The man’s face went grey as he studied him carefully.“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m protecting family.One of the men in that copter you guys shot down is my brother-in-law,” Bane explained as he referred to Stone.He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes.He glared at the dying man.“So, tell me who you are and who hired you?”
The other man shook his head.“I can’t tell you that.”
“Can’t or won’t?”Bane asked.“Either way, you’re a dead man and so are the men who hired you.”He shrugged.“It doesn’t make a difference to me either way.Jasper Owens and Charlie Midland are both going to be dead very soon.Probably right behind you, fool.”
The other man groaned as he tried to move his body and found he couldn’t.“You think one of those two losers hired us?”he whispered as he swallowed hard.“You’re behind the times, man.Owens might have wanted to hire us but we don’t work on commission brother, we work for cold hard cash and Owens doesn’t have any of that yet.Yeah, he’s working on it but he ain’t there yet.”Then he slowly turned his wrist and showed Bane a tattoo.“If you are the real Bane, you’ll know what this symbol means.”He paused as he grew weaker.“You’ll also know you can’t stop us.You won’t dare go after our leader, he’s too well protected.”Then he closed his eyes and took his last breath.
Bane watched dispassionately as the man died.He didn’t deserve any prayer, any remorse.The man had cold eyes and he was a pro-hitter.Bane had been the same, so he wouldn’t have expected someone to pray over his corpse either.
Bane got up and went back to James.“Come on, we have to find Stone and the others.Then get the hell out of these woods.And we don’t have time to argue about it either.”
Chapter Four
James didn’t arguewith him.He knelt then lifted Shay into a fireman’s hold around his back and they both left.
After about a half mile of hiking, James did break the silence as he asked, “What did you find out about the men that shot the copter down?”
Bane shook his head.“Let’s find Stone and the others first, then I’ll explain.”He looked away and his gaze caught on something just ahead of them.He narrowed his eyes and saw the barrel of a gun poking out of a clump of brush just ahead of them.Bane froze and whistled a bird call out.
An answering call came and the bushes parted.
Bane found himself staring at a bruised version of Stone.
“Damn Bane, I never thought I’d be happy to see you again,” he called out softly.
“You okay?”Bane studied him carefully.
Stone shook his head.“Not really, I think I broke my leg and I know I dislocated my left shoulder.I see you found Shay.Is he alright?”
Bane shrugged.“Don’t know yet, I was more worried about finding you.”
Stone snorted.“Been sitting here listening to these guys running and shooting at each other.”
Bane shook his head.“Not at each other.Some of the Sin’s Bastards are here looking for you and Shay,” he informed his brother-in-law.“But we have to get everyone together and back to my place.”
