Chapter 16
16
When Bones stopped moving, Skull held up his fist to indicate that everyone should pause. The minister of transportation lived in a very opulent home, gated with wrought iron that had to cost a fortune. He knew because his dad did that kind of thing for a living and it wasn’t cheap, labor intensive, and required a master craftsman like his dad. Nothing moved, but Bones had sensed something, or he wouldn’t have stopped moving.
The fence was at least twelve feet high, constructed of paving-type stones with wrought iron bars at the top, but not high enough to keep out a SEAL team, and their CIA operatives, he thought sourly.
“Keep your head on a swivel,” Iceman said. “Bones is antsy.”
He didn’t want to be aware of Hummingbird, that petite blonde who always seemed like she was laughing about something from the inside. Her eyes sparkled with blue fire, and he wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or his hope that it intensified when she looked at him.
Skull pulled out his harness and started to sling Bones into it. Normally, his partner could scale a wall this high, but with the bars on top, it was going to be too dangerous for him to get a good hold. That meant he would have to ride up with his handler. But this was routine for Bones, who jumped out of planes, rappelled from helicopters, traversed rivers, sniffed out IEDs and bad guys, and when he found them, he ravaged them.
The two women didn’t wait for an invitation. Strekoza interlaced her fingers, and with a lithe move, Hummingbird set her foot into the cradle. In one graceful arc, the dark-haired Shadowguard propelled her to the top of the wall. He didn’t want to be impressed with them as Hummingbird reached down and caught Strekoza’s hand as she jumped up. “See you on the other side, Severus.” With that said, she’d scrambled up the wall. Before Hummingbird disappeared from sight, she saluted Skull, shooting him a mischievous look full of delight.
Ice’s pale eyes watched them, and they briefly connected with Skull as if to say WTF? “Boomer,” Iceman said, his tone wry. Boomer didn’t immediately comply. He was watching the Shadowguard. He wasn’t the only one. The whole team was engrossed in the women’s smooth, quick maneuver.
“ Boomer ,” Ice snapped. He shook himself out of his momentary male lapse and moved forward, seating a ladder contraption with a hook onto the wall. He started up as soon as he deployed a lever for another hook, making the whole thing much more stable. With the help of Kodiak, Skull was ready to go, Bones strapped across his back as he went up the ladder.
“There’s a body down here,” Boomer said grimly. “Civilian…looks like some type of landscape guy. His throat is slit.”
Careful over the wrought iron, Skull navigated to the other side, and using his boots and his arms, he made it to the ground. He waited while Kodiak jumped down, knowing that Boomer was occupied with watching their six. When his teammate released Bones, Skull snapped the leash back on him.
The three of them crouched down while the rest of their teammates moved over the obstacle behind them. The two women materialized, and Skull hadn’t heard a sound. They were dressed in full dark gray bodysuits made out of some really thin but tough-looking material that hugged their forms with mouth-watering snugness. But the only curves he could see were Hummingbird’s.
“I’m surprised you didn’t just apparate you and your little dog. Some master of the dark arts you are,” Strekoza scoffed. Hummingbird giggled softly under her breath.
“I’m surprised you didn’t fly over the wall. What happened? Left your broom at home?”
“Haha. Nice one, Severus,” Strekoza said with a waggle of her brows. They moved off to different cover.
“Goddammit,” Skull swore. Those females always seemed to be just under his skin. The brunette with her quips and jabs, and that cute, pert blonde affecting him in a much more…sensual way.
“She ain’t wrong…master of the dark arts,” GQ said with a hitch in his breath.
“Makes you wonder where they stash their weapons,” Breakneck murmured, his voice full of speculation.
Kodiak grinned, and Preacher covered up a soft huff of laughter. “Out of the mouth of babes,” GQ said.
Breakneck’s grin was brief and boyish as he shrugged. “Just a red-blooded American guy.”
When they were all assembled, Iceman said, “What do you see, Boomer?”
“No movement, Ice. Just a lot of quiet. Looks like the back patio door is ajar.”
