Then all heck broke loose. Before she knew what was happening, Rome had rushed two of the men, slamming them against the concrete wall.

An instant later she went into action, kicking the gun out of the hand of the third man before he could pull the trigger, while ramming her body into the rifle-bearing brute with all her might.

Identical grunts sounded from both of them as they sailed through the musty air and thumped onto the unforgiving ground side by side. After a few seconds of wrestling and trading punches, she knew she had to do something about that rifle, but he was strong. Very strong. She wasn’t sure just how much more scuffling she could take before he overpowered her or the others paid them attention. Plus she had no idea how Rome was doing with his battle.

Shifting her body to face him squarely, she clasped onto her enemy’s shoulders, taking a couple blows to her abdomen for her efforts. Bracing her upper body on his, she hoisted her knee straight up to connect solidly with his groin.

Her attacker instantly froze and rolled to his side, grasping his crotch and wheezing. Hey, a girl’s got to have some tricks, and she wasn’t above fighting dirty when it came to her life. And Rome ’s.

Spinning away from the downed man, Harper peered through the dimness to see two prone bodies on the floor, and Rome fighting the third.

She scooted across the ground to kick the kneecap of Rome’s assailant. The man crumpled and clutched his knee in agony.

“C’mon,” Rome said breathlessly, grabbing her hand roughly and pulling her along the tunnel toward the entrance they came in.

Stumbling in haste, they raced through the winding shadows. At last they rounded the last corner of the dirt passage, arriving at the bunker door just as it crashed inward, almost banging into the two of them.

Bodies roared through the opening, taking advantage of their surprise. The door slammed shut, blocking the outside light, and they were once again shrouded in near darkness.

The rapid light and dark buzzed her vision for a quick moment, startling her into immobility. Someone thudded against her, forcing her back against the hard earthpacked wall. Her breath rushed out of her lungs, causing a momentary lapse of awareness.

Two solid punches hit her face, snapping her head backward, hitting the wall once more. Harper was sure she’d see stars if she could clear her vision.

A tackle at her thighs took her legs out from under her, and she tumbled to the uneven ground. Levering on her hands, she twisted her body around just as brutal hands yanked her up and pulled her to her feet.

She was then forced face-first against the wall while someone jerked her wrists around, trying to bind them together. She thrashed frantically to keep it from happening, tasting chalky bits of dirt that crumbled off the wall from the erratic movements.

Guns fired. The shots echoed loudly in the cramped space. Then the struggle with her hands stopped. And the large body behind her slid to the ground.

Swinging around, she watched a blur of forms grappling and shards of light dancing in the haze of gun smoke as the muted beams of the corridor flickered off the barrels of moving guns.

She also spotted the glint of a blade, which descended in a flashing arc to slice her forearm.

A searing burn stung her flesh. She reflexively reached for the wound. Pulling her hand away, she saw blood drip through her fingers. Ouch, that hurt like a son of a gun.

The knife ripped at her again. Harper backed away as the swipe passed just in front of her; then she lunged forward, knocking her attacker against the wall.

She heard the clang of the knife as it hit a rock on the ground. A quick backhand smacked her hard across the face.

Harper reeled back a few steps as her nose stung and tears welled in her eyes. Running her tongue along her upper lip, she tasted blood, presumably trickling from her tingling nose.

Enough.

Planting her right leg firmly on the hard-packed dirt, she recalled some of her kickboxing training and hopped onto her left leg, twisting her right foot through the air to land a solid roundhouse kick to the head of the brute who hit her. He flailed backward, knocking his head against the wall, and then fell flat onto the ground.

And stayed there.

The crack of gunfire ripped throughout the shadows again. She whipped around, watching bodies fall. More close-range shots rang and more bodies fell.

Silence.

She realized after a cold moment that she was the only one still standing. A murky haze from the gunfire and upset earth veiled the area as she anxiously searched for Rome among the prone figures.

The leaden tang of blood swamped her senses. She could taste it with every breath. Smell its thick stench. See the dark stains mingle with the shadows on every surface.

She found Rome lying facedown. As she turned him over, she gasped at the blood covering his face and drenching his coat.

Was it his? Had he been shot?

A blinking light and hushed single beep came from her wrist. No. The system that Rome had shut off was about to come on. Her watch warned their sixty-five minutes were up in sixty seconds.

“Rome,” she whispered, shaking him gently. “Rome.”

No response. They needed to get out of there. Now. Before more people came. Panic bubbled in her stomach. Were you supposed to move gunshot victims?

Maybe a little louder. “Rome!” she screamed in true fright, afraid he might really be hurt.

A strong hand seized her wrist. She jumped back, but the ironclad grip held her steady before she fell over.

“Stop yelling, Harper,” Rome rasped, and groaned as he struggled to push himself up on his elbows.

“Sorry,” she spurted, relieved beyond belief that he was okay. She hadn’t started to think about what she’d do without him. She didn’t want to.

She reached under his arms to help him. He groaned even more, but allowed her to support him. That spoke volumes to her.

Smiling, she began to stand and heft him up with her. His arm clenched her slashed forearm, making her wince in the dimness as her wound seethed from his heavy touch.

“Let’s go before more come,” Rome grunted through heavy breaths. Great idea.

He braced against her as he stood, a bit wobbly. She flung her arm quickly around his lower back, trying to hold him up. He was solid muscle.

Walking to the bunker doorway, his sagging weight almost knocked her over. Leaving him to lean against the dirt wall, she hurled the door open.

The bright daylight nearly blinded her, but she grabbed Rome around his waist and hauled him up the uneven stairs and outside with her. Sucking in a lungful of cool air, she relished being in the fresh outdoors and out of that rank corridor.

Rome moaned, and she chanced a sideways glimpse at him as they staggered away. He looked as if he were about ready to keel over, but lurched forward to snap himself alert. Thank goodness her years of training had made her legs strong; otherwise his jerky motion might have pitched them both face-first onto the ground.

A beeping noise startled them both. Her watch alarm. Their sixty-five minutes were up. Good thing they’d scurried far enough away for cover where they were hidden from the outside surveillance, just beyond her original hideout. And close to Rome’s stashed motorbike.

He’d been the one to drive them here on the bike, but he was in no condition to drive now. They’d concealed the Bug about fifteen miles from this location and ridden over the uneven forested terrain to get here.

In other circumstances, she’d have been excited to drive the unusually quiet dirt bike, one of Rome’s many resources. He’d given her a basic tour of the machine and how to operate it, but right now, she just hoped she could get back to safety without killing either of them.