She burst out, Dont say that! God, it makes me crazy when you talk like that!
He pressed his lips together. It was the truth whether she liked it or not.
Wordlessly, he disabled the trip wires. They crawled outside, dressed, and ate in strained silence. Hed like to comfort her, to tell her it would be all right. He appreciated her concern, he really did. But she knew as well as he did that planning for anything other than his death on this op would be a lie.
She picked up her pack and slung it over her shoulders, still giving him the silent treatment. He didnt bug her. After all, hed earned it. He shouldered his own pack and headed out. The remainder of the morning was an easy walk. But then they turned east and started the long trek up and out of the valley. The going was indeed rough, with both steep slopes and heavy undergrowth to contend with. The altitude was starting to get to him, and it surely had to be getting to Melina. But she never uttered a word of complaint. He had to give her credit. She was one tough lady. Not many civilians, male or female, could endure the hardships of an expedition like this, let alone maintain a decent attitude about it. Of course, in comparison to what awaited her if she handed herself over to Huayar, the discomfort of a hike through the woods was small potatoes. And Melina seemed to know that.
In mid-afternoon, he called a halt for them to eat and rest. Over yet another tasteless mush of reconstituted calories-this time optimistically labeled tuna noodle delight-he broke the long silence between them. What do you know about Geraldo Huayar?
Worry clouded her gaze. Its not possible to be near the drug world and not be aware of him.
Do you know anything about how he operates?
She shrugged. I assume hes about like any other drug lord. He controls a large farming, manufacturing and distribution network and maintains his position at the top of the heap by a combination of violence and coercion.
Thats not a bad start. But there are a few more things you need to know about him. Hes obsessed with people not knowing what he looks like. He probably travels in normal society occasionally and wants the anonymity. Some people speculate that he may have a family squirreled away somewhere that he likes to visit now and again.
Melina continued to eat, studying him quietly as he spoke.
Huayars also a sadist. He enjoys causing pain. He generally tortures hookers to death in the course of having sex with him, and he often conducts his own beatings and interrogations of people who owe him money or cross him. Hes a particular fan of cutting off body parts.
She flinched at that one.
You dont ever want to cross the guy, but its also vital not to show fear to him. He reacts to it like a hyena. It drives him into a violent frenzy. Show him fear and hell eat you alive.
Why are you telling me all this? she asked curiously.
He shrugged. Just in case.
In case what?
He looked up at her candidly. In case things dont go well and you end up spending some time with him before my friends can get there and rescue you.
Your friends?
He gestured at the phone lying on the fallen log beside him. My people know you and your family are out here. Not only are you American citizens, but youre also innocent victims of kidnapping and extortion. Theyll come get you.
Who are your friends, exactly?
The answer to that was classified. And given that there was a real possibility exactly that information would be tortured out of her before this was all said and done, he dared not give her the real answer.
Hed hesitated too long, though, for she said, I get the message. The less I know, the better.
Im sorry. He threw her a regretful look. Id tell you under any other circumstances but these. Just trust me. My buddies know their stuff. They can get you and your family out of here. Uncomfortable with the subject, he asked, Do you remember the phone number I told you to memorize?
She recited the phone number to a blind line that would be rerouted through a series of remote, untraceable routers to H.O.T. Watch Ops. Even if Huayar extracted it from her, it wouldnt help him locate the facility. And if the guy or any of his men ever managed to show up at Pirate Petes, theyd be wiped off the face of the earth without a trace.
How much longer? Melina asked.
He didnt need to ask until what. She was talking about when theyd reach Huayars camp.
Well get there right around sunset. But were not strolling in there tonight. Im going to do a little recon and get the lay of the land before either of us show ourselves. Tomorrow will be soon enough to do this deal.
She looked him in the eye for the first time all day. So weve got one more night, then.
The words echoed through him with the finality of a jury verdict. One more night. It was hard to fathom that his pain was almost over. Just a week ago, hed felt nothing at all when considering his death, now he felt a mixture of relief and loss.
They walked until nearly sunset, topping the last ridge and beginning the long run into Huayars hidden valley. He slowed their pace considerably, paying more attention to silence and stealth than speedy progress.