“Damn,” Iceman said, relaying everything into the radio and right to the command center. His boss wasn’t happy that it looked like they were too late.
When Skull looked over, the two women were gone.
“Get closer for a better look. Skull, go with him. Break has your backs.”
Skull had noticed that Breakneck went right into sniper mode the moment he hit the ground. He was looking through his scope. “Ice, I don’t detect any movement in the house.”
Skull moved to Boomer’s position, both of them traveling in a quick, highly focused, knees slightly bent walk. They made it to the back porch without incident. “Looks clear, Ice. Moving inside.”
“We’re coming up on your sixes.”
Skull took point and Bones entered the house right into the kitchen. There was a pot on the stove with boiling water, and Boomer moved to the right while Skull moved to the left. When they reached the entrance to the living room, Skull removed Bones’s leash. “Seek,” he said. The dog immediately took off and made a beeline for a coat closet by the front door. He started barking.
Boomer moved in while Skull kept him covered. When he pulled the door open, a woman screamed when she saw them, babbling for her life in Spanish.
“Military,” he said in Spanish. “We’re not here to hurt you.”
She was close to hysterical as Boomer reached down and as gently as possible lifted her from where she was huddled on the floor. Skull dragged Bones away and dropped his weapon to let it hang from the strap.
She was still pleading with her hands up. “You’re safe,” he said. “Military.”
She looked at them, tracks of her tears running down her plump cheeks, her eyes wide with fear. She was dressed like a house cleaner.
“What happened here?” Boomer asked in Spanish. “Where is Minister Cristo?”
“Men came, many men. I ran to the closet to hide. They had weapons.” She nodded to his rifle. She swallowed hard. “And machetes.” She paused, her breathing labored but starting to calm. “I heard from inside the closet as they broke inside and Senora Cristo’s screaming. I was so afraid.”
Boomer took her arm and moved her away from the closet into the living room. He crouched in front of her and questioned her some more.
Skull gave Bones free rein, and he led him to what looked like the lady’s study. Strekoza and Hummingbird were already there. They were going through her drawers looking for intel no doubt.
He came around the desk. “Find anything?”
“No,” Hummingbird said.
He looked toward the desk, his gaze snagging on someone he was well acquainted with. A man who before Angel Alzate had been one of the most wanted drug lords on the planet.
“What is it?” Hummingbird asked, a sharpness to her eyes. She was one of those people who could read expressions. Something like a sixth sense? he wondered.
“That picture,” Skull said, nudging with his chin.
She turned to look at it and her eyes widened. “Is that?”
“The infamous Nacho.” Ignacio Siachoque was standing with a younger Astrid and a teenage girl who was obviously dressed for her graduation night. They looked very cozy.
“Hmm,” Strekoza picked up the frame and then looked at them. “Who’s the girl?” She brought the frame closer to her eyes. “Oh, man…I didn’t expect to see him in this photo.”
“You’re pacing again,” Leigh said wryly from the couch. “Not that I’m complaining. I like the way all those muscles bunch and flex. But it might be better for the carpet if you relax. Why don’t you plant that hard ass here.” She patted the place next to her on the couch. “I know you’d rather be out there with your team. Instead, you have to babysit the crazy woman.”
“You’re not crazy, Leigh. Far from it.”
He stopped moving, sighed, and walked over to her. She looked so much calmer, not exactly serene, but finally talking about what was bothering her had given her some measure of peace.
“You’re pretty sassy. Are you feeling better?” he asked. “You look better.”
“Yes, so much better,” she said, her voice soft, still a bit unsteady. “I was so upset I couldn’t remember Corporal Shaw’s name.” She took another shaky breath, as if bracing herself, then she continued, her voice stronger. “I should have realized I was heading for a bad place.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him. “You tried to warn me, and help me, and for that, I’m so grateful. I should have listened.”
He had never seen her come apart like that, as if there was so much pain inside her that she finally had to get it all out. The thought that she felt she had to go through all of that alone made his heart squeeze. He pressed her head against him, a dozen feelings settling in his chest. He lifted his brows. “Not one of your strongest attributes,” he said gruffly, the sound of her voice doing painful damage to his heart. Clenching and unclenching his jaw, he reached deep down for an ease he didn’t feel.
