Dangerous Desires (8 page)

“I’m going to go talk with Tyler,” Avery said. “Drake, you stay here with Madeline.”

“But I…” she started, but Drake cut her off with a crooked smile.

“Not a problem. I’ll be happy to keep watch.” His gaze swept slowly from her head to her toes, leaving a trail of heat as it passed. “Over everything.”

Madeline sucked in a breath, hardly noticing as Avery walked away, her eyes locked on Drake’s, her stomach clenching in anticipation of something she wasn’t even certain she wanted to define. He reached out, the pad of his thumb running gently below the line of the swelling beneath her eye.

“So how did you get the bruise?”

She lifted her chin, trying to ignore the spirals of pleasure emanating from his touch. “I colored outside the lines.”

“Why am I not surprised,” he said, his fingers moving to cup her chin, his gaze probing. She swallowed, but held her own, determined not to let him see how easily he’d gotten to her. “Still, I never would have figured you for a drug lord’s mistress.”

Her mind cleared, and she jerked away, anger flashing. “Sometimes there isn’t a choice. You do what you have to do.” And sometimes the price paid was too high. But she wasn’t about to share that fact. Instead, she tilted her head, studying his face. “You don’t think much of me, do you?”

“I don’t know you well enough to have an opinion. But if there’s one thing this job has taught me, it’s that everyone is working an angle. I just haven’t figured yours out yet.”

“It’s simple,” she shrugged, reaching up to highlight her bruise. “I want out.”

“Nothing’s ever simple, darlin’.” His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, the lines around his mouth turning harsh. “Believe me, that’s a fact.” He turned his back then, staring out at the rocks flanking the entrance of the clearing. The air hummed with insects and in the distance Madeline heard the plaintive cry of a macaw.

She started to retort and then shook her head. There was no sense in arguing. And besides, it was perfectly clear that he didn’t want to talk. So with a pointed sigh, she made a play of exploring the upper terrace, trying to ignore the man behind her. But after about fifteen minutes, she couldn’t take the silence.

“If the situation is compromised”—Madeline frowned, coming to a stop in front of him—“wouldn’t it be better to cut our losses and get out of here? Maybe it’s better if you just finish documenting the site and then come back and destroy it when you have the right equipment.”

“We can’t take that chance,” Drake said, still not looking at her. “By the time we organized a second mission, di Silva would have had the opportunity to move everything. He’s certainly going to be on high alert with you gone. Which means it won’t be long before he sends his people back in here.”

“All the more reason why we should leave,” she said. “Especially when you add in the bit about sabotage. That most certainly didn’t come from di Silva. Which means someone else wants this mission to fail.”

“Like maybe you?” he asked as he spun around to face her.

“Are you out of your mind?” she spat, forgetting all
about keeping her cool. “Sabotaging your efforts would be like signing my own death warrant. Do I look like I want to die?”

“I told you, I don’t know what to make of you.” His eyes were the palest blue she’d ever seen—like ice—cold and potentially deadly. “But you’re as likely a suspect as anyone else.”

“You love thinking the worst of people, don’t you?” she prodded, even though she knew it was dangerous to goad him. For some reason the man seemed to bring out her baser instincts.

“Maybe it’s just you,” he said, stepping closer, his breath warm against her cheek. “Or maybe Jason was right. Maybe this was the plan all along. Isolate us in a narrow-necked gorge with no other means of retreat.”

“God, you’re an ass,” she said, her face hot with anger. “Figures I’d ask for help and they’d send you.”

“If I’d known what a treat it was going to be to rescue you, believe me, I’d have stayed in New York.” His jaw tightened, a muscle twitching in his cheek, and she was surprised by the urge to reach up and soothe him.

“If wishes were horses…” she said instead, turning away, fighting her rioting emotions.

“Look, maybe I was a little quick to judge.” The words weren’t exactly an apology, but it was pretty damn close.

She turned back to face him. “I didn’t set you up.” Something flickered in his eyes. “But you don’t really believe that, do you? You’re just angry, and lashing out at me is the easiest way to deal with it.”

