Chapter Thirty Six

His chest felt like it would burst as he shoved to his feet and staggered after the women. Spotting Jona in the distance, Gage sped up and fell in his haste to save Chantal. The drug felt like syrup in his veins.

Gage saw Jona raise the gun as he pounded through the field. Chantal knelt before the skilled slayer, and her shoulders straightened defiantly. Too far off, he was out of time. Gage felt it in his bones. Jona shifted her stance—straightened her elbow at the last second. Even as he flung himself across uneven ground, Gage knew he’d failed. With one last futile shout, he called out to his love and closed his eyes against the horror. 

The gunshot echoed across the valley, shattering his soul. Gage’s foot caught on a root, and he flew, landing and sliding to a final stop. Twenty feet away. Tea shrubbery blocked his view, and Gage rose to face a killer. Two pairs of eyes turned his way. Chantal still sat on he

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  Sri Lanka.Jaffna Peninsula.They’d walked for just over a mile from the chopper landing site, and Chantal stumbled to keep up. Approaching the thirty-five-hour mark—aside from half a protein bar—she hadn’t eaten. Desperately thirsty and exhausted from her two-day ordeal, Chantal’s weakening body felt uncooperative. All she cared about was Gage. Staring numbly ahead through eyes swollen from tears, she prayed he lived. He’d lain bleeding, beaten and surrounded the last time she’d seen him. He had to have found a way. Gage wouldn’t give up on fighting for his life or for her rescue. The alternative would destroy her heart—her soul.They’d flown north and had stopped once to refuel. Chantal guessed—from what she’d seen on the approach—that they were on the outskirts of a coastal town which looked familiar. The

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  Gage sagged against a pillar, an empty water bottle crushed in his fisted hand. His bruised body screamed as he waited for ibuprofen to kick in. Not that the meds would make much of a difference. Kohen had patched up Gage’s head and cheek, sealing the lacerations with glue and steri strips. Now, they stood outside the tea factory, surrounded by Sri Lankan Special Forces while awaiting exfil. Ignoring his exhaustion, magnified by worrying grief, Gage focused on his team and mentally cataloged their capability. With or without them, he’d be heading up the rescue operation.His MSD team would still be the first choice, but as a rule of thumb, the host nation would have to weigh in and give permission. They couldn’t allow American Federal Agents to run rogue in their country. How would the Sri Lankan President work around this shitstorm? Would he block rescue efforts? Was Rajin in touch with the president, and did he know about Chantal’s kidnapping and how

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  Chantal paused to examine her bleeding hands before switching from the window to her chain. She knew, if she slept anymore, she’d waste time. She began a fresh count to five hundred, and would switch tasks unless she made progress with either the bracelet around her ankle or the chain link.It took an agonizing moment to lower herself to the ground. Her body screamed with exhaustion and relentless pain. Was this how her mom felt every day?And Chantal had wanted a break—thought about walking away? What kind of daughter was she, to abandon her impaired mother, to run off and “find herself”?Except she’d found herself—with Gage. Each moment they’d spent together was etched in her shattered mind. For the hundredth time, she analyzed their last moments together. And Alexis… the way she’d looked before pulling the trigger and deliberately firing past Chanta

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• Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series   Chapter Forty

  As they converged on the courtyard, a mercenary fired from the shadows and Gage aimed and took out the threat. The man fell just as Chantal’s scream alerted them to her location. Gage switched to berserker mode, abandoning his training as he rushed the door. “Chants!”Gannon wrestled him away. “I’ll use an explosive breach. Hang back!”“Fucking hurry! I’ll do it.”“We need steady hands.” Gannon knelt beside the door and pulled out the putty. He worked quickly and stepped back.“Clear!” Gannon yelled, and the door blew inwards. Gage followed, rushing into the small space. His heart paused as he took in the carnage. Blood pooled on the rough floor, and Harris lay across Chantal with a blade to her neck. Gage recognized the knife as his own and savage regret surfaced.“One more step, and I’ll kill her.”Gage gave direction. “Chants, don’t

• Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series   Chapter Thirty Nine

  Chantal paused to examine her bleeding hands before switching from the window to her chain. She knew, if she slept anymore, she’d waste time. She began a fresh count to five hundred, and would switch tasks unless she made progress with either the bracelet around her ankle or the chain link.It took an agonizing moment to lower herself to the ground. Her body screamed with exhaustion and relentless pain. Was this how her mom felt every day?And Chantal had wanted a break—thought about walking away? What kind of daughter was she, to abandon her impaired mother, to run off and “find herself”?Except she’d found herself—with Gage. Each moment they’d spent together was etched in her shattered mind. For the hundredth time, she analyzed their last moments together. And Alexis… the way she’d looked before pulling the trigger and deliberately firing past Chanta

• Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series   Chapter Thirty Eight

  Gage sagged against a pillar, an empty water bottle crushed in his fisted hand. His bruised body screamed as he waited for ibuprofen to kick in. Not that the meds would make much of a difference. Kohen had patched up Gage’s head and cheek, sealing the lacerations with glue and steri strips. Now, they stood outside the tea factory, surrounded by Sri Lankan Special Forces while awaiting exfil. Ignoring his exhaustion, magnified by worrying grief, Gage focused on his team and mentally cataloged their capability. With or without them, he’d be heading up the rescue operation.His MSD team would still be the first choice, but as a rule of thumb, the host nation would have to weigh in and give permission. They couldn’t allow American Federal Agents to run rogue in their country. How would the Sri Lankan President work around this shitstorm? Would he block rescue efforts? Was Rajin in touch with the president, and did he know about Chantal’s kidnapping and how

• Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series   Chapter Thirty Seven

  Sri Lanka.Jaffna Peninsula.They’d walked for just over a mile from the chopper landing site, and Chantal stumbled to keep up. Approaching the thirty-five-hour mark—aside from half a protein bar—she hadn’t eaten. Desperately thirsty and exhausted from her two-day ordeal, Chantal’s weakening body felt uncooperative. All she cared about was Gage. Staring numbly ahead through eyes swollen from tears, she prayed he lived. He’d lain bleeding, beaten and surrounded the last time she’d seen him. He had to have found a way. Gage wouldn’t give up on fighting for his life or for her rescue. The alternative would destroy her heart—her soul.They’d flown north and had stopped once to refuel. Chantal guessed—from what she’d seen on the approach—that they were on the outskirts of a coastal town which looked familiar. The

• Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series   Chapter Thirty Six

  His chest felt like it would burst as he shoved to his feet and staggered after the women. Spotting Jona in the distance, Gage sped up and fell in his haste to save Chantal. The drug felt like syrup in his veins.Gage saw Jona raise the gun as he pounded through the field. Chantal knelt before the skilled slayer, and her shoulders straightened defiantly. Too far off, he was out of time. Gage felt it in his bones. Jona shifted her stance—straightened her elbow at the last second. Even as he flung himself across uneven ground, Gage knew he’d failed. With one last futile shout, he called out to his love and closed his eyes against the horror.The gunshot echoed across the valley, shattering his soul. Gage’s foot caught on a root, and he flew, landing and sliding to a final stop. Twenty feet away. Tea shrubbery blocked his view, and Gage rose to face a killer. Two pairs of eyes turned his way. Chantal still sat on he