Behind the Lies (A Montgomery Justice Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page A

floor helpless.
    He tried to take one last deep inhalation, but all he could manage was a pathetic wheeze. He turned his head and pawed at the strap from the green oxygen canister. He clawed it to him. The mask tumbled beside him.
    He used all his energy to turn to his side. His stomach cramped. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He turned the knob of the canister. A hissing sound gave him hope. He slammed the mask on his face.
    He breathed in, hard and deep. His hungry lungs gobbled the oxygen. For a few seconds he just lay there, his chest expanding and contracting. His mind cleared a bit.
    Thank God.
    That had been way too close.
    He scanned the empty forty-foot-long cabin. There were only three of them on board. Zach and two pilots.
    None of the oxygen masks had deployed.
    That meant only one thing. Sabotage.
    He had to get to the pilots. If they weren’t already dead.
    He adjusted the mask over his head and clasped the oxygen tank in front of him. He struggled to his knees and crawled a few paces. He braced himself and tried to rise. His legs folded under him. He fell to the ground. The oxygen tank tumbled toward the main cabin. He rolled over and reached for the canister.
    The cockpit door clicked open behind him. Thank goodness. Someone was still alive. The pilots must have had time to don their oxygen masks.
    Zach tried to turn over, but his body wouldn’t move. Not yet. He tried to slow his breathing, let the oxygen do its work.
    A pause. A deep voice mumbled. Zach strained to listen.
    “Worked…Montgomery…dump…body…”
    No way.
    Zach stilled.
    A setup. All along. His mind whirled. Only the Company knew he’d been taken out of the job.
    His cover really
had
been compromised.
    Footsteps headed toward him.
    Zach tensed. He had to keep perfectly still. He sucked in more of the healing oxygen.
    The man stopped. Every muscle in Zach’s body contracted to the ready. He had to time it perfectly for his air-starved body to have a chance.
    A foot nudged Zach’s back. He let himself be shoved forward, further hiding the oxygen canister from the traitor’s gaze. If the guy didn’t notice the elastic holding the mask to Zach’s face, he might…
    A hand grasped Zach’s shoulder.
    Time was up.
    Zach flipped over.
    The pilot’s eyes widened. Zach yanked off the man’s oxygen gear, snapping the elastic. He stumbled away. Zach lunged toward him and grabbed his feet. The pilot pitched forward with a shout. Zach didn’t let go.
    He pinned the man’s legs to the ground and pressed his forearm against the guy’s throat. His lips started turning blue. “Who ordered my death?” Zach growled.
    The pilot shook his head. “Just kill me.”
    “You die anyway if I don’t let you put the mask on.”
    The man lay motionless. Zach didn’t ease his grip. No one gave up that easily.
    The pilot arched up, the sudden movement shifting Zach off the man’s body. A knife slashed at Zach’s oxygen tubing. He twisted out of the way, but the blade sliced through his shirt diagonally across his chest, drawing blood.
    He hissed at the burning of the cut. He wasn’t going down from this traitor’s actions.
    The pilot dove for the oxygen mask. “He’s awake,” he yelled. “Get out here or we’re dead.”
    The captain scrambled from the cockpit, a mask on his face.
    Zach backed up a step, eyeing both men. “We don’t have to do this,” he said, behind the thick plastic.
    They didn’t respond but stepped forward as one.
    “Shouldn’t someone be flying the plane?” Could the autopilot land the Gulfstream?
    Zach shifted his weight, testing his strength and balance. He couldn’t move with the bulky tank. He heaved in a last breath,dropped the oxygen, and threw the mask to the ground. He launched himself toward the men. He shoved his boot straight into the windpipe of the copilot. The man’s head whipped back and he slumped to the ground, neck tilted to one side, eyes wide open.
    Lungs burning, Zach whipped around to the