Fuego pulled a ballpoint pen out of his coat pocket-sporting the logo of a Las Vegas casino-and scribbled on a water-ringed napkin. He pushed the scrawled string of numbers across the table at her. She looked down at them, barely able to read the messy scrawl.
Three days. Be there by sunset, or they die.
And with that grim announcement, Fuego abruptly pushed back from the table and stood up. Melina started as John mirrored the movement. Fuego lurched in surprise as Johns hand snaked out so fast the guy didnt even get a chance to flinch, and trapped the guys neck in an iron grip.
Give your boss a message for me, will ya, Foo-ay-go? No matter how long it takes us to hike up to him, he touches one hair on any of his hostages heads before we get there, and hell regret ever being born. You catch my drift? Well get there when we get there, and hell damned well be waiting for us with a smile on his face and her family happy, well fed, and without a scratch on em.
Or else what? Fuego hissed.
John let go of the guys throat with a little shove. While the guy stumbled and righted himself, John settled into what could only be interpreted as a trained-fighting stance. When he didnt answer the thugs question, Melina glanced up at him. And gulped. There was one, and only one way to describe the look in his eyes. Death.
Fuego took a careful step backward. Another. Then he turned and sauntered out of the place with patently false bravado. It was obvious the guys shoulder blades were itching like mad and he was restraining an impulse to jump and run.
The door closed behind Fuego and his henchman and everyone in the room audibly let out a collectively held breath.
Cmon, Mel, John muttered. Lets get out of here before Fuego and his pals get any bright ideas.
He dropped several large bills on the table and nodded at the bartender, who nodded back. John called out a polite thanks for the mans hospitality, and then he and Melinda stepped outside into the cool evening. John went first again, pausing in the door to take a good look around before he stepped fully outside. He didnt have to say a word to get her to hustle into the Land Rover.
John wasted no time starting the engine and heading down the narrow street. They departed town from the opposite way theyd entered. The road deteriorated fast as it wound even higher into the mountains, and the going was slow.
Theyd been driving for maybe two hours in charged silence, and full night was upon them when he stopped the car abruptly. The terrain around them was rocky, and trees loomed overhead, intensifying the nights darkness.
John pivoted in his seat to face her. He exploded, Theyve got your family? Why in bloody hell didnt you tell me that before?
Chapter 8
Fury flowed through John, hot and bright, burning away the fog that had enveloped him for the past eight months. He hadnt even known it was there until Mel made him this mad and banished the blanket of numbness that had shrouded him. He almost feltalive.
Tell me everything, he enunciated carefully past the control he was barely exercising on his temper. Right now. I want to know everything.
Melina had the good sense to look scared. Dont you understand? she cried softly. This is my family were talking about! I cant risk them by involving you any more!
You can and you will.
She shook her head in mute denial.
Look. I can open that door, shove you out, and leave you in the middle of nowhere. Right here and right now. Give me one good reason why I should continue with this mission if you wont be honest with me.
Sorrowfully, she made eye contact with him. Because you care about meat least a little bit? When he didnt reply, she added, Didnt the past two nights mean anything to you at all?
That was a low blow. But it wasnt like he didnt deserve it. He sighed as some of his fury drained from him. Do you want to die? he asked her wearily.
Actually, I expect to before this is all said and done.
He stared at her, truly shocked. And after a decade in this business, he was a damned hard man to shock. Come again?
You heard me, she snapped with a hint of her usual fire.
Why do you expect to die? he burst out. As screwed up as he was in the head, even he would never go into an op assuming he was going to die in it.
She sighed. I got a phone call four days ago. The man said they had my brother and my parents and they would torture them and start sending me body parts if I didnt do exactly as they said.
John prompted, And they said to tell no one else, particularly the police.
She nodded.
Then what did you do?
I went to a clinic and got the shots Id need to come to Peru, took vacation from work, told everyone a lie about needing to get away for a while, and then I headed for Pirate Petes.
Why did you come to Petes? Did someone tell you about us?
My brother used you guys once to deliver a package for him. I remembered him saying that Pirate Petes would take anything anywhere and not ask too many questions. And I knew I couldnt make this trip on my own. She laughed ruefully. Its not like you can walk up to some stranger and say, Excuse me, would you mind taking me to the hideout of some violent criminal in Peru?
