Sworn to Protect (Vows of the Heart) (28 page)

“I love you guys,” Bethany said, smiling. “You’re prepared for everything.”

She took two sips of the coffee wincing slightly. “Hot. Okay, where are we?”

Nathan, still keeping an eye on the rearview mirror, handed her a tablet computer. “Like you said, Bethany, we’re prepared. I have this set up on Google Maps. It shows our location
, but I’ve also tweaked it and have some…specialized apps running. It’s faster and you can easily find alternative routes off and on the highway.”

“Sweet!” She studied the map, sliding her index finger over the screen and zooming in several times. “Okay, I got a plan. Na
than, in about a mile is an off-ramp that leads to a busy intersection. Make sure you catch the light red, then it’s fire drill time.”

Ethan grinned, his arm tightening around her. He always marveled
at the change that came over Bethany, it was as if she found a new, vibrant energy. This was her element and she thrived in it. He hesitated. What would happen to her if they got through this? Life would return to normal; no more insane car chases, no more picking locks or stealing wallets. His heart twisted with the realization. A part of her would die with a normal life and Ethan didn’t know if he could bear to watch it happen.

Thief sitting here, in the car, beside you.

He was an ATF agent and she, a thief. What chance did they have for a future? She was not a criminal, she did not want to steal or hurt anyone, but Ethan could not deny the facts before him. To take this away from her would deny a part of her being. He might even lose her.

“Hey,” Bethany said softly, looking up at him in concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he replied and forced a smile.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay because you were so good at it last time, I was hoping you’d navigate for me again.”

“On one condition.”

She looked at him startled. “What?”

“I get a kiss first,” he said and pressed his lips softly against hers.

A giggle bubbled through her and she kissed him back. Her lips were sweet and her kiss drugging
, but too quickly she pulled away. “Pay attention,” she said and pointed to the map.

He forced down his desire to kiss her again.

She moved even closer and spoke softly. “Here’s what I want to do. Now, if something goes wrong, if I have to make an unplanned turn, I need you to adapt and look for ways to get me back to this point.”

“You got it, sweetheart,” he said and took the tablet.

“Off-ramp coming up,” Nathan said.

“Okay,” Bethany said and unfastened her seatbelt. “As soon as we come to a full stop, trade places, Ethan in front with me.”

“What are we doing?” Tommy asked.

“Trust me,” Nathan said as they stopped. He slammed the gearshift into park and unfastened his seatbelt. “Sit in the back seat, you’ll thank me later.”

Bethany’s musical laugh sounded as she jumped out and ran to the driver’s side.

Within moments they traded places and Bethany sat in the driver’s seat with Ethan next to her
. Tommy sat behind him. While they waited for the light to change green, she adjusted her seat and mirrors. “Okay, she said looking into the rearview, I see them about six cars back.”

Nathan, sitting directly behind Bethany, looked over his shoulder out the back window, then reached into the back of the Tahoe where they kept their bags. He pulled out a shotgun. “A little surprise, just in case they manage to get next to us.”

Ethan swallowed hard, glad that the windows were tinted.

The light changed green and Bethany drove the Tahoe straight through the intersection and back onto the freeway. As soon as she cleared the merging traffic she floored it. Ethan sucked in his breath, his heart racing.
Here we go again!

The traffic wasn’t bad
, but there were enough slower moving cars that they forced Bethany to dart and weave between them. “Ethan, Tommy, help me watch for cops, we don’t need them joining the party right now. Nathan, you help me keep an eye on our friends back there.”

“Copy that,” Nathan said.

The Tahoe’s engine roared as she pushed the vehicle hard.

Nathan shook his head. “They’re still gaining on us.”

“I know, part of the plan,” she said.

Ethan not only watched for s
tate troopers, but kept an eye on the map and the exits they flew past. “Three more exits.”

“Okay, everyone hold on, this is going to get a little rough.”

“A little?” Nathan grumbled and Ethan grinned at him. He glanced over his shoulder at Tommy who sat silently, his face absolutely gray.

Bethany took their exit and Ethan once again grabbed the
oh-shit
handle as she blew through a red light, dodging an oncoming car.

“Shit!” Tommy barked.

“I ain’t done yet,” Bethany said. She turned left and headed under the freeway.

“They’re right behind us,” Nathan said.

“Good.”

At the intersection on the other side of the freeway stood a large truck stop and restaurant. T
he traffic at the eastbound off-ramp intersection was heavy and at a dead stop, waiting for the light to change. Bethany whipped the Tahoe into the truck stop parking lot, and sped toward another driveway. She turned into the traffic, barely squeezing between two stopped cars. The stopped cars, apparently upset that she had managed to make it through, closed the gap. Bethany bounced the Tahoe onto the island. Bypassing the gridlock, she hurtled back into the intersection the way they had come. Again dodging another oncoming vehicle, she zipped under the freeway, caught the green light and turned left, on the westbound onramp.

Nathan looked over his shoulder and laughed. “They can’t get through the traffic. You got ‘
em, hun!”

“That will only slow them down
, but I hope it gives us enough breathing room to get to the convoy. How much farther, Ethan?

“About 15 miles.”

“Okay.” She floored it again. But Ethan noticed if they reached an area of the road with tight corners, Bethany backed off the gas significantly, only flooring it on straightaways.

“Shit,” Nathan said, looking back. “Here they come again.”

“I was afraid of that. I’m not willing to die on this road, they are. Ethan, distance.”

“6 miles.”

“Tommy, call your lieutenant buddy. Make sure that convoy is there.”

Tommy, his face still ashen, hit the speed dial on his phone.

The Suburban behind them drew closer.

