Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
I zzy clenched her jaw and hung onto the rope for dear life. It felt like her teeth were rattling around in her head and the vibrations from the boat jingled every part of her body.
The kidnappers were still firing, but their shots sounded progressively farther away.
"We can outrun them," shouted Viper, grinning at his buddy, who she vaguely recognized from Pat’s office.
What was he so happy about? They'd barely gotten away with their lives. And she'd never done anything as scary as jump off a ship before. Those men on the deck could have killed them.
She could still picture Viper diving off the side of the trawler, twisting in midair like some superhero action figure.
Even then he’d been smiling.
Freaking adrenaline junkies, the pair of them.
"I'll head straight for the coast." Phoenix focused ahead of the boat. "The most important thing is to find cover."
Viper fished under the seat for a warm sweater and handed it to her. "Take this. You’re shivering." He didn't seem to mind being in wet clothes.
She pulled it over her dress. It reached to her knees, but at least it was warm and dry. "Th—Thanks."
The motorboat behind them was getting smaller and smaller. Perhaps everything would be okay. As the adrenaline wore off, she began to tremble.
Viper sat beside her, careful to keep one hand on the guard rope at all times. She could tell he was an expert, the way he moved effortlessly around the inflatable, knees elastic, weight forward. Unlike her, still jiggling all over the place.
"Come here." He put his arm around her and she sank into his heat. How could his body temperature be so warm when he'd just come out of the freezing ocean? She was like a popsicle.
She snuggled into his side and put her head on his shoulder. His top was wet, but she didn't care. She needed to feel him, to touch him.
"I was so scared," she murmured. "I thought they were going to kill me."
"I know. It's okay now. We've got you."
Tears threatened, but she held them back. She couldn't cry now that it was over. Not in front of them.
"Thank you," she gasped as the wind whipped the words from her mouth. He felt so strong and capable, so reassuring. She nestled closer.
"No problem.” He winked at her. “Just doing my job."
Slowly her shivers subsided.
They flew across the dark water toward the coast. At first, it was an ominous shadow up ahead, but then, as they got closer, it changed to a forest-green blur and the landmass began to take shape.
Trees covered the coastline like an impenetrable green wall, while waves crashed on the sandy shore, their white crests luminous in the moonlight.
"They're not giving up," muttered Viper, who was keeping a lookout.
Phoenix grimaced. "She's worth a lot of money."
"You think they were going to ransom me?" Izzy asked.
"It's one option," Phoenix said, vaguely.
"We think they were going to ransom you for the mine,” Viper added.
"Oh, God," Izzy murmured through chattering teeth. "My life in exchange for the mining rights. The board would have no choice but to agree."
Viper glanced behind them. "Either way, they’re not giving up. We're going to have to take cover in the jungle."
"The jungle?" She'd been so looking forward to a hot shower.
"That's all there is around here." Viper pointed toward the shore.
Izzy yelped and clung to the guard rope as they ramped over a giant wave and landed with a jolt. The inflatable rode the wave into shore until sand scraped the bottom of the boat.
"Let's go." Viper grabbed a small pack from the under-seat compartment and handed it to Izzy. "There are some dry clothes and shoes in there. When we get undercover, you can change."
"Oh, thank God." She couldn't picture herself running barefoot through the jungle in a cocktail dress.
Phoenix pulled out two more packs from the dry compartment beneath his seat and handed one to Viper. They leaped out of the boat.
Izzy clambered out far less elegantly, her bare feet sinking into the wet sand. The men hauled the boat up the beach to the cover of the trees and disguised it as best they could with branches and leaves. When they were done, it looked like just another tangled mesh of jungle foliage.
Izzy felt raindrops on her face and glanced upwards. "Could this day get any worse?"
Viper gestured up ahead. "Let's get under cover."
She gawked at the impenetrable green wall. "We're going in there?"
"Yep. Now would be a good time to put those shoes on."
She opened the backpack and pulled on a pair of sneakers. "You got these out of my closet?"
Viper nodded. "Thought you might need them."
She was amazed at his thoroughness, and the certainty that he’d find her. Hang on. How had they found her? She was about to ask when the hum of the approaching motorboat rose over the pitter-patter of the rain.
"Come on, we've got to move," Phoenix urged. Seconds later, they ducked into the sprawling vegetation. It instantly swallowed them up.
They surged forward, Viper in front with Phoenix right behind him. Izzy brought up the rear. She glanced nervously behind her, but the forest seemed to close around them, and she couldn't see the way back to the beach.
"How do you know we're not going round in circles?" she asked worriedly, a short while later. "Everything looks the same."
