“Almost there!” O’Neal shouted.
They entered the wide-open hangar door.
Ortiz slammed on the brakes, bringing them to a screeching stop.
“Everyone out!” Derek jumped down, then helped Jenna into the Land Cruiser. “Cruz, O’Neal, stay with the Jeep. Cover our rear. Let’s catch them in a crossfire. Jones, you’re on me.”
Jones climbed into the front Land Cruiser’s passenger seat, while Cruz jumped into the driver’s seat of the Jeep, O’Neal riding shotgun.
“Let’s move!”
“Team Two, this is Cobra. Enemy QRF almost at your position. How copy, over?” Corbray said.
“Cobra, this is Team Two. Acknowledged. Out.”
Ortiz threw the engine into reverse and backed out of the hangar.
“Jenna, get down.” Derek guided her to a sheltered position on the floor and piled extra Kevlar vests around her.
“I thought the vehicle was bulletproof.”
“They are, but I won’t take chances.” Derek checked his M4. “Ortiz, they’re probably going to aim for our tires and try to immobilize us.”
He hoped to fuck these assholes wanted Jenna alive. In fact, he was counting on it. No up-armored Land Cruiser could withstand a hit by an RPG.
Ortiz braked, shifted into drive, floored it, the vehicle’s engine responding instantly. Thank God they weren’t in a lumbering Humvee. Even so, changing to the Land Cruiser had cost them time. The bastards gained on them, Qassim in the lead vehicle. So far, they hadn’t noticed Cruz and O’Neal, who were now in pursuit.
“Here they come!” Jones shouted.
Rat-at-at-at! Rat-at-at-at!
A burst of automatic weapons fire. The thud of bullets against armor.
Jenna screamed.
“Cobra, this is Team Two. Taking enemy fire, over.”
“Team One, this is Cobra. Team Two is taking fire, over?” Corbray replied.
Jones leaned out his window, aimed his M4.
Rat-at-at-at! Rat-at-at-at!
One of the vehicles tried to pull in front of them, but the much-heavier Land Cruiser struck them hard, their momentum causing them to lose control and roll over.
“Woohoo!” Jones shouted.
“Bowling for terrorists.” Ortiz grinned. “My new favorite sport.”
Rat-at-at-at! Rat-at-at-at!
Jenna’s body jerked, her hands over her ears.
The vehicle shuddered.
“We’ve lost a rear left tire!” Ortiz said.
If they had to, they could ride out small arms fire until the cavalry managed to punch through that fence and join the fight—ifthey managed to punch through.