She hit him on the arm. “I’m learning,” she said, the same heart-wrenching catch in her voice. “What I do know without a doubt is that you’re always there for me.”
“That’s a promise, babe,” he whispered. Pressing her head to his shoulder, he gathered her up in a tight embrace, his hand tangled in her hair. He had to grit his teeth against an intense rush of sensation. He had no idea how this was going to work out between them. He just knew he wanted it more than his next breath.
The only resistance was his job. He was homeported in Virginia Beach, and she was all the way on the West Coast. But as a SEAL who did a lot of traveling, there were ways to connect when they weren’t in the same airspace. Putting the thought of their future together to the back of his mind, he tightened his arms around her and simply held her, the fullness in his chest expanding. She so belonged with him, and he was going to make sure she sought some help. She was still hurting, and vulnerable. He would be her support until she could get her feet under her.
“About what you said last night,” she murmured. His heart slammed into his chest. He had been completely honest with her because he couldn’t be anything else. When he felt something, he said it. It was simple and sincere. “I want to tell you?—”
He cursed as there was a hard knock on the door. He wanted to hear what Leigh had to say in the worst way. Was she going to let him down easily or was she going to be as committed as he was to a future together? “Hold that thought,” he said, as he rose and walked to the door, working at returning to his calm, focused way, even while he was on tenterhooks. When he pulled it open, he was surprised to find Jose Molina standing there.
“I must speak to Leigh,” he said in a rush, his face flushed and his eyes a bit wild. His gaze went from Hazard to Leigh who rose to her feet at the urgent tone in Jose’s voice.
“Of course,” Leigh said, concern on her face, and Hazard marveled that she had just broken down only an hour ago. Leigh always seemed to rise to the occasion. “What is it?”
“Astrid is in hiding,” he said, his voice hoarse. “She has reached out to me, and she wants to reveal Alzate’s location.”
“That’s great. Where is he?”
“It comes with a price. She will only speak to you, and if she sees any police or additional people, she will tell you nothing,” he said firmly. “She’s hoping for a deal. She doesn’t want to go to jail. Full immunity. That’s why she wants to make a deal with you. You have that power.”
“Where is she?”
“I can take you to her, but we have to go alone.”
Hazard stiffened. “Like hell you are,” Hazard ground out. “Leigh isn’t stepping foot off this command post without me.”
“Of course, my friend. Of course, you must accompany her,” Jose said, his face settling into lines of conciliation. “You’ll keep us both safe, yes?”
Hazard’s eyes narrowed. “Have you cleared this with Anna?”
“No, we cannot tell your CIA, my government, or yours. If they were to get involved, Astrid would disappear and your best means of apprehending Alzate would disappear with her,” he said gravely.
“Could you wait outside?” Hazard asked. “Give us a moment.”
“Please don’t take too long,” Jose pleaded. “She could be found at any moment.”
Hazard closed the door. “I don’t like it, Leigh. We’ll be without backup and on our own.”
“Do you trust Jose?”
“With my life, but that’s not the point. Iceman will have my ass in a sling if I don’t clear any type of side mission with him. He’s the boss, babe, not me.”
“But I’m in charge of this mission. If I tell you to go, will you go?”
He hesitated, every instinct in him protesting.
“Do you want to lose this opportunity to get Alzate?”
“No, of course, not, but there’s protocol in this instance.”
“Will this get you court-martialed?” she asked softly. “It’s not worth losing your job over. I can’t have that.”
“No, probably not, if we get the information we need, but I’m still going to get my ass chewed.”
“I’ll take all the responsibility for the order.” She came forward and set her hand on his arm. “So, I’m officially ordering you to take me to Astrid. We can’t let this opportunity pass us by.”
He took a hard breath, dragging his hand across his face in a weary gesture. He stared at her, torn between his duty to her, and his duty to Iceman. He slung his arm around her neck, bringing her close to him. “I’ll keep you safe, Leigh. No matter what. Can you handle that?”
