by Ainsley Cole
* * *
“We don’t have two days, Braedon. You know that.” Wolf was right, as Bones had thought to himself earlier. The militia would be back and with double the force in less than half of that time. “This is a suicide mission. We have one vehicle. The other Humvee is pretty much totaled.”
Bones looked over to the vehicle. It was back on its wheels now, the roof caved in. Reaper’s legs poked out from the engine bay as he tried to fix the vehicle. Queenie beside him, handing him the tools he needed.
Wolf grabbed his arm, making him look at him. “Are you listening to me?”
“No.”
The Montana native rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in the air. “I give up.”
Bones pursed his lips. “We received a lot of money to get this sorted. Want to lose that? How much of the $150,000 are you going to put back into the reservation? How many solar panels will that buy?”
Wolf shot him a withering look, and he knew he’d hit a nerve. Without Wolf’s contributions, the reservation would be struggling. He kept things easy. Installing solar panels on all the buildings. Sourcing a sustainable way of living for his people.
“I’d think very carefully about your next words, Braedon,” Wolf spat, an animalistic growl coming from his lips. “I trust you. I love you like a brother. But I will not put my life on the line for a woman who isn’t mine, for a cause which may be nothing in the end but a slaughter.”
Bones knew what his friend meant. It was a fool’s chase looking for the origin of this disease when there was militia out for the doctor.
“She needs a little—”
“It’s a toxin!”
Bones and Wolf turned. Abigail was running across the sand, her booted feet sinking into the softness. She stumbled, and Bones lurched forward, grabbing her before she went face first into the dirt.
“Easy…”
“It’s a toxin.” She panted, stepping back, her face flushed. “I’ve been trying to figure out why it won’t grow, why there is no sign of bacteria. I decided to put samples into the spectrometer. It gave me its chemical composition. I put that into the computer and came up with this.”
She slammed the sheet of paper onto the table. Bones leaned over, reading it, as Apollo, Queenie, and Reaper came wandering over. They’d been giving Bones a wide berth since he’d flipped over Abigail’s parentage. But hearing the woman screeching as she was had them intrigued.
“Dispholidus typus.”
“That’s a snake,” Queenie piped in, frowning, and Bones could see his mind working. “African boomslang, if I’m not mistaken.”
Abigail nodded, looking back to the man. “Yes. They all have signs of boomslang venom in their blood.”
“But were there bite marks present?” Apollo asked.
Chris and Andrew had wandered over to see what the meeting was about, and both men shook their heads.
“No, no sign of a bite mark whatsoever,” Andrew replied, and Bones looked at Abigail. She was frowning, and her gaze lifted to his.
They both stared at each other for a moment, before Bones tilted his head to the side. “You said something about puncture marks on the bodies?”
She blinked, her eyes lighting up. “Yes!”
Abigail turned to her colleagues. “Each of the corpses in the pit had a distinctive puncture wound in their neck.”
“A vaccine?” Queenie asked, and she shook her head.
“No, vaccines are in the arm, or the thigh,” Apollo interjected, and Abigail nodded.
“Yes, there was distinct bruising around the site as well, as if it had been quite violent.”
“A dart?” Bones asked, looking at Apollo. The blond frowned, knowing where his train of thought was going.
“A dart,” Abigail gushed. “They must have used darts!”
“But who would have darted villagers with boomslang venom? Sounds like a pretty fucking horrible way to die,” Queenie said, shaking his head and the group fell silent.
“It could have been—”
“Bones, we had this discussion,” Apollo said, and his team looked at him.
“What discussion?” Wolf asked, and Bones stared at Baz.
“He thinks Ungato is still alive.”
The look on his men’s faces told him what he already knew. He was crazy.
“Who’s Ungato?” Abigail asked, and Bones’ gaze snapped to her.
“He’s—” Queenie started.
“Milo,” Bones warned, and the man closed his mouth, turning away. He and Reaper moved back to the Humvee, starting to fix it again, knowing the conversation was over. Apollo picked himself up and went toward the labs, Andrew and Chris following.
Wolf stayed, his dark chocolate eyes staring at Bones, and he rolled his eyes. “What?”
“You know he’s dead, right?”
“Yeah, so Baz keeps telling me,” he fumed, his gaze settling on Abigail. She was watching the pair of them talk, and for a moment, he wished he’d never met her. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be here. Wouldn’t be thinking what was going through his head right now. Looking back to Wolf, he frowned. “But what do you do, when your gut tells you a different thing to your head?”
“I always go with my gut,” Wolf replied, lifting himself. He stepped closer, his hand going to his shoulder. “You think he’s still out there?”
Bones grimaced, looking up to his friend. “I know he is.”
* * *
Everyone had peeled off. Abigail stood in the middle of the camp, bewildered. Who the hell was Ungato? And why the hell did he seem to have Bones so rattled? Frowning, she wandered back to the clinic, slipping inside.
Chris and Andrew were in the medical bays, cleaning up. Apollo was in her lab.
“What are you looking for?”
“Evidence, to make sure it definitely is a toxin,” he said, leaning over her microscope.