So you knew you were leading me into a death trap.
She flinched at that one. I hoped not.
He was probably within his rights to ream her out for dragging him blind into this, but he wasnt entirely sure he blamed her. If his familys lives had been on the line, he mightve done the very same thing. Desperation was a funny thing. It made you do stuff you never dreamed youd do under normal circumstances.
He never imagined hed crawl away from the bloody corpses of his guys, but it had been that or die himself. Not that hed been all that keen on surviving that black night. But somebody had to make it back to base, to tell the tale of his mens heroism, to muster a recovery op to bring back their bodies. It was one of the most sacred creeds of the Special Forces. They never left behind one of their ownalive or dead.
Okay. So you came to Pirate Petes and hired me to bring you down here. Did you have any communication with the kidnappers between the time you walked into the store, and when you and I left the island?
No.
Are you sure? he asked.
She frowned. Yes, Im sure. I swear, Im telling you the truth.
You were told to go to Lima and then call that phone number. Anything else?
Yeah. I was told to hurry if I didnt want to start receiving ears and fingers in the mail.
Do you know who these people are? It was the critical question. He could only hope that by getting her to open up about the other stuff, shed tell him the truth on this one, now.
I dont know, she replied.
What language did the guy speak to you in?
Spanish.
Native? Mexican Spanish? Castilian Spanish? Could you tell anything about where the speaker was from?
She paused, thinking about it. Id guess some variant of South American Spanish. But then, were in Peru, arent we?
Yeah, last time I checked. He thought for a moment. Did he say anything at all that might be construed as having political overtones? Mention of a cause? Any political words like rebels or revolution or even the word government?
Nothing. I dont think the kidnappers are political. Frankly, Im convinced theyre criminals.
He pounced on that. Why?
Why else would they want me?
His eyebrows shot up. Now they were getting somewhere. Do tell, he commented blandly, doing his best to conceal his excitement.
Well, think about what I do. I research synthetic drugs.
He frowned. Arent most drugs synthetic these days?
I dont develop medicine. I create bad drugs. As in synthetic heroin. Methamphetamines. Illegal drugs.
Holy crap. And youre on the payroll of an international pharmaceutical firm! he exclaimed.
She laughed. Its not like that. They know what Im doing.
Huh?
When methamphetamine was invented, the ingredients to make it were readily available over the counter. It took governments and law enforcement years to catch up with regulating the ingredients. Rather than wait for the next designer drug to hit the streets and then try to regulate the chemicals to make it, were taking a proactive approach this time. I work with commonly available substances in a laboratory and see if I can concoct compounds with hallucinatory or addictive qualities.
And have you succeeded?
As a matter of fact, I have. The compound still isnt perfected, but Ive hit upon the basic process for making what may very well turn out to be the next widely popular illegal drug of the twenty-first century.
Whoa. No wonder her family had been snatched. How long has your discovery been public knowledge? Surely the Mexican authorities knew to provide your family with round-the-clock security. How much force was required to overpower their guards and kidnap them?
His mind raced with the complications this posed. He could be up against a veritable army up here in the mountains! This twist made it more imperative than ever that he get some backup before he and Melina reached the kidnappers hideout.
Melina frowned. My work isnt public knowledge.
He snorted. Somebody knows, honey, or we wouldnt be sitting out here having this conversation.
Its not possible. Im the only person allowed in or out of my lab. Most of the executives at the company have no idea what I do, other than the fact that the government pays all my expenses.
Most of the executives?
I found the compound before Christmas. And no one kidnapped my family before now. Surely if there were going to be a leak, it-and any reaction to it-would have happened before this.
Christmas. Over five months ago. That was a long time for a reaction to a discovery of this magnitude, had word of it gotten out. Does anyone else know?
Just my parents. But theyd never tell. They understand how dangerous it would be for me if anyone else were to know about my discovery.
Your brother? he asked.
She shook her head. He can beimmature. I havent mentioned it to him.
Whats his name?
Michael.
He pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed H.O.T. Watch Ops. While he waited for it to connect, he noticed Melina staring at him like hed grown horns. What? he muttered.
There are no cell phone towers out here!
He shrugged. Youre right. Thats why Im using a satellite phone.