Sharpshooter (Shadow Agents 3)

One weapon down.

He looked up, saw that Sydney was close. She gave him a grim nod.

Just then one of the guards ran out of another tent, screaming and aiming his gun at her head.

No. Gunner lifted his gun instantly. Sydney must have read the danger in his eyes because she dropped to the ground, giving him the perfect shot.

But as he fired, another blast thundered.

Two bullets hit the guard, stopping his attack.

Cale? Probably. The other sniper was doing his job and making sure they got out of there alive.

Sydney didn’t stand. Instead, she crawled quickly toward the downed man and took his weapon.

Now that they were both better armed, it was time to search. Because they weren’t running out of that camp, weren’t fleeing. They’d come there for a reason.

Find the hostage. They’d complete their mission.

We’re coming, Slade.

Most of the rebels were fleeing. Some jumped into old trucks; others just ran into the jungle. The explosions had scared them. It looked as though they weren’t quite up for trading their lives for their cause.

The more of them that left, well, the easier the EOD’s mission became. He and Sydney searched the tents, one after the other. Deserted. Burning. No sign of Slade.

But he had to be there.

Or...maybe he was close by. Just through the patch of jungle on the right, Gunner could see the outline of old stones. Big, sprawling, the structure looked like some kind of deserted temple.

Sydney was already nodding, because she’d spotted the structure, too. Gunfire erupted behind Gunner, and he turned, firing back. “Go!” he ordered Sydney. If Slade was out there, they had to get to him. He could be hurt, dying...

Gunner saw Logan appear, and the team leader joined the firefight. Sydney rushed toward the temple.

The bullets kept coming. A lucky shot grazed Gunner’s left arm, and he clenched his teeth at the flash of pain.

Then he took aim at the men coming for him.

Chapter Four

Sydney’s heartbeat echoed in her ears as she ran toward the narrow entrance to what she could only guess was some kind of crumbling temple. Giant slabs of white rock were turned, forming the sloping entrance. But...there was light coming from inside that temple. And where there was light...

Sydney lifted her gun and went in low. She didn’t know what kind of angry reception she’d find waiting for her, but she had to do this search and get back to help Gunner. She had to—

A man was tied to a chair, bound, the way she’d been moments before. He looked like the same man she’d seen in the jungle, because he was wearing that same brown sack over his head. A lantern sat near his feet, revealing his old, ragged pants.

She approached him cautiously. No one else appeared to be in the area, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She checked every shadowed space, then eased closer to the bound man.

He stiffened as she drew nearer. His sagging head snapped up. “Who’s there?” he demanded.

She wanted to say the voice was familiar to her. Gunner had been so sure it was Slade’s voice that they’d heard in the jungle. But Sydney just didn’t know. The only voice she knew by heart?

Gunner’s rough, rumbling drawl.

“I’m here to help you,” she whispered to him. She’d shoved that sharp chunk of wood in her belt, and now she pulled it out and began to saw against his binds with it. “Don’t move.”

But a shudder ran the length of the man’s body. “Talk to me again. I know...”

She frowned at him. She should just take off the sack, find out for certain who this man was. But she was afraid.