Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
“ N o!” Izzy screamed.
She didn't want to die like this, out in the middle of the jungle. Just another American tourist killed in unknown territory. A statistic. Her body never recovered. Left to rot. How had it come to this?
Two days ago, she was sunning herself by a hotel swimming pool, teasing Viper to come and join her.
God, Viper.
Where was he now? Was he watching this?
How could he let them do this to her?
Or did those shots she'd heard earlier mean he was dead? Him and Phoenix?
A sob caught in her throat.
Surely, if he was here, he'd come and save her.
The leader of this crazy bunch had her by the hair. It hurt like hell. It felt like it was being pulled out of her head by the roots. Yet that was the least of her worries. The butt of the rifle felt cold against her forehead, colder than the rain dripping down her back. So much for the dry clothing. At any moment he could pull the trigger and end her life. Just like that, she'd cease to exist.
Oh, God, please don't let me die, she prayed.
Then she heard a rustle in the bushes. She strained her eyes, but it was so dark and wet, she could only make out the twisted shadows of the trees.
"Okay, I'm coming out. Don't shoot."
She sobbed in relief.
Viper!
He emerged from the undergrowth, his hands up. He was holding a rifle, which they quickly took from him.
"You are her man?" the interpreter said.
He glanced at Izzy and nodded.
Her man.
She liked the sound of that.
"Why are you here?"
"We're lost," he said, echoing her words. He must have heard her speaking to them, which meant he'd been there all the time. "We came ashore and got lost in the jungle."
They laughed again. The leader pointed to the gun, prompting the interpreter to ask, "Where you get the weapon?"
"Off a dead guy back there." He gestured behind him into the jungle. "I don't know who he is. I found him and took his rifle for protection."
Izzy knew that wasn't true.
And where was Phoenix? Was he dead or also hiding, watching them?
The interpreter relayed this to his boss, who barked a command and two of the men disappeared into the dark foliage. A short time later, they came back dragging a body with them.
She gasped. The man was missing half of his head.
"You did this?" The interpreter glanced from the corpse to Viper and back again.
He shook his head. "No, sir. It wasn't me."
"Who then?"
He shrugged. "I don't know."
Izzy stared at him. Had he done that?
She wasn't sorry the kidnapper was dead, but to die like that, in such a brutal fashion. She shivered. Was there ever an easy way to die? The gun was still pressed against her forehead. At least this would be quick, like that poor guy lying on the ground.
The men were studying Viper, trying to figure him out.
Despite the situation, he was surprisingly calm. His shoulders were relaxed, his face expressionless, except for his eyes, which were watchful and focused on the leader. He stood with his legs slightly apart, his tall frame steady and unwavering, his hands still above his head. He towered above all of them, and was almost double the breadth, but he was unarmed, and there was only one of him.
Versus twelve of them.
And Phoenix—if he was still alive.
Tears ran down her face. What hope did they have?
The muzzle dug into her head, halting her tears. She gasped, terrified he was going to pull the trigger.
"We don't believe you," said the interpreter. "Tell us what you are doing here. Who are you working for?"
She heard a roll of thunder in the distance. The storm was fast approaching.
"Nobody. I'm not working for anyone."
The man pulled harder on her hair. She cried out.
This was it. In a second, she'd feel a bullet enter her skull and then her head would look like that guy's.
Oh, God. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Please let it be quick.
Then there was a shout and he let go of her hair. She toppled over, unable to support herself. Looking up, she saw Phoenix had him in a headlock, a pistol pressed to his temple.
The other men were shouting and training their rifles on Phoenix, who was holding their leader in a vise-like grip.
"Drop your weapons!" Phoenix yelled.
They didn't know what to do. They aimed at Phoenix, and then turned to aim at Viper, and then her.
Viper's voice rose above the shouting.
"He said, drop your weapons!" He had a pistol and was leveling it at the interpreter. With their two top men incapacitated, the rest put down their weapons.
She sobbed with relief. They'd cut the head off the snake, and the body had withered and died.
"Izzy, get the rifle and come and stand behind me." Viper’s voice was steady, but firm.
She struggled to her feet and looked around.
"Over there. Do it now, Izzy. And get behind me."
She picked up the gun, unsure of how to hold it. Was it loaded? Would it go off? She’d never even touched one before. Fumbling with it, she darted behind him.
Phoenix began to walk backward, still holding the boss by the neck, the gun flush against his head. "Move and he's dead," he threatened.
The men stared at them, edgy and nervous. The rain was fast becoming a deluge. It dripped off their faces and pooled at their feet. At any moment all hell could break loose. Izzy just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
"We are no threat to you," said Viper, his gun still pointed at the interpreter. "You let us go, and we'll leave you alone. Understand?"
He nodded.
“Tell them.”
The interpreter did as he was told.
Phoenix came around to where they were standing, still holding the leader in a head lock. They backed into the undergrowth until they were out of sight of the gang.
"Keep going," murmured Viper. The men up ahead hadn't moved.
When they got about ten meters out, Phoenix brought the butt of his pistol down on the leader's head with enough force that he crumpled to the ground.
"Is he dead?" Izzy asked. He'd gone down like a sack of potatoes.
"No, but he'll have a sore head when he wakes up," muttered Phoenix. "Come on, let's get the hell out of here."
They turned and ran. She clutched Viper's hand they raced through the jungle back toward the beach. How they knew which direction to go in, she had no idea. All she could see was a dark mesh of dripping, tangled trees and bushes.
Still, somehow they made it, and twenty minutes later they emerged onto the wet sand.
"Thank God," gasped Izzy, as her shoes sunk into the sand.
The two men grabbed their inflatable from where they'd left it and dragged it back down to the sea. "Let's try further up the coast," Viper said, as they shoved it into the shallows. The storm had made landfall further to the south, so they'd only caught the tail end. Even now, the rain was abating.
She climbed in, her legs shaky, then collapsed onto the base of the boat.
Phoenix started the engine while Viper pushed the boat out into the shallows. When it was deep enough, he hopped in.
Izzy, unable to help herself, burst into tears. She couldn't help it.
Viper scooped her off the floor and placed her on the seat next to him. "You're safe now. There’s no need to cry."
She heard his words but couldn't stop. “I’m just so happy to be alive.”
"I know. You're in shock but try to relax. Everything's going to be okay."
She buried her head in his shoulder and hung on to him as Phoenix propelled the inflatable through the waves.
Would it? Would it be okay?
They had no idea who had kidnapped her, or why. She took some deep breaths and tried to calm herself. She was alive, that was the main thing. She hadn't been shot in the jungle. Thanks to Viper and Phoenix, she was safe.
For now.