I smile, even though it’s stiff and forced. “We don’t know how long we were out, or where we are. And a storm is about to hit. Running around without a plan is a sure way to die.” So as much as I want to escape, dragging a civilian through the jungle while counting my final hours is not ideal. “First, we recon. We need to know where, and how many, and what they want. It could be a ransom.”
But I don’t think it is.
And I am going to have to use her. “You need to be my eyes and ears.”
“Why?”
“Because they think I’m the bigger threat, and they know I’m wounded. So the longer I play dead for the better.” I’ll also be conserving energy. “So, you’re going to bang on the door, and ask for food or water or the toilet, whatever takes your fancy. And you’re going to count armed men. Estimate the size of the compound we’re in. Note anything familiar. Mountains and such. Where is the sun, which way is west? Yeah?” I’d be able to do that fast. She’ll need longer. “The more info you get, the better I’ll be able to work. Okay?”
She nods, but I can sense her hesitation.
“You can do this, Ash. I’d give you a hug but…”
She leans in and presses her cheek against mine. “It’s the best I can do. Don’t die on me.”
“That’s not part of the plan.”
CHAPTER5
Hargrave
I drivealong the stretch of road between the main mine and one of the three other sites that are being studied. I don’t understand why the company takes the risk. All the poking around and peering at rocks. I know the company is searching for emeralds, but the other sites aren’t secure. All the attention is on the main mine and making sure bandits don’t break in and steal, and that miners don’t slip them into their pockets.
“Still no response,” Colton says. He’s been trying to raise Reed on the radio for the last hour.
Calling this winding piece of dirt a road is a stretch and I’ve been in some shitty places. It’s a treacherous, mud strewn road in a former life, but at least there’s no IEDs because it’s the main road and everyone uses it. Every so often, we’ll drive past a waterfall that wants to sweep us off the road. “Tell the base no more travel. It’s too dangerous.”
I’m not sure we’ll make it back. I’ve driven in some dangerous conditions, but I think I’d prefer to be in an armored vehicle taking fire than risk rolling down the side of the mountain into a swelling river because I misjudged a puddle.
We’re both searching for signs of Reed’s vehicle, or a struggle. Since they never made it to the other site. This is the only way they could’ve come. There has to be something.
The rain isn’t helping, and I mutter curses under my breath.
Colton shoots me a glare. How he survived eight years fighting overseas and never picked up swearing as a second language is beyond me. Then he points.
“That’s where I’d set up an ambush.”
He’s right. It’s a squeeze point, but there’s also a trail up into the jungle. Not that I can’t see the trail yet, but I know it’s there because I’ve driven this road so many times. On a sunny day there’s a village ten minutes further on. I slow down. The road is a mess of churned up mud. There’s no sign of anyone. We’re the only idiots out in the rain.
“Stop,” Colton says.
I brake without asking why. Colton gets out, hand on his rifle, but nice and casual. Reed is our best shooter, ex-sniper. He lives as though life is a joke, but I trust him to have my back because when shit happens, he shuts up and hauls ass. But if I was taken, I’d want Colton with me, because strategy is his strength. That Reed hasn’t shot his way out of trouble is concerning.
Colton walks a little bit further to where the road is now more of a goat trail because the rest has fallen off the side of the mountain. For several seconds he stands there staring over the edge, face grim.
I can guess what’s down there before he turns and signals.
“Fuck me.”
I radio Priest to tell him we’ve found the vehicle and that we’re investigating.
He acknowledges with no hint of emotion. As head of security for the whole operation, he doesn’t have that luxury, and I’ve never seen him anything but glacier cool. Even when he lost a game of strip poker and had to walk around the camp naked. He simply sauntered around as if he were at the beach, dick swinging in the breeze.
I’d bet he wouldn’t do it and had to pay Reed the hundred dollars.
I’d also learned Colton could count cards and had cheated his ass off. Got to watch the quiet ones as they always have a dark side.
I scan the area again and get out of the vehicle, taking the keys with me because I’m not walking back to base. On the edge of the road, I join Colton. About ten yards down the slope, wedged against a rock, is the SUV. The doors are hanging open, and from where I’m standing, I can see at least one body. There are bullet holes in the metal. This wasn’t an accident.
