“That’s not the point.”
“That is exactly the point.”
I try to form some kind of valid argument in my head, but I honestly don’t have one. I hadn’t even considered the idea of help from anyone and wouldn’t dream of putting another soul in the crossfire. As I’m about to completely refuse the offer, the rest of them gather around me.
“I want to help,” Marco says. “So does Sam.”
Sam nods in agreement.
“I’m going to help, too,” Katrina adds. “Don’t even try to stop me.”
“We’re all in it,” Christine tells me. “Hannah is one of us, and we’ll all help get her out of there.”
“I can’t ask you all to do that.”
“Who’s asking?” Chuck claps his hand against my shoulder and gives me a big grin. “One for all and all for one!”
I can’t come up with a viable argument. I need to save Hannah. The more help I have, the greater the chances of success. My initial plan had been me alone, but if I have help, my odds of succeeding are much better.
“All right,” I say as I let out a long breath. “We’ll do it together.”
*****
“You sure you got this?”
“I’ve got it, hon,” Christine says. “Don’t you worry about me.”
I’m trying hard to believe her, and I have to admit her aim is pretty good, but I’m not used to handing my sniper rifle over to someone else to use.
“Just stay out of sight, and only use it if you have to.”
“If I get a chance to nail one of those assholes after you are away, I might just have to take it.” Christine smiles and winks at me.
“No,” I say as I shake my head. “There are too many of them. There isn’t that much ammo. You would just be putting yourself at risk.”
“I’ll keep her covered,” Marco says.
“I can’t have any of you getting trigger happy,” I remind them. “This should be a quick in-and-out operation. Hopefully, no one will even know what’s happened until it’s too late. No shots fired, no bloodshed.”
“Do you think that’s likely?” Chuck asks.
“I think we’re outnumbered,” I say. “We have a serious disadvantage if we’re discovered. Everyone will hear a shot fired in that area. They have two exits they use plus the one I found. We only have enough people and weapons to cover two of them. I’m still not sure I like the idea of any of you being involved.”
“Cope.” Christine looks at me pointedly, and I sigh.
“If you come with me, and something happens, you won’t be able to come back here. They almost certainly know where you are.”
“Sam and Katrina can get everything moved to another location,” Marco says. “Just the essential stuff. If something goes wrong, we’ll meet there.”
“We can go to the house I was staying in with my brothers,” Katrina says. “I don’t know those guys, and they obviously don’t know about me, or they would have grabbed me, right?”
I can’t argue with her logic. Katrina gives detailed directions on finding the house—I don’t want any of it written down to be found by someone else. Everyone seems clear on where to go if we’re separated.
“The two of you move the essentials,” I say, “and then meet up with the rest of the group only if there is time.”
Katrina and Sam agree though Katrina’s not happy about it. She seems to want to be in the potential thick of it.
“We’ll meet up with everyone else before daybreak,” she says with determination.