Target on the Mountain by Elizabeth Goddard (the chimp paradox .txt) 📕

McNamara stared at them through narrowed eyes. “Where are the others?”

“Carlson’s injured. He’s in there. Your friend Michelle got away.”

McNamara stepped inches from Alex’s face. “You’re lying. She’s working with you. I saw her helping you.”

Alex shook his head. “I don’t know what you saw, but she tried to shoot us.”

McNamara motioned to one of his flunkies. “Check it out.”

The man clearly wasn’t thrilled to be heading into what could be a bloodbath, but he knew better than to disobey McNamara’s command. He eased through the opening. He wasn’t in there long before he returned. “Carlson’s in there. He’s unconscious. He won’t be telling us anything. She’s gone.”

“You expect me to believe Michelle overpowered both of you and got away?” McNamara asked. When they didn’t answer he said, “It doesn’t matter, she won’t get far. I’ll take care of her soon enough.”

Alex wasn’t going to let McNamara hurt Michelle. They’d need her to help them fit the pieces of Temple’s crimes together and put them away for the rest of their lives.

“So with your friend in there unable to help us find our product, why should we keep you two alive? You’ve been useless so far.”

“Because Carlson told me where he hid the gas. If you want your product, you’d better hope we both stay unharmed,” Alex told him.

McNamara didn’t believe him, but he was all out of options. “All right. Let’s say you know where it’s hidden. Tell me where, and I’ll have my men check it out. If you’re telling the truth, I’ll let you both live.”

Alex’s thoughts churned like crazy trying to come up with a believable location. There was only one that came to mind. “It’s at the lodge.”

McNamara grinned his disbelief. “Nice try, but we’ve already been there, remember? There’s nothing there but a decaying old building.”

Alex kept his expression blank. “That’s because you didn’t look in the right place.”

McNamara’s interest was piqued as he tried to determine if he was telling the truth. “And where might the right place be?”

Alex could think of only one option the man might buy. “Under the floorboards in the great room. Carlson told me he hid it there.”

McNamara looked as if he hadn’t heard him correctly. “The floorboards,” he said doubtfully. “You’re lying. There’s nothing there.”

“Am I? Do you want the sarin or not?”

Wavering, McNamara grabbed his cell phone and tried it, then raged at the lack of service—the fire must have destroyed the phone lines. He turned to two of his men. “Head back that way. Tell Blake where the sarin is supposed to be.” He tossed Alex a threatening glance. “Let me know if it’s not there as soon as possible.”

The two men headed back in the direction of the lodge. McNamara came over to where Alex stood. Taking the butt of his gun, he slammed it into Alex’s midsection. Alex doubled over in pain as air evaporated from his lungs. It took forever for him to be able to breathe normally again.

“That’s for all the trouble you two have caused us so far,” McNamara growled heartlessly. Alex slowly straightened, trying not to show any reaction.

“You’d better hope for your sake and hers that you’re telling the truth. Otherwise, your deaths will be slow, and you, little sister, can watch your brother die a very painful death.”

SEVENTEEN

Rachel put her arm around Alex’s waist to help him stand. McNamara saw it and yanked her away, dragging her over to one of his men. “Keep an eye on her.” To the other man he barked, “Get Carlson out here. I don’t trust him out of my sight.”

The man rushed to do McNamara’s bidding while Rachel’s mind went crazy with worry. Liam was so weak. He could have internal injuries they didn’t know about. He needed to be kept as still as possible.

The man returned, dragging Liam in his arms. He dumped him on the ground at McNamara’s feet.

Rachel broke free of her captor and knelt close to her brother. She cradled Liam’s head in her lap.

“Leave him alone. He can’t help you with anything.” She stared up at McNamara in defiance.

“Then your friend had better be telling the truth. Otherwise, I’ll force you to watch him die.”

It took everything inside of her to hold it together. She was terrified Liam would die up here on the mountain and there was nothing they could do to help him or Deacon.

McNamara took out his phone again. “Keep an eye on them. I’m going to try to get a service spot. I need to talk to Blake right away.”

Rachel watched as McNamara walked a little ways from them. She glanced over at Alex. This was their only chance. She could see he understood.

She motioned to the man standing near her. Alex gave a tiny nod. She silently counted off three and then jumped to her feet. Before the man knew what she had planned, she struck him hard in the stomach with her fist. He bent over in pain and she grabbed his weapon easily enough.

Once she’d gained the upper hand, she turned. The man guarding Alex charged for her, but Alex grabbed his weapon and he froze.

The man she’d disarmed yelled at the top of his voice. Right away, McNamara jerked around. Seeing what was happening, he came rushing back to the site.

Alex grabbed the man closest to him and pointed the gun at his head. “That’s far enough. Unless you want your friend to die.”

McNamara stopped dead in his tracks, hesitating. Then he grinned. “You think I care about him?” Before they knew what he had planned, he shot the man through his chest. Alex just had time to jump sideways before the bullet struck him, as well. The man fell to the ground dead.

Alex fired one shot, striking McNamara in the upper arm near his shoulder. McNamara’s weapon flew from his hand. He grabbed his wounded shoulder, screaming in pain.

“You shot me,” he raged as if he couldn’t believe what was happening. Alex grabbed the weapon