His cheek slid against hers. “Shhh, I’ve got you now. I’ve got you.”
    A throat cleared near them.
    Suri lifted her head, wiped the tears from her face, and then unwound herself.
    Jackson let her down to the ground, but kept his arm around her back.
    Teague’s face was grim. “Can’t say we won’t get more company. Three helos from our ship in the Gulf are heading this way. Only bring what’s necessary. We’re leaving as soon as they touch down.”
    Jackson nodded. “I’ll get her on the first one out.”

Chapter Eight
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    T he last bell of the day rang, and Suri smiled at the kids as they hurried out of the classroom. As she signed off her computer and