Page 24 of Stalwart Ridge Security: Murray
I stare at Helena who is keeping pressure on Ballard’s wounds while snarling into her radio once again for medics and backup to hurry.Ballard was right, she’s not on Royce’s side if she’s fighting hard to save his life.Shit.Maybe she’s trying to cover her own ass because Seamus and Jaxie should have been here too.Motherfucker.
“This was a straight up planned assassination to take all of us out in one go.Are you a part of it?Did you show up too fucking soon and couldn’t stand around with your fingers up your ass?”I snarl.
Helena doesn’t take her eyes off Ballard.“I have no clue what you’re talking about, Murray.I’m roughly twenty minutes earlier than I mentioned to Jaxie and Seamus.Now, can you please check the perimeter to see if someone is still out there, or if I shot whomever it was who was firing at the cabin.Or you could come here and put pressure on the wound.Though, I won’t recommend it because he’s lost too much blood already and probably won’t last long if we switched.And I’m really trying to balance keeping pressure on the wound and not cutting off his air supply.Dammit, where’s the medivac?”
Conflict is still tearing at me when Elodie snaps, “Go.”
I jump into action and aim my gun outside to check my surroundings.Nothing stands out and I keep myself glued to the cabin as I go around it to check the tree line where I heard the shots coming from earlier.
Footsteps along with gun shells litter the dirt.I jump into a run to follow the footsteps, which seem smaller than a normal size for a man.I’m very aware the direction is heading toward Burk’s cabin.I pick up my pace when I hear an engine starting, but the burning scent is pulling my attention toward the cabin ahead of me.
I’m thrown back with force when an explosion comes out of nowhere.My back hits a tree and a grunt of pain rips from me as I land in the dirt.I release a string of curses and push myself off the ground.Pain radiates through every single part of my body as I push through it and try to run.
The truck is speeding off and I need to catch more than a glimpse of it.Knowing it’s a dark color truck isn’t e-fucking-nough of a description.I take a sharp turn and skit down a small hill in the direction of the road.The truck has to make a turn and through the trees I get a glimpse of a woman behind the wheel.
I can’t get any closer when she hits the gas and speeds off.Releasing a string of curses, I turn and jog back to my cabin.The whop-whop-whop sound above my head near the clearing on my right draws my attention.
Thank fuck the helicopter is able to land close to the cabin.It’s a lot faster than an ambulance going up and down the mountain.I point at the cabin when the paramedics jog my way.Helena is still applying pressure, but I freeze in place when I watch Elodie give Ballard CPR.
The paramedics jump into action, taking over from Helena and Elodie.I shove my hands into my hair as I stare down at my friend, hoping he’s going to live.Elodie comes to a stop next to me and I drop my hands to slide an arm around her.The sound of a heartbeat gives me some hope while there are a lot of grim faces around us.
“What the hell happened?”Seamus asks in horror as he steps inside the cabin.
Helena points at me and Elodie before she faces Seamus.“Let’s all get out of the way and let them help Ballard.”
Reluctantly, I guide Elodie outside and we all watch Orson’s patrol car come to a stop.
“Stay here, please.I’ll be right with you.I have to give Orson an update.”Helena doesn’t wait for a reply and jogs over to Orson.
I pull Elodie closer and place a hand on the back of her head to keep her face turned away as the paramedics carry Ballard on a stretcher out of the cabin.
“What the hell happened, man?”Seamus whispers, and I now notice Jaxie standing behind him.
Anger flares up.At myself, the situation, how we thought we were prepared, and how in a single moment of letting down our guard this happened.
“They planned this shit,” I snarl.
Sirens fill the air and I glance over my shoulder at the smoke rising out of the top of the trees.Shit.The fire.Thank fuck we have a crew of highly trained wildland firefighters stationed nearby.If the wind shifts the fire could head in our direction.
Whop-whop-whop.
I glance up in the air to see the black smoke getting thrown in different directions as the helicopter with Ballard flies away.
“You guys are late,” I murmur and let my gaze connect with Seamus.
Seamus frowns.“Yeah, well, the dog puked all over the place and we had to clean the floor before we left.”
“Be glad, or you would have been here...all of us in one fucking place.”My words are laced with the anger I feel running through my veins.
Jaxie sucks in a harsh breath and I can feel Elodie snuggle closer against me.
Seamus rubs a hand over his face.“We should have seen this coming.”
“That he simply came knocking on our front door instead of cutting the damn power the first few times he came at us?Or that he had a woman helping him shoot those who might have fled the cabin while he went in to slaughter us with a damn knife?”
“What did the woman look like?”Orson’s voice makes me turn to face him.
Helena is standing next to him.“Was she the one you chased through the woods?”
