Release Point

By Maia Dylan

Snipers refer to a point where a decision made could change the course of a target's journey, as the release point. When Maddox Devereaux walked away from Glenn Webster six months ago, he’d reached that point and the path he chose meant he could never go back.

Maddox headed into combat and eventually found himself being held captive and tortured in South America by the head of a drug cartel hell bent on revenge. For Maddox, he felt as if that might just be his penance.

Glenn was tired of his team thinking that he was broken. Yes he had been raped, yes it had been horrible, but he had found a way to deal with that. What he was finding hard to process was how he had pushed Maddox away right when he needed him most.

When they find out that Maddox is being held captive, Bravo do what they do best. They load up and go to war. Maddox comes home and it takes all of them to help him heal. Little do they know, they are now the ones being hunted.

Can Glenn and Maddox find their way back together, or will this release point result in an outcome neither of them will survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight Publishing
• Release date: Jun 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781773392998

Book preview

Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2017 Maia Dylan

ISBN: 978-1-77339-299-8

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Karyn White

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

For everyone who encouraged me to start this series based on an image I found during a Facebook party. If it weren’t for you, my Snipers would have never seen the light of day. And now? All of them have their HEA, and a new series, The Pathfinders who are all destined for stories of their own.

And for my hubby.

RELEASE POINT

Sniper Team Bravo, 4

Maia Dylan

Copyright © 2017

Prologue

Pipe bomb!

Maddox Devereaux heard his friend and teammate Marcel Cross call out from behind him. Dread and fear both unfurled within him as he ran for cover. The only damn thing on the whole entire street that looked like it might provide some semblance of cover was a burned-out car on the opposite side of the road.

As if in slow motion he threw himself behind the car, twisting as he fell to watch the other members of his team heading for the same refuge. His LT, Devon Roberts, and Marcel were right on his six, so cleared the relative safety of the derelict car seconds after he did. His entire being filled with fear when he saw the team’s medic, Sam Wilson, and Maddox’s partner, Glenn Webster, still running for the car. Both wore expressions of grim determination as they charged for safety. Maddox was about to lean forward so he could reach for both men but was struck by Devon as he leaped into cover.

Fuck! Maddox roared in frustration as he lost precious seconds having to right himself. He heard the pipe bomb explode, and then the car rocked with the percussion wave that followed.

Glenn! Sam! Maddox screamed as he scrambled forward.

There was no way the two of them would have managed to clear the blast radius. His heart pounded in his chest as he pushed up from the ground and practically threw himself out from behind the car.

The scene that met him as he did had his heart stopping within his chest. His friends had almost made it to safety. Only their bottom halves had been left exposed. From the way they lay it was clear that Glenn had pushed Sam down and forward as he threw himself over the top of him. It was just like Glenn to put the survival of one of their team over his own.

Jesus, Marcel breathed from behind him, horror clear in his tone. There was so much blood on their friends, and way too much pooling beneath the two men.

Maddox experienced a moment of fear before he was able to push it down. Then he did what he always did when he was scared. He got angry. Glenn, you had better be alive down there, you son of a bitch, or I swear to all that is holy I will beat you to the damn pearly gates and beat the shit out of you.

There was a moment of silence when Maddox felt he might have aged a decade, and then Glenn moved with a groan. You’re assuming I’m going to heaven. There was no missing the pain and fatigue in his partner’s tone, and Maddox almost keeled over in relief.

Of course you fucking are, Maddox growled as he dropped to his knees and pulled Glenn to the side a little so Sam could get free. Where you go, I go, right? You are my only chance of getting through those damn gates, and you and I both know that. Glenn moaned as Sam started to poke and prod along his abused legs, and Maddox cursed. Fuck, Sam, you wanna take it a little easy?

Sam shot him a pissed off look. Yes, Maddox I do. I want to end this fucking mission, go home and live in Redwood Lake—

Falls, Devon corrected as he scanned the street from behind the scope of his rifle. The farm is in Redwood Falls, Wyoming.

Sam growled as he pulled a clotting bandage from his medical bag. Whatever the fuck it’s called. The point is that yes, I want to be taking it easy living out our retirement the damn way that we planned all these years, sitting on the deck of that fucking huge house Dev’s been telling us about, drinking a goddamn beer and working on my tan! The entire time Sam was reaming him out, he was dealing with Glenn’s wounds after administering a shot of morphine. But instead, I am here in the middle of this hellhole, taking out one piece of shit after another with the best group of men I have ever had the opportunity of getting to know and praying that I can keep us all alive until I get that chance. Now, Maddox, if you have anything else to say, I suggest you keep it to yourself and— Sam shut up abruptly and Maddox frowned.