“You don’t believe me?”
He lifted his head, shaking it. “I didn’t say that. I want to make sure, for your sake, that it is what you say. I’m a medic, but I’m also a scientist. I can give you that second opinion that is so much more convincing to the bigwigs back home.”
“Oh.”
“I know how the world works, Abigail. You say you have proof, that’s great. But to have another professional who can verify it is a bonus.”
She stepped back. Bastian looked through her things, making notes for himself so he could be her support. Leaning back against the bench, she wondered what it would mean now. They would be heading back to civilization. She wouldn’t see Bones again.
The thought didn’t sit well with her. She liked seeing the big man every day. Frowning, she looked at Apollo. “I’m going to get some air.”
“Okay, no worries,” he replied, not looking up and she turned, leaving him to his work while she sought out the company of Braedon. She had some pressing questions for him.
* * *
“Who’s Ungato?”
Bones turned his head, leaning back in his chair as Abigail stood next to him. “No-one.”
She crouched next to him, and he looked at her. “How about we play a game…”
He chuckled, making her face flush, and he sighed.
“No double standards. Who is he? Why does he have someone like you so rattled?”
“He doesn’t have me rattled, honey. He is a dangerous man, and if he’s still out there, then this whole mission could be up shit creek.” He looked back out the gap in their fencing. The wrecks of the jeeps were in the distance, still smoking.
“But the mission's over. We know what’s happening.”
“Yeah, but we still have to remain for at least another day. Apollo has his collections to make too.” A soft touch had him stiffen. Abigail slid her fingers over the scar on his face. It ignited a fire within him he’d never felt before.
“Did he do this?”
Bones lifted his hand, gripping hers, bringing it away from his face and he turned to her. “Yes.”
&nbs
p; “Will you tell me?” she asked, not taking her hand from his.
He shook his head, frowning. “I don’t want to frighten you. My demons are pretty scary.”
“Everyone’s demons are scary, Bones. Look at one of mine. My father. The man who helped in my conception sells arms to the militia who are after us. How screwed up can you get?” She giggled, and he smiled, reaching out and smoothing the back of his knuckles against her cheek.
Her gaze lifted to him, her lips parting. He still had hold of her other hand, and her fingers tightened around his—
“Bones!”
He sat up at the yell from Reaper.
The man rarely called out to him, unless there was a problem. Sighing, he let go of Abigail’s hand and stood, walking over to the dreadlocked man. He had his head to the spotting scope, and he pulled away, looking down at him. “We have a problem.”
Bones lifted himself up the top of the almost restored Humvee and looked through the scope. On the horizon were a dozen or more vehicles, all flying the same tattered flag as the jeeps from earlier in the day. “Fuck.”
Jumping down off the vehicle, he turned, whistling to the team. They came running over, and he looked at each of them. “We have an incursion happening. There are about a dozen militia vehicles out there, filled to the brim with the fuckers.”
Abigail stepped up to the group, slipping between Queenie and the Humvee. He turned to her, grimacing. “We all know who they want.”
Her face paled, and she dropped her gaze to the ground, as he continued.
“There’s no hope in hell we’re going to be able to fight them all. We have to get the fuck out of here—now.”
* * *
She ran. Not for the fact she was being chased, but to clear out the labs of all the expensive equipment. Packing the microscope, spectrometer and other objects back into crates, her hands worked, her mind only on the task at hand.
She didn’t have time to think of what would happen if the militia came. There were so many of them, they were outnumbered. Bones was right, they had to get out of there and now.
Chris and Andrew were scurrying around as well. Running boxes and crates out to the men, who loaded them onto the Humvees. She didn’t know how far the busted one would get, but they had to try and make a run for it.
Her mind swept in a million directions. This might be the last day she had on earth if the militia got hold of them.
* * *
Bones helped Abigail pack the lab. Her things shoved into cases, where they hoped to fit. The samples had been destroyed. Now they knew it was a natural toxin and not a contagious disease, they could afford to get rid of them. There would have to be police involvement. If they ever got back to civilization.
“Are you okay?” Bones asked, stopping for a moment.
She looked at him, frowning, before turning back to what she was doing. “I guess so. I mean, I have to be.”
He could hear the emotion in her voice. He walked up to her and gripped her shoulders, turning her. “Abigail.”
Her bottom lip was trembling, and he did what only felt right. Pulling her close to his chest, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her.
She broke in his arms. “Why do they have to come after me? It’s not fair. I’m only trying to help.”
She sobbed against him, and he closed his eyes. The last time a woman had broken down in front of him, he had turned and walked away. He didn’t do drama. But this felt oh so right to him. “They want you because of who your father is.”
“I don’t know him! I’ve seen him once since I was five, and that was on a god-damned wanted poster in the lobby of the FBI.” She stepped back, and he opened his eyes, looking down at her. Her face was wet with tears, and she sniffed, wiping her eyes on the palm of her hand. “What will they do, if they get us?”