"Experience." Viper stared ahead into the darkness. "We've done a lot of jungle training over the years."
He must have fantastic night vision. She couldn't see more than two feet in front of her face. Phoenix moved effortlessly behind him, hardly making a sound in the undergrowth, while she was crashing about like a small elephant.
She could hear the rain above them, pelting down on the jungle canopy, but it was so thick where they were that only a few drips managed to break through.
"They're bound to come looking," she choked out, feeling the grueling pace in her aching calves and exhausted thighs. She'd barely slept since her capture, just a few hours here and there, terrified they'd come for her during the night. Now, as she trudged inland, she could not keep her eyes open.
"A little further," urged Viper, stopping to look back. "Then you can rest."
She nodded, grateful that he'd been able to read her so easily.
He was still in his wet clothes which stuck to him like a second skin. He didn't seem bothered, though, rambling through the jungle like he was taking a Sunday stroll. Phoenix was the same, even whistling a soft tune to himself.
The further they went, the denser it got. Soon, she was slapping leaves and branches out of her face as she walked. Just when she was about to collapse, Viper called a halt.
"Let's take a break here," he said. "You can get changed and then we'll find someplace to shelter for the rest of the night."
Thank God.
"I'll keep watch." Phoenix disappeared back the way they'd come. She couldn't believe he was going to retrace their steps.
"He'll let us know when the kidnappers land," Viper told her. "But you're safe for now."
For now?
"How soon before we get to a hotel?"
He shrugged. "No idea. We didn't launch from this part of the mainland, so we'll have to see. There might not be anything around here for miles."
“Seriously?” Izzy felt like crying.
“Why don’t you get out of that dress,” he said, more gently. “Being warm and dry will make you feel better.”
“Okay.” She pulled off the sweater and looked in the pack. “You packed this?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I hope it’s okay? I wasn’t sure what to?—”
“It’s fine.” He’d packed jeans and a T-shirt, as well as a pair of panties into the backpack. The thought of him rifling through her underwear, selecting what to bring, made her flush. It seemed so intimate.
He turned away.
She peeled off the dress and threw it onto the ground. She didn't want to ever see it again. Then, she pulled on the T-shirt and wriggled back into the warm sweater. Was it his, or just a spare he’d picked up somewhere?
She took off her shoes and put on the panties, followed by the jeans. At least her legs would be protected. They'd already been scratched by the foliage. With her socks and shoes back on, she felt almost normal again.
"Better?"
"Yes, thanks."
He picked up the silver dress. "We can't leave anything behind. Put this into your pack." She did as he said.
Viper handed her a bottle of water, which she eagerly chugged down. It beat the putrid jug of water they'd given her on the trawler.
"Better save some for later," he warned. "We don't know how long we're going to be out here."
She gazed up at him, blinking as a few errant raindrops hit her in the eye. "Where are we anyway?"
"Mexican coastline, I think."
"You think?"
He grinned. "We flew to Mexico City and caught a lift with the CIA to the coast, but I think we're somewhere south of Acapulco, judging by the terrain."
She had a vague idea of where Acapulco was, but she’d never been there. Her Mexican trips had only extended as far as the areas where her father had mines, and those were often rural and out of the way.
There was a soft rustling nearby and Viper immediately pulled her down into a crouch. "Stay still," he whispered.
She froze. Thank God for pilates, otherwise she'd never be able to hold this pose. The rustling grew louder.
Crap. That didn't sound human.
She jumped as something snorted behind her and gripped Viper's thigh. It was rock solid but she dug her fingertips in anyway, her heart hammering.
Another snort and some snuffling noises and a wild boar shuffled past, nose to the ground. Thankfully, it kept going, showing no interest in the humans hunkering down only a few meters away.
"Oh, God." She let go of his thigh and collapsed onto the ground. Not only did they have to worry about their pursuers, but also wild animals. The jungle was alive with the sounds of the night. Crickets chirping, a soft cooing sound that she couldn't place, and the occasional chatter of unfamiliar night animals.
"I'm really not an outdoorsy type of girl," she admitted, which made him chuckle.
"You're doing fine. Come on, let's move on."
Phoenix chose that moment to reappear, and she realized Viper had known exactly where he was, while she hadn't heard him approach at all.
"They've just landed," he informed them. "There are six of them. My guess is that they'll spread out and try to find us. They're all armed. AKs, by the looks of things."
Izzy felt weak.
They were here.
"Come on." Viper helped her to her feet. "Let's keep going."
Now that the threat was approaching from behind, they shifted positions. Phoenix waited for her to follow Viper and then brought up the rear. Both men had their weapons drawn.
Izzy suddenly felt very afraid.