Too Young (The Jewel Project #1)

Chapter 10.3 - Backup

Sam wanted to scream, to say or do anything that could stop this, but he had a bowling ball stuck in his throat. Kyle's muscles tensed and, with a sharp movement, he broke the ropes keeping his hands bound. Before the ropes slid off his wrists, he lunged for Kay's captors.

The men dropped her and dodged Kyle. He slid on his front and grabbed onto the collar of Kay's t-shirt. She raised her tied up wrists and Kyle seized her hands just as the fabric gave in. The two men who'd thrown Kay over both kicked Kyle in the ribs. He cringed, but didn't let go of Kay.

The rope strained against Sam's chest as Jimmy and Tom tried to break free and help Kyle. Sam rubbed his tied up wrists, trying to pull his hands free and duck under the rope tying them all together.

Kyle pulled Kay on the edge of the cliff, taking another few kicks in the process. Kay rolled over to a safe distance from the edge and got to her knees. Kyle ripped her ropes off and jumped to his feet, parrying the next hit aimed at him. Kay scrambled to her feet and kicked one of the men down. The rest of Snitch Gravel's available men headed for them, blocking them from view. Fortunately, they were unarmed. Unfortunately, there were a lot of them.

"Am I supposed to push these brats off by myself?" Snitch Gravel asked exasperated as if there was no dog-pile like fight going on in front of him.

Three of his men broke away from the fight and headed for the tied up group.

Sam tried to see if Kyle and Kay were alright, but the small gap was quickly filled. The three men flanked the group avoiding getting hit and pushed at once. The rope tying them together cut into Sam's chest and he tried his best to push back, but he kept sliding toward the edge. Christine and Tina screamed as they probably went over the edge. This couldn't be it! He didn't want Christine's scream and Snitch Gravel's manic laughter to be the last thing he remembered.

He shut his eyes, trying to block out the sounds around him. Suddenly, the rope loosened up a little. Sam opened his eyes. Kyle was in front of him, his hands clenched around the rope across his chest, his face screwed up in concentration. Kyle heaved once and they stopped sliding towards the edge, but his hands were now trembling. Sam could tell that, as strong as he was, Kyle couldn't pull them all up. Kay's arms wrapped around Kyle's waist as she tried to help him pull them back up.

"Watch my back," Kyle said, his voice strained.

"You can't do it. You'll drop them!" Kay called out.

Kyle's muscles contracted even more. "If someone pushes you from behind we're all gone. And kid, a little help!"

Sam sunk his heels into the ground again and tried to push himself forward to balance the pile. By his sides, Tom and Jimmy did the same. Sam could even feel Jerry pushing him from behind. Kay's arms had disappeared from around Kyle's waist. Sam could hear the sounds of a fight; he had no idea how Kay could fend off so many men.

Three other people appeared by Kyle's side and helped him pull the rest of the group over the edge. Sam fell on the ground with Jerry on top him. Kyle crouched next to them and broke the rope bounding them together. The three strangers scattered among Snitch Gravel's men.

"Grab the luggage and let's go!" Sam called out, throwing himself in the general direction of their piled up rucksacks.

The others followed his lead and grabbed the luggage while more shots were being fired around them. Sam grabbed Christine's hand, looked around and spotted the path they had followed to get there. There weren't enough trees that way. He charged down a much more abrupt path, one that could provide protection from bullets. He rushed the girls that way and followed them, running as fast as he could. He could still hear shooting and he prayed that Kyle and Jimmy were alright. Sam was sure that his two brothers had run off last. It was so weird thinking of Jimmy as his brother.