It’s a long way down the mountain,Crawley said with relief.Cooperate.
“Ryland might not be too happy with you coming to kidnap his wife and son and providing the information to murder his team.” Jonas indicated for them to stand. “You can start down the trail. Apparently, you already know the way. If you step off the path for any reason without first indicating to me that you have a reason, it will be the last step you ever take.”
What do you think, Crawley? He’s going to walk behind us. I haven’t seen anyone else or even smelled them,Hound said.
Let’s go down the mountain. It’s the way we want to go anyway.
He could have part of his team coming up to meet him,Bear cautioned.
I thought of that. I think he’s too arrogant for that. He wants to march us down to his crew and show off that he trapped us.
Crawley got up, taking his time, leading the way along the path that led down the mountain. Bear and Hound followed him. There was no more strange fog. Every now and then he caught glimpses of a silvery stream snaking down the mountain. The terrain grew less rocky and more forested as they dropped another thousand feet.
Lizards and rodents scurried out of their way, disturbing the vegetation on the ground. The wind picked up in the canopy and occasionally blew through the trees where the groves were more open. Birds sang to one another and flew from one branch to another. Squirrels raced up and down the tree branches, chattering nonstop.
Jonas made no sound as he walked. None. He was like a damned ghost. Crawley still felt the ominous sensation of having a target painted on the front of his chest right over his heart. A chill crept down his spine. He wanted to look back and see where Jonas was, but instead, he picked up the pace, trying to outrun the nerves he couldn’t quite shake.
You two feel like you’ve got a sniper watching you?
Bear answered first.It doesn’t make any sense, Crawley. We’ve covered ground fairly quickly, but yeah, it’s still there. The sniper would have to be moving with us.
Same here,Hound said.I’ve looked over my shoulder a couple of times because that guy doesn’t make a sound. I thought for a minute he might have left us, but he’s right behind us. Keeps his distance. No weapons in sight. He thinks he’s safe from us.
Keep walking. We have plenty of time. He can’t be in the best of shape,not like we are. He might have set a sweet ambush, but that first team of GhostWalkers was considered defective for a reason,Crawley told them.
The more he thought about it, the more he was certain it was the truth. The people he worked for were brilliant, and they didn’t make very many mistakes. They bought information all the time, and they paid premium prices for it. Those they paid knew if they screwed up, they didn’t get a second chance. The consortium would send someone, an accident would happen and everyone would know not to try to cheat them again.
This Jonas was most likely going to be winded long before Crawley or his men were. They just had to bide their time. He increased his pace just a little more. Not wanting Jonas to protest but enough that it would wear him out faster. He was also becoming more convinced that Jonas was alone. If there were other team members—like the sniper they kept imagining—one of the sniffers would have smelled them by now. One of the birds would have reacted. A sound would have given them away. No one was that good in the forest.
Who knew? Maybe making people feel like they had a target on their backs was one of Jonas’s enhancements.
Crawley sought his internal maps. They had made their way at least another two thousand feet at least down the mountain. The sun had climbed higher. The trees were much closer together now, and the trail was narrow, no more than a deer path, forcing them to keep single file through the heavier brush.
He’s closer, Crawley,Hound reported.Within striking distance. I can take him. I know I can. I just need a little distraction.
Crawley didn’t make the mistake of glancing over his shoulder, although he wanted to. He had no idea how close Jonas actually was.Hound, don’t take chances. He could be setting you up.
I don’t think so. We’re going downhill and you set the pace. He’s traveling at a higher rate of speed. I don’t think he’s that aware yet, but he will be soon. It’s now or never.
Crawley thought it over. If they could kill Jonas, they would have a chance to complete at least the scouting part of their mission. If they were lucky enough, they might even be able to grab Lily and her son.
All right,he agreed, albeit reluctantly. He’d prefer to kill the big bastard himself, but rather someone do it than no one.
Bear, I need you to stumble over the next obstacle in our path. Doesn’t matter what it is, just make it look real. You don’t have to go down either. Just stagger for a minute to draw his attention. I’ll do the rest,Hound instructed.
On it,Bear confirmed.
Fallen tree, not big, just a little small thing we could easily step over,Crawley reported as he came up on it. That terrible dread was back, fingers of fear walking down his spine.
Bear glanced up at the canopy above him and caught the top of his foot on the thin sapling that had been uprooted. He appeared to trip, pitching forward toward Crawley, who was already some distance ahead, seemingly oblivious to the teammate behind him. Bear staggered and nearly went down, arms spreading wide in an effort to keep his balance.
Hound twisted around, going low, driving off the ground with the heels of his feet, rushing Jonas. Only Jonas wasn’t there. Somehow, he’d disappeared, as if he’d become part of a tree trunk, only to suddenly emerge out of it and close a big, shockingly strong fist around Hound’s throat. Something sharp and terrible ripped through Hound’s flesh into his artery.
Hound had never felt anything like the force of that strike or the ferocity of the grip, as if a wild animal had him by the throat. He looked into the eyes of a merciless leopard, not a man. The eyes were yellow, focused wholly on him, a primitive force of nature, intelligent and cunning. Between the rapid blood loss, Jonas’s intimidating hold, and the implacability in those cruel, ruthless eyesstaring unwaveringly into his, Hound couldn’t summon either the will or the strength to fight back.
Bear spun around to see Hound held in the air, his feet half a foot off the ground, blood spraying from his neck. He just hung there, staring in shock at the man killing him. Swearing, Bear put on a burst of speed, using his enhanced animal genetics.
No, stand down. Sit on the ground. Don’t engage,Crawley ordered.Bear, stand down.
