Page 173 of Running to You

Sam scrambled out from under him, kicking his gun away, breathing hard.

The shooter wasn’t moving.

Blood poured from a wound on his back. And when Sam looked, he saw it flowed from his chest too. The guy’s eyes were open.

A quick feel at his neck, and… “You got him, Bryan. Thanks.”

“Go get your son.”

Sam had dropped the taser and the night-vision goggles. He grabbed the goggles and the shooter’s gun, which he shoved in the holster where the taser had been.

These people were aiming to kill, and he would too.

The ringing in his ears faded, the sound of shooting filtering in. And shouts. And screams.

He ran to the next window, where light peeked through. “Linda?”

A gasp, and then, “Who’s there?”

“Sam. Coming in.” Hand covered with the sleeve of his jacket, he broke the glass with the butt of his gun and cleared the edges. “I just gotta knock out these boards.”

But as he said it, the bottom one was wrenched away, and Linda’s face appeared. The wool was hanging loose, no longer stapled. She looked both terrified and determined. “I finished what Eliza started.”

“Good job. Step out of the way. I’ll get the next one.”

She did, and he pounded on the board. It was as high as his head, and he didn’t have a good angle. Sheer fury fueled him as he banged his fists against it.

Finally, it gave on one side. He grabbed it and pulled it out, getting a glimpse of the tiny dorm-style room.

Linda hurried forward from the back wall. “I don’t know where Eliza is.”

“I’ll find her. Come on.”

She held out her arms to the bed, and a little boy stepped into them. Linda turned to hand him through the window.

And Sam got his first look at his son.

A million emotions, but he pressed them all down.

“This nice man’s going to get us somewhere safe.” Linda’s voice was kind. “Go ahead, sweetheart.”

The little blond curls bounced, his eyes even bigger than his mom’s.

Sam held out his arms. “Come on, son. Let’s get you out of here.”

Sam probably looked terrifying with the black on his face, the weapons and the goggles. But at the sound of his voice, the boy reached out and wrapped his tiny arms around Sam’s neck. Linda shifted him into his arms. He wasn’t heavy, but the weight of the moment pressed in.

Sam swallowed hard. Shifted Levi onto his back. “Hang on tight.”

“Okay.” A small, precious voice.

Sam held his hand out to Linda. “Careful of the glass.”

“I need to find her.”

“You need to take care of Levi. I’ll get Eliza.”

She looked from the door to him. He was about to threaten to come in after her when she finally took his hand. He helped her out the window and to the soft ground. “We’re going straight to the woods. Stay low.”