She huffed out a soft breath against the skin of his neck, her arms going around him. Her voice was uneven when she answered. “I hope it won’t come to that. But I know I’m in the best hands with you.”
He let his reservations go. He either had to be one hundred percent committed or not. He wanted to get Alzate for her. The thought of this man threatening Leigh from his hideaway was unacceptable. She would never be safe until he was either dead or behind bars.
“Hoo-yah,” he said softly, then let her go. He opened the door to Jose’s hopeful expression. “Give me a moment to get kitted out, and then we’ll go.” He grabbed Jose by the shirt. “Be aware that I will do whatever is necessary to protect Leigh.” His tone was absolute and hard as nails.
Jose nodded in relief. “I’m counting on that, Hazard.”
Fifteen minutes later, dressed in his tactical vest and a sidearm on his hip, he followed Jose to a vehicle that was parked in the compound. Climbing inside, Jose driving, with he and Leigh in the backseat, they drove out of the gate once the Marines opened it for them.
“Where are we going?” Hazard asked.
“To one of her friend’s homes. It isn’t far,” he said, waving his hand. They passed the center of Bogotá, which looked rougher than other parts of the city with the trash, graffiti, and questionable people milling around. Hazard’s attention was on point, as sharp as the tip of the spear.
Jose pulled into a driveway and put the car in Park. He didn’t turn off the engine. Instead, he turned around and there was a pistol in his hand. He pointed it at Leigh. She gasped, her hand going to Hazard’s arm.
“Hand me your weapon, and the knife I know you carry in your vest.” Jose’s amicable look had been replaced with this hard, unrelenting man yet desperation tinged his voice. Desperate people did desperate things. “If you try anything, I will kill her.”
The deep sense of shock and betrayal was nothing to the rage that flowed through Hazard’s veins, and he wanted to kill Jose with his bare hands. He felt physically ill that Jose had duped him into trusting him, and he had put his beautiful Leigh into unspeakable danger as if she hadn’t been traumatized enough already.
The man had been instrumental every time he had consulted for the team. His rage boiled over into white-hot violence, and it took everything in him not to slam his fist into Jose’s face in fury and frustration.
He looked over at Leigh, who was so terrified and exposed, and he was sick of seeing her with that look on her face. A jolt of guilt punched him hard in the gut, but he couldn’t dwell on that now. He had to get them out of this. He knew she was made of some tough stuff, and in the wake of her meltdown, he had to rely on that, his concern now was solely on Leigh’s survival. “Don’t do this, Jose. My team will hunt you down like an animal.”
Jose’s hard look softened for just a moment with terrible regret. “I have no doubt. You all are honorable men. But I also have no choice. Alzate has her, and I can’t let Astrid die. Give me your weapons. This is your last warning.”
He reached for his sidearm.
“Two fingers, carefully. I know how lethal you are, my friend.”
Hazard gritted his teeth and removed the pistol by its grip, handing it over to Jose. He took it.
“Now the knife.”
Hazard removed the seven-inch blade, flipped it, and handed it to Jose by the handle. “You fucking bastard.”
“Get out,” he said.
“I’m not leaving Leigh. You might as well shoot me now.”
“I’m not going to shoot you. You’re going to drive. I just know that you wouldn’t have been cooperative, my friend.”
Hazard opened his door, and he and Jose traded places. Once he was behind the wheel, he put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. Stepping on the gas, his mind worked overtime as he tried to figure out how he was going to save Leigh from whatever Jose had planned. He knew in his gut, it was something desperate, and he was right when Jose said, “Alzate wants Leigh in the worst way. He’s willing to trade her for my Astrid. I’m going to give him what he wants,” he said, his voice hushed. “Leigh is my bargaining chip.”
Skull wanted to tell Hazard and Leigh in person what had happened, and the repercussions of the man captured in the photo with Astrid, Nacho, and the girl. With a heavy heart, he knocked, but there was no answer. Skull knocked again. Maybe he had taken Leigh somewhere else? No. She was shaken up. He would have wanted her to rest.