Whenever Sam was talking as he worked, everyone knew it was all going to be fine. When he was silent, then the person he was working on was seriously hurt. That fist of fear formed higher in Maddox’s stomach, and he had to swallow in order to get enough moisture in his mouth to speak.

What is it?

Dev, Sam said, completely ignoring his query. We need to EVAC now. Call them in now.

Dev cursed as he reached for his radio. Base, base, this is Bravo.

A few long seconds later there was a response. Bravo, this is base. What is your situation?

We are half a click from EVAC point, all men accounted for, but one critical. Need immediate EVAC at point Charlie.

"Roger that, Bravo."

Base, be advised. Hostiles at EVAC point Charlie. Recommend you bring the rain and light the bastards up before HELO sets down.

Maddox dragged his gaze from Glenn and looked down the street toward what had once been the town square and was now their EVAC point. From here he could see that the buildings that lined the western walls of the square were teeming with hostiles. Maddox embraced the ice in his veins and swept his gaze across the scene.

Tell them to target the buildings on the western side of the square, but to leave the right-hand side to me.

What the fuck? Dev growled.

If they drop completely over the opening to the square, we run the risk of losing access to the EVAC point. There are only fifteen men on the opposite side of the road. I can get into position and take them while you four get Glenn to that chopper.

Maddox, Glenn’s voice was weak, and when he dropped his gaze to the man who lay with his head in his lap, Maddox cursed. Glenn was so pale, and there was a tinge of blue around his lips.

Shh, Glenn, you know I can do this. Maddox leaned closer, and he heard Dev on the radio giving their commander his instructions. Let me clear the way, then I’ll meet you on the bird. I promise.

Despite his grave condition, Glenn’s eyes were clear as they locked with his. Where you go…

Maddox nodded, his gaze never wavering. I go.

We go, Dev growled as he passed his radio to Marcel. Come on then, you big steely eyed bastard. Let’s go get us some.

Maddox nodded as he looked up at Sam who had his hand buried beneath a bloodsoaked bandage on Glenn’s thigh. Sam?

Sam’s expression was grave. He took some shrapnel through his femoral artery. I have it clamped off at the moment, but as soon as we move, it’s gonna open up. We move once and we go fast. As long as I can get to the damn thing fast enough, then he has a chance.

Maddox nodded, looked down at Glenn one last time, then grabbed his weapon. Let’s move, LT. Time to do that shit you do when you move without sound.

Dev shot him a grin. Just try to keep up.

Then the bastard was off, and Maddox was running after him. Night had begun to fall not long ago, but it was far from being pitch black. Luckily there were enough shadows at the base of the buildings for the two of them to move undetected. Then, when they were within range and the threat of being discovered was very real, Maddox could hear the whistle of the drones coming in. He grinned as the western side of the street came under fire. Now those men who stood on the buildings to the east were too busy running for their own lives and staring in horror at what was happening just across from where they stood.

The side benefit to the whole thing was that every one of their targets was now clearly visible. Maddox went to one knee, Dev dropping to his only six feet from where he was, and the two of them got down to business. Maddox swept from right to left, moving methodically, firing center mass with a double tap for each target to ensure a clean kill, vaguely aware that Dev moved in the same fashion from beside him, but from left to right. They continued until the roof was clear. He heard their inbound EVAC coming in to land, and saw Marcel, Glenn, and Sam move past his position. Sam carried Glenn over his shoulder while Marcel covered their six.

Maddox and Dev stayed in position, taking out any and all threats that appeared. A shrill whistle sounded, and he and Dev pushed up to stand. Maddox almost stumbled, his body bruised and battered from their fight to get out of this, their last mission. The two of them moved in unison, neither of them breaking formation until they were aboard the Huey.

From there, Maddox was able to relax a little, their safety now in the hands of the EVAC team. He dropped his gear and fell to his knees beside Sam where he was frantically working over Glenn’s thigh again. Glenn was unconscious, and Maddox was consumed with helplessness, a sensation he hadn’t had since he’d been a child.

Sam, please, Maddox whispered.

Sam couldn’t have been able to hear him over the sound of the bird lifting into the air, and in all fairness he knew that Sam would do anything humanly possible to save him.

Sam concentrated on Glenn, and Maddox read the curses that flowed steadily from his friend’s mouth. Another medic on the EVAC crew had already set up a transfusion for Glenn, and all they could do now was pray it wasn’t too little, too late.

Fuck yeah! Sam suddenly cried out, and when his gaze lifted to Maddox’s there was