Wild Men of Alaska 02 - Moosed-Up

unconscious as the three men argued about what to do with him. He took stock of his injuries and decided he was bruised but not beaten. Nothing broken, nor internal bleeding, but damn he was going to hurt. He’d make them hurt as soon as he could get out of his own restraints.
    They had found his zip ties and had his hands secured behind his back and his feet restrained together. He’d never live this down if his fellow officers found him like this. He’d have to make sure that didn’t happen.
    “We can dump him in the river,” Pete snarled.
    That got Lynx’s attention off his injuries and back to the conversation these dumbasses were having. He slowly cracked open one eye. No one paid any attention to him. Were they really thinking of killing him? That was so not going to happen.
    “We can’t k-kill him,” Chad sputtered. “He’s a trooper. And I know him.”
    “You want to go to jail?” Pete got up in Chad’s face.
    Chad cowered back. “No. But I’m not going to be a part of murder either.”
    “You’re either with us or against us,” Big Bart added. “Guess what happens if you’re against us?” He belly laughed when Chad paled. “Got that right.” Big Bart slid a shifty look Pete’s way. “You know we could try a whole other type of hunting?”
    Pete shared a look with Big Bart and then a smiled. “I haven’t done that since Iraq.”
    Lynx’s blood shivered through his veins. Chad paled even further and backed up a few more steps. Then he ran for his life.
    Pete threw his head back with sick laughter. “Let’s do it! But I want the trooper.”
    Big Bart had an unnatural gleam in his eyes. “Just remember our motto.”
    “Shoot, shovel, and shut up,” they quoted together following with a fist bump.
    Big Bart grabbed his rifle and gear and traipsed after poor Chad.
    Pete paced toward Lynx. “Been awake a while, I see.”
    “You two are nuts.” Lynx struggled into a sitting position.
    “There is nothing that makes you feel more alive than taking a life, whether big game or human. But hunting someone who I can pit skill and brains against is another high all its own.”
    Lynx kept his mouth shut and let the idiot talk himself into his own grave.
    “It’s actually more sporting for you this way. I could just leave you here to die, dump your body in the river, or give you the chance to kill me while I attempt to kill you.”
    Lynx knew without a doubt how that scenario would turn out. This idiot was fertilizer.
    “So what’s the game plan?” Lynx asked. “How sporting is this going to be?” Would the dumbass actually cut loose his ties?
    “Think you have what it takes to take out a marine?”
    “You’re a marine? Funny, all the marines I know have honor. There’s no honor in this.”
    Pete smirked. “If I had no honor I’d shoot you where you sit. Instead, I’m going to let you go, and then hunt you down.”
    “You are warped.” And it would be Lynx’s pleasure putting this bastard away.
    “Just living on the edge.” Pete flipped open his switchblade. “Turn around.”
    Like he would give this psychopath his back. Instead Lynx moved his restrained hands to his hips so Pete could cut the zip tie.
    Pete chuckled. “This is going to be fun.”
    Next he cut loose Lynx’s feet. Lynx fisted and released his hands, trying to pump blood back into his arms. He didn’t make any sudden moves as Pete had his rifle trained on him with one hand as he flipped the switchblade closed and pocketed it with the other.
    “Are you going to leave me my weapon?” It galled him to know that this piss-ant had gotten the jump on him and had his Glock tucked into the waistband of his cargo pants.
    Pete looked at him under hooded eyes. “That knock on your head must’ve fucked up your brains.” Pete took Lynx’s Glock out of his waistband and hefted it up and down. “Nice piece. I’ll keep it as a trophy of your kill as I can’t really stuff and mount you on my wall.” He laughed at his sick joke. “But to make it more sporting, I’ll give you a ten minute head start.” His lips smirked into a cruel smile. “Promise.”
    No way in hell did Lynx believe him. Slowly, he got to his feet, feeling the soreness from the hits to his gut and head. He wanted to rush Pete, take him down like a linebacker, but not when he held all the weapons.
    Lynx inched back into the forest, not taking his eyes off Pete. When he felt more blended with his surroundings, he took off at a run for