The boat contained her purse. She’d had it with her when she’d been kidnapped, but it had been gone when she’d woken up on the plane. It also contained an open wallet showing Carter’s ID, a bag crammed with assorted gadgets and miniature tools, several plastic water containers, and a printed-out note.
He picked up the bag. “This is most of what I keep in my coat. Not my gun, of course.”
Fen rummaged through her purse. “Looks like everything’s here but my cell phone.”
“Yeah, mine’s gone too.”
Moving in perfect synchronicity, they both grabbed for the note. She got the left side, he got the right, and they read it together.
Have you ever hunted? Some hunters say the lion is the most dangerous game to hunt.
“Leopard,” Carter muttered. “It’s the snow leopard.”
Some say the tiger. Some say the Cape Buffalo. Some say the moose. But a true hunter knows that MAN is the most dangerous game!
“Seriously?” Fen burst out.
“I don’t believethis,” said Carter.
They returned their attention to the note, reading incredulously.
We are hunters who wish to challenge ourselves by hunting the most dangerous game. But for you, it will BE the most dangerous game!
“Wasn’t this a movie?” asked Fen.
“At least two movies,” said Carter. “They were based on a short story.”
“Let me guess: ‘The Most Dangerous Game.””
“You got it.”
The water is on us—we wouldn’t want you to get sick! That wouldn’t be fair. But you’ll have to forage for food. Nature will provide a feast… if you can identify it!
“Fair?!” burst out Fen.
“Swamp foraging,” moaned Carter.
Can your little tech toys stand up to real hunters who know the way of the jungle? We’ll find out! We’re giving you a boat and one day’s start, so it won’t be over too quickly. And then… the hunt is on!
“My little tech toys?!” Carter exclaimed, his tone full of outrage.
“What absolute bollocks!” Fen said.
“Bollocks? Let me guess, your favorite show isDownton Abbey.”
“No, my mother is English.” She stared at the note. “They can’t be serious!”
“They were serious enough to kidnap us,” Carter said.
As Fen spoke, she knew she was repeating herself, but the situation seemed to call for it. “What the actual fuck.”
Chapter 4
Carter was fascinatedto see that Fenella Kim seemed more outraged and astonished than terrified by the idea of being hunted. True, that was also how he felt, but he’d had prior experience with dangerous situations. He’d even been kidnapped before. As far as he knew, the most dangerous situation Fenella had ever faced was when he’d attempted a hostile takeover of her company.
All the same, he intended to get her to safety as fast as he could.
He rapidly sorted through the tools and parts in the bag. Some of the more obviously useful items had been taken, but he could do a lot with what he had left. And they hadn’t taken his meds, which was a relief. Best of all, he had everything he needed to build—
