Page 79 of Mountain Trial

Yes.

Looks like we get a do-over.

Luc pictured a hammer in his mind and brought his forehead down again, hard, onto Bull’s temple.

This time, the pain was sickening. Luc’s vision darkened, and stars popped up in front of his eyes. He blinked until the moment passed and the inside of the helicopter came back in sight, relieved to find Bull on the ground, moaning. The mercenary’s boots scraped against the metal floor as he tried to get his feet under him.

Luc felt his heart drop.

He’s still conscious.

Then a shadow came over them.

Kat.

Kat kicked Bull’s gun away from his grip, sending it flying towards the back of the aircraft. Bull moaned again, and Kat took the chance to kick him in the balls―once, twice.

She was magnificent.

Bull’s hands moved from his head to his genitals, as he writhed in pain on the ground. But he was still conscious. One of his arms swept out to grab Kat.

“You bitch. I’m going to―”

“Kat, look out!” Luc yelled.

Kat kicked at the elbow, eliciting an enraged shout from Bull. She jumped out of range quickly, then stepped back in to punch Bull in the solar plexus.

There was a screeching of metal and a rush of cold air. A dark shape flew towards them. Before Luc’s brain had a chance to compute, a dog landed on Bull, its powerful jaws pressing on Bull’s neck, holding him in place.

“Bailey!” Kat gasped, leaning back to give the dog space.

Hiro jumped up into the craft beside them, his expression grim as he took in the scene in front of him. “Hold, Bailey,” he said, producing a pair of handcuffs. Moments later, Bull was cuffed tightly and taken off the helicopter, into the waiting hands of another policeman.

Bailey looked at Luc. Her intelligent eyes seemed to recognize him, or at least recognize the fact that he posed no threat to Kat. She settled down to nuzzle Kat, as if seeming to recognize just how much the woman needed her comfort at that moment.

“Thank you, Bailey,” Kat said softly. Her slim frame shivered in the cold night air. Moments later she looked up and crawled to Luc, opening the buckle to the harness restraint holding him in place. Luc fell forward onto the floor, straight into Kat’s arms.

“Are you okay?” he asked. She was the only thing in the world that mattered.

“I’m okay now,” she said. She leaned forward to give him a kiss―just as Hiro jumped back into the helicopter, a small key in his hands.

“Sorry,” the dog handler apologized. “Found this in his jacket pocket, figured you’d need it.”

“Thank you, Hiro.”

Hiro nodded tightly.

“I’ll give you two a minute.”

Kat undid the handcuffs quickly. Luc brought his arms forward and rubbed his wrists, clenching his jaw against the pain.

“How’s your head?” Kat asked.

Hurts like hell.

“I’ll live.”

“That was really brave,” she said.