Impact (Book 5): Black

“They’re going back to their trucks,” Butch said over the engine’s roar.
Ezra kept the throttle wide open for another few minutes before finally letting off. The bridge wasn’t quite out of view, but it was miles behind them, well beyond rifle range. The first thing he checked was the fuel gauge. “I hate to be the one to say this, but we have to find a place to stop.”
“Gas?” Butch asked.
Haley let herself unwind, careful to release Liam. The puggle didn’t have any appreciation for the larger situation. He came out of his cocoon and immediately pawed at her blowing blonde hair like it was a chew toy. “Down, boy!”
Ezra was pleased to see her happy. It meant no one had been shot.
“Haley, can you pass the map over to me? Butch, I need you to look around to see if we’ve been hit in the pontoons. I can’t stop us yet, but I will if we’ve sprung a leak. We can tape it up now and add epoxy later.”
“Are we sinking?” Haley asked, repeating almost the exact words Butch had once said to him.
Butch replied instantly. “Naw. The pontoons are like compartments. You can pierce one, but the others compensate for it. We’re fine.” He leaned over the side rails, checking the aluminum floats, but it didn’t get past Ezra how he held on to the rails and seats with crushing strength. For a guy who was terrified of the water, he put on a tremendous show of not being afraid. Haley was having an effect on him.
Ezra breathed out, remembering he’d been terrified a few minutes ago, too. Being shot at wasn’t a new thing for him, he was sad to admit, but it was never going to become commonplace. Any of those bullets could end his quest to reach Grace. If the shooters had a bit more skill, or his engine were a bit smaller, or if any number of random factors came out a slight bit differently, he wouldn’t be around to appreciate surviving another attack.
Haley gave him the paper map of Missouri. It was already open to their segment of river, but he had to spread it wider to see what was ahead. They were a little farther than halfway across the state, with three remote bridges between them and the more populated sprawl of Kansas City. Plenty of chances for the TKM goons to catch up to them. Plenty of time to get revenge for killing one of their men.
“Here. Arrow Rock. It looks big enough to have a filling station. We’ll have to get out and walk into town, but it’s only ten miles upriver. The trucks will have to take the long way around. There’s no direct road because of the way the river bends to the north. We should have time.”
“Should?” Haley asked, catching the word and the way he’d said it.
“We have no choice. We either risk getting gas, or we give up the boat.” He wasn’t ready to part ways with Susan’s Grace. It was his last meaningful link back to his wife.
“E-Z can do it,” Butch said to Haley. “I need to show you how to operate one of these, however.” He held up the black Bushmaster AR-15.
“Show me,” she replied.

CHAPTER 6
Sidney, NE
“What does Yellowstone have to do with keeping us alive?” Grace asked Misha.
They chose to walk back to the train shed, giving her and Asher a chance to talk to the man who’d saved their lives. They did not, however, give him a weapon. His Lahti was in the truck, and they’d kept his pistol. She and Asher walked ten paces behind the weary-looking man.
“The dig site is not in Yellowstone, but is close. It is the rock that almost killed us when you left me to die on gravel roadway.” He held up his hand. “I do not blame you. Very clever of you to use bear spray with fire, by the way. I only point out fact.”
“Fine. We’ve established an asteroid came down to the south of the park. But why us? Why there?”
“I told you. I have friends who will come to our side when I explain what their boss did to my family. The more friends you have, easier it is to fight back. Petteri was very upset you killed his beloved assistant, Howard. I think he will send many more assassins after you if Nerio fails. You must be ready. You must have base of defense, not this…” He glanced at the train. “This broken-down machine.”
“For the record, we didn’t kill Howard. Some woman did it. Her name was Dorothy, I think. She arrived with Petteri, but didn’t seem to like the other man. When the shooting started, Howard wrestled me to the ground; I thought I was dead. When Dorothy shot him, I was happy about it.”
Misha studied her over his shoulder while walking toward the first coal car in the line. “He was betrayed by one of his own? You must tell me whole story sometime. I would also like to meet this woman, if she is not already dead. Petteri has eyes everywhere. Even out here.”
Grace didn’t let herself get absorbed in his conspiracies. “All I need to know is whether you’re going to betray us. I know you saved us and all, but it isn’t easy to forget our earlier meetings.”
“I know,” the Russian replied, before dropping into silence for several minutes.
The train engines on the farthest track remained where they were. The engineers now stood next to their machines, but seemed uninterested in getting any closer to her and the action. She waved to them, getting a smattering of waves back.
A few minutes later, after walking along the strings of coal hoppers, they reached the flatbed. The others were shocked to learn Misha’s identity and background, but