“Yeah, right.” His expression shuttered, but not before she had the chance to see that she’d hit a nerve, and
then he turned away, cupping a hand over his ear as he listened to someone on the other side of his earpiece. “Copy that.”

“What?” Madeline asked, hands on hips. She’d left her earpiece in the temple. Damn thing hurt. “What did they say?”

“Tyler’s managed to salvage some of her equipment. She’s jury-rigging the explosion now.”

“So what’s with the face?” Madeline queried. “You look like you want to hit something. Clearly everything’s not all right.”

“The original plan was to make our way to the rendezvous and blow the weapons cache remotely from there. That way we’d be out of the area before di Silva had the chance to mount any kind of response.”

“And now?”

“Tyler’s going to have to blow it from here.”

“Which means if di Silva’s men are anywhere in the vicinity, he’ll know where we are.”

“Yes.” He nodded, his expression grim. “Jason’s trying to arrange an evac from here—”

“But he can’t contact your people in the States to change the plans.”

“Exactly. Not the best of situations.” For a moment he looked almost human, but then his jaw tightened again, and his eyes flickered with resolve. “But everything’s going to be fine. We’ll get you out of here.”

She nodded, biting back a retort. Sometimes it was better to stay silent.

“You’ve told us everything, right?” He rounded on her, apparently intent on resuming hostilities. “The only way out of here is through the opening in the rocks?”

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, considering for a second telling him the truth about the other path—the one down to the pool. But she’d learned long ago that she was better off establishing her own back door. If necessary she’d come clean later. For now, she’d keep the information to herself.

“Right,” she said. “There’s nothing else. Unless you can climb over those cliffs.” She nodded toward the stark walls of rock on the two flanking sides of the clearing.

He stared at her a moment, his gaze intense, and she fought to keep from flinching. Then he shrugged. “We could do it if we had to. Believe me, we’ve climbed worse.”

She had no doubt that he was telling the truth. Whatever else she might think of the man, he’d proved himself more than capable. “Did they say anything about how long—”

“Sssh.” He shook his head, his voice a whisper, his attention centered on the trees at the mouth of the gap leading from the clearing to the jungle. “Stay here.” He started forward, leading with his gun, and she waited a second and then followed.

“Madeline,” he hissed.

“I’m coming with you,” she answered, careful to keep her voice as low as his. “You might need my help. And if not, I might need yours.” It was as close as she was going to get to admitting she was scared. “You took away my gun—remember?”

“Fine. Just stay quiet.” His response was terse, his eyes still fixed on the trees. One of them shifted and the undergrowth beneath it quaked as something moved.

Madeline sucked in a breath, her heart hammering in her ears.

“We may have company,” Drake whispered into the mic attached to his earphone.

In front of them trees moved again, this time a few feet closer. Drake lifted his gun, his eyes never moving from the undulating greenery.

Madeline moved closer to him, hating herself for her fear.

The bushes beneath the trees waved violently and then a black and silver monkey swung up into the tree, his wizened face turning toward them for a moment before he scrambled into the upper branches and disappeared into the overhanging leaves.

“Thank God,” Madeline sighed, heart still pounding.

“Be still.” Drake’s words were barely audible and she froze, her eyes scanning the opening for some other sign of danger.

A shadow detached itself from behind a tree, holding position for a second before melting back into the jungle.

“We’ve definitely got hostiles,” Drake said, still talking into his mic. “Only one verified so far, but I’ve got a bad feeling.” He frowned at the trees and then motioned her backward.

To her right, Nash and Avery appeared on the terrace, both with guns at the ready as they made their way down the stone steps.

“How much longer?” Drake asked as his friends joined them in relative security behind one of the large stone statues.

“She’s almost got it ready,” Nash said.

“And Jason?”

“He hasn’t managed to establish radio contact.” Nash
shook his head. “But he says he’s close. Piggybacking on a satellite, I think.”

“Any idea who’s out there?” Avery asked.

“None at all,” Drake said. “Just saw something definitely human. I figure he was on recon. Which means he’ll need to report back.”

“And you’re sure he saw you?” Nash frowned as he searched the perimeter for signs of life.

“Not definitely, no. But I’d say the odds are that he knows we’re here.”