He banged again with the flat of his fist. Still no answer.
Finally, he turned the knob and found both rooms empty. He immediately queued his radio. “Iceman, Hazard and Leigh aren't here.”
“What are you talking about?”
“They’re gone.”
“Stand by.” He heard Iceman conversing with someone. Then he came back on the radio. “The Marine at desk said he and Leigh left with Jose about fifteen minutes ago. What the actual fuck?”
Skull was already halfway down the stairs. The man in the photo had been a young Jose. He knew Astrid and Nacho, so it didn’t bode well that Hazard and Leigh were with him…alone. When he reached the lobby, the team was milling around outside of command. He looked at Kodiak’s grave gaze. “Anna doesn’t know where they went. She didn’t even know they were gone. Neither did Hollywood.”
Skull pulled out his cell phone, his gut clenching in that terribly edgy feeling he got when shit was about to hit the fan.
“Ice already tried to call, and they traced it. It’s off. So is Leigh’s mobile.”
“Goddamn it! What the hell, Hazard?”
He entered the room to see what the hell they were going to do to find them when Iceman’s phone buzzed and when he looked at the screen, he swore.
“What is it?”
“A text from Jose. Coordinates. Let’s move now.”
The team broke into a run for the vehicles.
Hazard’s senses told him to turn the wheel and get the hell out of there. They were quite a ways out of the city, the jungle thick, impenetrable, and ominous.
“Turn left here, then stop.”
Hazard did as he was told.
“Leave the car. Let’s go.” He gestured with the weapon, and Leigh opened her door, Jose sliding across the seat.
Outside, he pulled out a flex cuff. “Bind your wrists.”
Leigh’s hands were already bound, but he could see how they were shaking. “Hazard,” she whispered.
“It’s going to be okay, babe.”
“Start walking,” Jose said. They entered the jungle and before long, Hazard was aware of the men who moved unseen alongside them. When they came out of the jungle, automatic weapons in their hands, they all stopped walking.
The rough men disarmed Jose, but Hazard couldn’t help but wonder why they hadn’t found his knife. They patted him down, even though he was bound, but didn’t bother with Leigh.
A man shoved him in the back, and they resumed walking. After about ten minutes they came to a camp. There was a big tent in the middle and their guards herded them toward it. One of them leaned over and pulled the flap open, then shoved them inside.
The man who was sitting at a makeshift desk piled with cash looked up. He smiled.
Hazard’s head swiveled to the right when he heard a whimper. Astrid Cristo was bound and gagged, lying on her side on the tent’s floor. She latched onto Jose, tears squeezing out of her eyes.
“I have brought the American lawyer.”
“I can see that, Jose, but I didn’t ask for any additional Americans. Who is this prize?” he said sarcastically.
“Her bodyguard. He’s valuable too, Angel. He’s a SEAL and part of the military.”
His attention went to Hazard, and he glared at the drug lord, his black eyes glittering like a snake.
“Take her and go,” Alzate said, rising, tossing a knife to Jose. He caught it and released the minister, then helped her to sit up.
Alzate walked over to Leigh, grabbing her by the hair, twisting it so hard, she cried out. “This time I’ll make sure that your execution is well documented.”
Hazard surged forward, but he was held back by the armed guards. “Take your hands off her,” he shouted.
One of them cracked his rifle butt against the back of Hazard’s head, and he dropped to his knees, seeing stars. They were royally screwed, and by a man he had trusted.
“Now, Leigh,” Jose yelled, and she jerked her knee up, connecting solidly with Alzate’s junk. The man opened his mouth soundlessly, his eyes bulging. In one quick move, Jose cut Leigh’s bonds, and she grabbed something from the waist of her pants. She sliced at the nearest guard to Hazard, while Jose took out the other guard. When he brought up his weapon, Hazard pivoted and took his legs out from under him, then rose and dropped his knee on the guy’s neck. There was an audible crack, and the guy went still. Leigh ran to him and cut him free just as the sound of automatic gunfire ripped through the camp.
Hazard lunged at her and took her down to the ground, covering her with his body.