“Nathan, they’re trying to ram us, get ready to introduce them to your friend there.”

“No problem,” he said and rolled down the window.

Bethany hit the gas
, but Ethan watched the Suburban move in for the ram. Suddenly, Bethany changed lanes and braked, the Suburban’s passenger window came even with Nathan.

Nathan had pressed himself back into his seat. He came forward and fired the shotgun directly into the passenger window, shattering it. The Suburban slammed on its brakes and Bethany floored the accelerator. Nathan leaned out and put two more shots into the windshield.

He returned to the vehicle and rolled up the window. “I think that scared the hell out of ‘em.”

“Yeah, but it didn’t stop them,” Bethany said. “Ethan?”

“10 miles.”

“Tommy?”

Tommy was still on his phone. “They’re waiting for us, Bethany. They’re not actually on I-15 but the convoy is parked on a small road right before it. Highway 161 at Cove Fort. Hardly any traffic.”

“Ethan, give me a street view on the map.”

He pulled it up, glad that his brother had tweaked it, the program was much faster than normal.

Bethany’s lips lifted as she glanced several times at the screen. “Perfect. Tommy, tell them we’re coming in hot.”

“Copy that.”

Bethany started laughing. “You guys are something else.”

Ethan counted down the miles and Bethany rocketed off the freeway onto the off ramp. He saw the convoy with several Humvees, a large 18 wheeler hauling an Abrams, and a number of Jeeps with .50 cals on the top rack, two of which drove straight for them.

Bethany shot between the two Jeeps, spotted an opening in the convoy, just large enough for the Tahoe and whipped the vehicle around so it slid sideways, smoothly stopping in the line and parking it perfectly.

The Jeeps with the .50 cals had also stopped, one on each side of the road.

The Suburban roared down the ramp, quickly approaching.

Ethan saw the lieutenant walking along the convoy with a radio in hand. As he approached them, he lifted the radio. “Let them know they’re not welcome here, boys.”

Ethan’s jaw went slack when one of the .50
cals opened fire, the bullets cutting a path on the pavement in front of the Suburban. The vehicle slammed on its brakes, stopped then suddenly backed up. It returned to the freeway and disappeared.

Bethany vaulted
out of the Tahoe. She held her arms up and jumped as she celebrated. “Oh yeah! That was awesome!”

Ethan sat back and grinned, looking over his shoulder at Tommy. “Well?”

“Shit,” he said and hung up his phone. “Holy fucking shit.”

Ethan laughed
, but then noticed Bethany and her driving skills had attracted the attention of a host of young Marines. He growled and jumped out of the car.

The young men gathered in a loose circle around her, exchanging high-fives with her and voicing their appreciation. Ethan pushed his way through and wrapped and arm around her shoulders. Many looked at him in disappointment.
No, she’s not available,
his thoughts growled.

“Are you Ethan Lancaster?” The lieutenant asked.

“Yes, sir,” he said offering his hand.

The man accepted it. “Lieutenant Michael Connery.”

“Thank you for getting us out of a jam.”

Nathan and Tommy approached and Ethan made introductions. The lieutenant shook Bethany’s
hand warmly. “Miss, I haven’t seen driving like that since…I don’t know when.”

“Thanks,” she said, blushing.

“I’m just surprised they took the hint,” Nathan said. “There’s no way the military is going to shoot a citizen on a public road.”

“Nathan,” Bethany said. “Think about it. If you’re chasing two ex-SEALS and an ex-Marine into a Marine convoy…” she left the sentence hanging.

“There are no ex-Marines,” Ethan said, automatically.

“My point exactly.”

“Hoo-rah!” The Marines around him barked.

Ethan laughed and hugged her.

“There’s also another reason,” Connery said. “Because of the Patriot Act, we can defend ourselves if we feel the convoy is under threat.” He paused and shook his head. “We need to get moving.”

It didn’t take them long to get underway. Unfortunately, joining the convoy slowed their progress to a literal crawl, thanks to the 18 wheeler hauling the tank. They stopped several times to gas up various vehicles.

Ethan shook his head ruefully as Bethany pleaded with the lieutenant to let her drive one of the Humvees. Although Connery obviously got a kick out of her request, he remained steadfast in his refusal. Ethan also noticed that their tail remained. While they waited yet again for a few vehicles to gas up, he leaned against the Tahoe, glaring at the black Suburban parked a short distance away.

Nathan and Connery approached. Nathan saw
Ethan’s gaze and also glared at the Suburban. “They’re going to follow us all the way to San Diego. Once we separate from the convoy, we’ll be right back where we started.”

Connery scowled. “This is all because of that asshole drug lord, Cordova, right?”

Ethan nodded. “Between mine and Bethany’s testimonies. He’s going up against the federal death penalty. I was badly wounded and watched him kill two of my ATF team members. Bethany saw him kill a DEA agent.”

Connery whistled softly. “No wonder he wants both of you dead.”

“Are we just about ready to go?”

Connery nodded, although his gaze remained on the Suburban, his expression troubled.

Ethan got in the car, it was his turn to drive. Bethany crawled into the passenger seat with him. She and Tommy had gone into the truck stop and grabbed some hot food for them.

“Chips and sodas only go so far,” she said and handed Ethan a burger.

“Yeah, but one of these days, I just want a good old fashioned home-cooked meal. My gut has been complaining about all of this fast food.”

Bethany looked at him in surprise.

He laughed softly, taking her hand, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “This body that you enjoy so much is a lot of hard work.” He pulled back and smiled as her face turned crimson. “I not only work out every day,” he continued. “The biggest part is the right diet. I eat fast food, but only occasionally. My gut lets me know under no uncertain terms when I’ve been eating it too much.”