Madeline sucked in a ragged breath and glanced surreptitiously across the courtyard at the ancient rain tree that marked the beginning of the steep steps that led to the pool below. She knew that she should tell them about it now. Give them another way out. But Drake had made it clear that their primary objective was to see the mission through, no matter the cost.

And Madeline wasn’t interested in the greater good. All she cared about was escaping from Ortiz. Better to go now while she could and let Drake and his team provide unwitting cover. They’d hold off Ortiz and she’d make her break.

She’d seen Drake and his friends in action. They’d been amazing, actually. But she’d worked for Ortiz a long time. And she, more than anyone, knew what he was capable of. He was a dangerous man, especially when he was feeling threatened. And he’d made it more than clear what he’d do to her if she betrayed him.

The hard cold facts were that if Ortiz was coming, not even Drake Flynn would be able to stop him.

“Jason, any luck reaching Hannah?” Avery asked, while Drake kept an eye out for further signs of life.

“Not yet. But I think I’m almost through,” Jason said, his voice sounding miles away. “If you’re right and there are hostiles in the area, you’re not going to be able to make it to the rendezvous.”

“Roger that,” Nash said, moving across the stream. “The easiest area for a chopper to land would be the terrace by the temple.”

“You’re going to try to land a helicopter in here?” Madeline said, moving closer to try to hear the other side of the conversation.

“It may be our only alternative,” Drake responded with a shrug.

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Look, Madeline, you’re just going to have to trust us.” He frowned down at her. “In the meantime, I want you to head for the temple and help Tyler.”

She opened her mouth to argue and then with an exasperated sigh headed up the stone stairs toward the building.

“She okay?” Avery asked.

“I have no idea. The woman’s impossible to read.” Impossible period, not to put too fine a point on it. “Where’s the helicopter going to put down?”

“I’ve vetoed the terrace,” Avery said. “It’s too close to the weapons cache. Tyler is going to have to blow it without benefit of computer remote, which means she’ll have to be right on top of it. The chopper, and anyone in it, would just be collateral damage.”

“So we’ll use the basin.” Drake nodded toward the concentric rings of the pool. “It’s not ideal, but it should be far enough from the blast to keep the helicopter safe and close enough to allow Tyler to detonate.”

“Did you hear that, Jason?” Avery asked.

“Yeah,” he replied. “It just might work.”

“Hang on,” Nash whispered into his mic. “I think we’ve got company.” Almost before the words were out, the little clearing exploded with gunfire, shots coming from the top of the cliffs on adjacent sides of the clearing.

“Snipers,” Avery called, wheeling around to return fire. “Coming from both the north and south. Fall back to the temple.” He waved at the steps behind him, still holding his position. “Jason, if you’re going to call Hannah, now would be the time.”

Nash moved back across the stream, Drake providing covering fire.

“I’ve got her,” Jason said. “I can’t patch her through, but she’s got satellite, and the situation is not good. The area’s crawling with di Silva’s men. They’ve got you boxed in.”

“Well, that much we already knew,” Drake said, moving to follow Nash up the steps as Avery fired at the cliffs. “How many of them?”

There was a burst of static as he stepped inside the temple.

“She says a couple of dozen,” Jason replied. “Maybe eight stationed on the rocks above you. And the rest heading toward the opening to the clearing.”

“No way we can pick them off,” Avery said, as he dove through the open doorway, bullets ricocheting against the cobblestones outside. “As long as the snipers are up there, we’re sitting ducks.”

“Then I suggest you get the hell out of there,” Jason’s voice cut in and out, the static building.

“You’ll get no argument from me,” Drake said. “But we’ve got a job to finish first.”

“Well, you’re going to have to move quickly. Hannah’s just confirmed the change of plans with the chopper pilot. He’ll be there in less than ten.”

“Sounds like we’ve got company,” Tyler said, stepping into the room.

“And then some.” Avery nodded. “You ready to go?”

“More or less,” she said. “I still need to make the final connections, but that won’t take too long. Better to let you all go first, though. That way you can clear the path and give me a little cover.”

“What about Madeline?” Drake asked, realizing the other woman wasn’t anywhere in sight.