Melina obviously sensed that they were nearing their target, for she grew silent too, even placing her feet more quietly behind him. He began to keep an eye out for a likely hiding place. It was nearly full dark when he spotted what he was looking for-a tiny gully running perpendicular to their path of travel, most blocked by brush and heavy undergrowth.
Try not to rub against the branches in here, he murmured. We dont want to leave threads or other signs of our passage. It was a tall order to ask of an untrained civilian, but he went slow and helped her by holding up ropes of thorny vines and brambles for her to scramble under.
Before too long, theyd worked their way sufficiently far up the gully for his satisfaction. He stopped, and Melina panted quietly behind him. Okay? he breathed.
She nodded, probably too winded to talk. Which was just as well. They were within shouting distance of Huayars outer defenses if John had guessed correctly as to where the guy had deployed his forces.
Tonight, he built a combat hide-a small hollow dug out of the ground with a camouflaged tarp slung across it at ground level. It was low and damp and uncomfortable, but it was invisible, and that was the whole point.
He passed Melina a full canteen and two power bars packed with protein and nearly two thousand calories apiece. Those should hold her for the next few hours. Im going to head out and take a look around. I expect to be out most of the night. You stay here, okay? I swear, Ill come back for you.
Her eyes went bigger and darker than usual. She nodded soberly. I gather theres no chance of talking you into taking me with you?
He reached into his pack and pulled out three tubes of grease paint and began methodically covering all his exposed flesh in shades of green and black. He glanced over at her as he tied a ragged bandanna around his head. Ive got to be seriously sneaky tonight, and you have no training in that. Besides, itll mostly entail lying on the ground staring at a bunch of tents with sleeping people in them. As exciting as reconnaissance and surveillance might sound, the truth is theyre crashingly boring most of the time.
She looked crestfallen, but thankfully not rebellious.
Rest and gather your strength tonight, Mel. Tomorrow well get your family back, and then all of you will need to hump out of here as fast as you can.
That put a spark in her otherwise terrified gaze. He turned to leave, but she placed a soft hand upon his arm. He stopped and looked down at her.
Thank you, John. For everything. For making this trip with me. For taking care of me. For letting me into your heart.
Oh, for crying out loud. That was actually a lump trying to form in the back of his throat! He nodded tersely and looked away from her. He spoke under his breath at a point just beyond her right shoulder. It might even be daylight before I come back. If Im not back by sunset tomorrow, wait till full dark and then make your way out of here, back to the Land Rover. Ive marked the easiest course for you on this map. He shoved the folded map and a spare compass into her hands.
Come back to me, she said softly.
He glanced over long enough to make brief eye contact with her. Her gaze was unnaturally bright with tears. As hard as he was trying to keep this all business, he couldnt help reacting to her distress. He murmured gently, This isnt goodbye forever, sweetheart. Im just going out to take a peek at the layout of Huayars camp.
Itll be goodbye forever soon enough, she sobbed under her breath.
He winced. Damn, he wished she wasnt so good at getting under his skin. Womens tears hadnt bothered him for a very long time. But then, they didnt often cry for him, either. Cursing under his breath, he turned and strode out of their secret camp.
As hed expected, Huayars camp was at the far end of the valley, backed up against a monstrous stone cliff that made approach from the north nearly impossible. He dropped to his belly and slithered past the first line of sentries, who were spaced too far apart to be effective-case in point, the ease with which hed slipped between them.
The second layer of defenders were obviously not rank amateurs being broken in to sitting watch in the woods. These guys were better armed, more alert and much more closely spaced along the camps security perimeter. John took his time easing down the line of men, counting them and taking note of their armaments and positions.
On his second pass of the line, one of the men had turned away from his post to take a piss against a tree, and John took advantage of the resulting gap to creep past the guy. From here on out, hed proceed strictly on his belly. Which meant the going would be snail slow.
It was almost an hour later when he slowly pushed aside a large-leafed elephant-ear plant and gazed down at the camp before him. At least two dozen armed men and women lounged about. Relaxed though they might appear, he had no illusions on that score. They could be in full-combat mode in as long as it took to hear a gunshot or a sharply worded command.