IntroductionWarm, red blood crept through his fingers and stained the ornamental grip of his.22-caliber pistol. Pain arched up and down his arm from a deep gash near his elbow, and the whole limb was useless now. He had no idea how bad the wound might be or even if it might be life-threatening. But he suppressed the fear, shoved it down, and swallowed it like bitter cough syrup. Numbed it. Replaced it with rage.
“You stupid tree-hugging piece of s**t!” he screamed in the target’s general direction. With his back pressed up against a metal cylinder, filled with petroleum, it wasn’t the most ideal defensive position. But he couldn’t risk putting himself out in the open. Not in his present condition. “Hand over the rocks! Right now! I’m not f*****g kidding!”
Thunder boomed in the distance,
