I stare through the tree line, so relieved to see the crystalline Caribbean coast that I can practically taste the salt water. I want to fall to my knees in the sand, but we can’t just stroll down the beach like tourists. We have to follow the shore from the cover of the jungle so we’ll see anyone on the beach before they see us.
Because we’re within radio range of Silvana’s men.
As we pick our way through yet more dense vegetation, I have to bite my tongue to keep from channeling Neda.
The beach isright there. My legs ache for the faster, easier pace of packed sand. My gaze keeps sliding back to the rifle. If I could think of a plausible excuse to take it from Luke, I would.
I need to be ready the moment we find Julian.
Luke pulls his cell phone from his pocket and angles it toward the beach. I check the screen. Still no signal.
“Hey, Shawn?” Tim’s voice calls over the radio, and Luke and I freeze in a thick patch of undergrowth. “I’m not going to make it back in time to help load the subs.”
“Subs?” I mouth silently to Luke.
He shrugs, staring at the radio. He still hardly looks at me.
“Got it.” Shawn’s response is shot through with static. “We’ll ... without you. Hey, have ... from Moisés yet? Silvana’s furious.”
“Not a word.” The signal from Tim is much stronger.
Shawn unleashes a static-riddled stream of curses, but Luke and I share a relieved smile.
“What’s going on over there?” Tim asks.
“... lost two of the VIPs,” Shawn says. “The boy’s confirmed KIA ... sister ... off a cliff ... hasn’t washed up yet. Moisés ... off the grid too.”
Luke frowns. “Moisés must have managed to untie himself.”
“Then why don’t they know where he is?” I shake my head, though the answer seems obvious. He’s afraid to go back to Silvana until he catches us. Or they haven’t yet looked for him at the bunkhouse.
“The static means Shawn’s farther away, right?” I whisper, and Luke nods.
“So they’re down to one VIP?” Tim whistles over the static. “God help us all when the boss finds out.”
In the silence that follows, Luke looks up from the radio to stare at me in astonished confusion. “You’re a VIP.”
Well,that’sa first. “Let me know if you find the velvet rope section of the jungle.”
“What do you think it means?” he asks as we continueon a covered path parallel to the beach, and I’m so glad he’s talking to me after hours of near silence that I don’t even care how morbid the topic is.
“They were probably hoping for triple the ransom from my uncle, for me, Ryan, and Genesis. But why would they care about finding my body?”
“Maybe they think your uncle will pay to get it back,” Luke says softly. “You know. For a proper burial.”
The bastards want to ransom my corpse. Does that mean they plan to dig my brother up?
My eyes close as the horrific scene plays out in my head.
Iwon’tlet that happen.
I open my eyes, fresh fury burning in my gut. I failed Ryan in life, but I willdamn wellhave his back now.
14 HOURS EARLIER
GENESIS
Silvana’s heartless laughter drowns out everything but the roar of my pulse in my ears.
