The two bandits didn’t stop Benji as he walked around the clothing racks, picking out clothes and bringing piles to each of the men. Diesel barked from one of the back rooms. The dog had gotten lucky. When Diesel had growled when the bandits manhandled Frost, one of the men had raised his rifle to shoot the dog, but the bandit leader took a shine to the dog and claimed him as his. Though, I wasn’t yet convinced the leader wanted Diesel as his pet or for dinner.

“How did everything go so wrong?” I finally asked against Clutch’s tattooed chest. “What do we do now?”

He watched the guard, and didn’t speak for at least a minute. His body tensed and his gaze hardened. “I’m getting my rifle back.”

Chapter XXXI

 

“Let me know if the guard on the rock looks this way,” Clutch whispered.

I frowned, peering into his brown eyes. “Okay.”

I could feel his arm move behind me. Oh. Careful to reveal nothing, I forced myself to stare blankly in the bandit’s direction as Clutch signaled to the other scouts. The bandit was lounging on a manmade rock next to a stuffed bear.

The game continued for several minutes. Clutch signaled while I kept an eye on one guard and he watched the one nearest us. I squeezed Clutch’s thigh any time the man I watched looked in our general direction.

“We’re set. We just need a diversion now,” Clutch whispered finally.

I tried to think of anything I could do to distract the bandits. Outside, I could hear the sounds of big engines, signaling the approach of New Eden. I hoped they saw through the bandits’ charade, but I couldn’t count on it. As I concentrated on thinking of a diversion, I noticed Vicki watching us intently. Her cheeks were splotchy from crying. With the slowest movement, she gave a nod like she knew Clutch was up to something. I supposed, since she was sitting in between Clutch and the other scouts, chances were she was quite aware of exactly what was about to happen.

Vicki stood abruptly.

The bandit nearest us swung Clutch’s rifle around. “Whoa there, lady. What do you think you’re doing?”

Vicki pointed to Deb, who was lying on her side. “She’s pregnant. If she doesn’t eat soon, she’ll lose the baby.”

“So? Why would I care?”

Vicki took a deep breath and then untucked her shirt. “I’m buying her a meal.”

It took a moment for her offer to register, and then a huge grin spanned the bandit’s face. He looked up to his partner. “What do you think?”

The other bandit shrugged. “As long as you do it in here, the boss won’t care. Just keep your rifle on them.”

The bandit turned back to Vicki. “You got yourself a deal. A meal for the broad. Come here.”

She stood adamant, and her jaw jutted out. “Give her something to eat first.”

He thought for a moment and then shrugged, reached into his vest pocket, and tossed a small bag to Deb. “Okay. Done. Now, get over here,” he motioned to Vicki. “Grab onto that clothes rack. Face your friends.”

I found myself holding my breath as Vicki took slow, tentative steps to the bandit. I slowly pulled away from Clutch so he could make his move, whatever it may be. My arms wrapped around my abdomen on their own, and I swallowed back fear and hate.

The bandit grabbed Vicki’s belt and yanked her to him. He almost put his rifle down to go for her pants, and then seemed to realize he was still guarding us. “Pull your pants down.”

She moved stiffly as she undid her belt and unbuttoned her jeans, one slow button at a time. He watched her, but every second, he glanced nervously up at us. As soon as she unbuttoned the last button, he turned her around and yanked her pants down. “Grab that rack. Don’t let go or else.”

She reached out and grabbed the silver bar. I felt Clutch move away from me, and I’d nearly forgotten why Vicki was up there. I heard the sound of big engines outside. The New Eden squadron had arrived.

Vicki stood there. Her determined gaze leveled above our group while the bandit struggled with unfastening his belt and pants with only one hand. The other bandit had leaned forward, captivated by the scene and oblivious to Joe and three other scouts inching closer to the rock. Clutch still sat next to me, but I noticed he now had his feet poised under him, like he was a sprinter at the gate.

The bandit finally had his pants undone, and he grabbed Vicki’s hip. As he moved close to her, she shoved her head back and nailed him directly on the nose.

“Uh! Bitch!” he cried out, taking a step back, momentarily stunned.

She grabbed the barrel of his gun, and he tried to yank it from her. Clutch shoved off and closed the ten feet to them with more strength and agility than I thought he had regained. I jumped and ran after him. A couple shots fired from the direction of the other bandit, but I didn’t look.

Clutch reached the bandit as soon as he yanked the rifle from Vicki and knocked her to the floor. Clutch tackled him, and I grabbed the bandit’s rifle and kneeled on his wrist. He cried out, and I pulled the rifle free. Clutch chopped the guy in the throat and rolled off him. The guy got to his knees, struggling to breathe.

Vicki reached for the rifle. I handed it to her. She raised it and shot the bandit in the gut. He took a step back, tripped, and lay there, holding his bleeding stomach. She handed the rifle back to me, fastened her jeans, and then headed back to the group. I’m guessing she was aiming lower, but I didn’t care as long as he was down.

Several had gathered around the other, clearly dead bandit, and I saw Joe on the floor, a stream of blood trailing from his neck. Deb looked over and sadly shook her head.

Outside, there was yelling, and then the sound of gunfire erupted. Several bandits sprinted into the store. Hodge, whose eyes were already wide, froze when he saw us, and anger tightened his visage.

“Incoming!” I yelled. I tumbled with Clutch behind a toppled display and handed him his rifle.

Clutch shouted, “Everyone, take cover! Head for the back rooms!”

He laid down cover fire while the women and children ran. The scouts took up position behind various forms of cover. The bandits fired wildly as though they were trying to decide which direction they wanted to go. White fuzz exploded from sleeping bags. Someone cried out in sharp pain.

“We need to get to a better position.” Clutch looked around. “This way.”

We ran and slid across a sales counter. No one seemed to be firing at us, but the entire store was filled with the sound of gunfire, and I suspected the bandits were now shooting at the New Eden soldiers and not us.

“I’m going to give you a push, and we’ll take position there behind that big support beam.” Clutch pointed.

I looked up at the rock ledge filled with various stuffed animals. Toward the middle, just above the giant aquariums, was what I figured had to be the support beam Clutch was talking about: a tree trunk going from floor to ceiling.

“Ready?”

I nodded. We both climbed onto the glass counter. I jumped up at the same time Clutch heaved me, and I flew onto the ledge above. He tossed me his rifle and then climbed up. I slung the rifle over my shoulder, grabbed his jeans, and helped pull him up the last bit. We ran around the animals and behind the disguised support beam. Clutch crouched, took aim, and fired. I was behind the beam and couldn’t see, but knew that since Clutch hadn’t fired a second shot, a bandit had just gone down.

A grenade exploded, and I peeked around the other side of the beam. Dust and flames flickered near the front sales counters. Then, a massive explosion shook the building. Something big and black crashed down onto me, and I tumbled off the ledge and into the stagnant fish tank below. The falling object landed on top of me, knocking the air from my lungs and pressing me against the bottom of the tank.