Bones frowned, running through scenarios in his head. “They don’t care about us guys. They’ll shoot us in the head. Might keep us hostage for a bit and see if they can get money out of someone’s government.” He lifted his hand, brushing her tears away with the pad of his thumb. “You, though…”
Her bottom lip trembled again, another tear falling. He watched it as it slid down her cheek, over her lips. Lips he may never kiss.
“I don’t want to say.” He turned his head away, dropping his hands from her shoulders.
“Please. Tell me what they will do. I have to know so I can brace for it,” she murmured, lifting her hand, making him look at her. “Please.”
Bones inhaled, trying to think of the gentlest way of telling her what the militia would do to her if they got hold of her. “They will hold you hostage. Ask for either money or guns from your father.”
She blinked. “That doesn’t sound so—”
“They’ll no doubt rape you.” She paled. “Hack off pieces of your body for each day your father doesn’t comply and send them to him.”
Bones took her hand in his, lifting her fingers to his mouth. He kissed each fingertip, hearing her breath hitch. “They’ll start with your fingers. Then your toes.”
He lifted his gaze, watching as her gaze was on his lips. Her hand moved from his grip, ghosting along his lips, moving to the scar, tracing it up around his eye. She looked into his eyes, hers filled with fear. “Don’t let them get me.”
Bones gripped the back of her neck, pulling her into his embrace, holding her to him. She shuddered against him, her arms coming around his waist. They stood there, wrapped against each other and Bones knew he had a decision to make.
* * *
“No.”
Bones rolled his eyes as Wolf turned, loading the cases into the Humvee. “Come on, Ethan.”
The man turned, glaring at him. “Don’t you dare.”
“You know it’s the only way. They want her. They’ll let the rest of you go.”
“I’m not letting you get chased across Kenya while we go about our merry ways back to safety. Not going to fucking happen,” Wolf picked up another crate, throwing it into the vehicle. He turned back to him. “And what about the Humvee? They’re not designed to carry that many people.”
“Yes, they are, and you know it. The perfect one can carry the six of you.” He looked to the mess of the other Humvee and grimaced. There was no .50 caliber on top. If the militia chased them, having Betty would be the only option of getting out of there in one piece.
“You cannot outrun a jeep in a piece of shit like that!” Wolf yelled, pointing at the almost totaled vehicle and Bones closed his eyes.
“Wolf…”
“No, I’m not going to let you do it.”
Bones opened his eyes, gritting his teeth at his friend’s stubbornness. “Do I have to pull rank?”
“You can fucking pull your dick for all I fucking care. I’m not going to watch you drive in the other fucking direction, with the one thing the militia wants and hope you make it back for afternoon tea.” He stepped up to Bones, putting his hands on his shoulders. “I have known you for close to twenty years. I know what goes on in that thick skull of yours. This would have to be the dumbest idea which has ever surfaced from its depths.”
“But it’s one of the only ones which I know will work.” He grabbed Wolf’s biceps, stepping closer. “We only have to get far enough away to give you guys time. Then we can double back, or head for a major city. Fuck, even the border will be enough.”
“And if you get caught? What then?” Wolf asked, his voice becoming thick with emotion.
“Then you know I will fight like hell. I will not give them the satisfaction of having either Abigail or myself as hostages.” His words hung heavy in the air and Wolf closed his eyes, knowing exactly what he meant.
If the militia caught either of them, he'd end their lives.
He would not let the militia degrade Abigail in any way. He would make sure she was safe. It was his job—even if it meant he would be the one to kill her.
“I can’t…”
Bones frowned, stepping back and Wolf
opened his eyes, the realization in his gaze. He didn’t have a choice.
“I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. Reaper will drive. You will be gunny. Get Queenie, Apollo and the doctors to safety.” He stepped back, seeing the pain in his friend’s eyes. “That’s an order.”
* * *
Bones and Wolf were in a heated argument. Abigail didn’t know if it was because of her, the militia, or the mission in general. She seemed to have rubbed the Native American the wrong way, and she didn’t know how.
Save for a few boxes ferried to the Humvees, the lab's interior was near desolate.
She still had to get her things from the sleeping quarters. Leaving the clinic, she hurried to the quarters. Gathering up anything she might have left lying around, she shoved them into her bag.
Queenie was in and out, taking the guys’ things, including Bones’, and she smiled as he grinned at her. “Bit of excitement, hey?”
“Sure, if you’re into that sort of thing,” she replied.
“Nothing better to keep the blood pumping than the prospect of death.”
She blinked as he left the room. There was something wrong with that man.
She sank onto the bed, her stomach in knots. She was the cause of this, the reason they had to pack up and go. Putting her head in her hands, she held back tears and hoped it was going to work out in the end.
* * *
“You’re going to go another way, aren't you?” Apollo plonked himself down on the roof of the labs with Bones. Staring out at the growing plume of smoke that was the militia vehicles, Bones noticed they hadn’t come any closer. They’d be waiting for the cover of darkness before they attacked. He knew this because that’s what they would have done.
“You know it’s the only way, Baz.”
“Wolf’s chucking the most massive of tantrums right now. He’s already yelled at Queenie, and the kid didn’t even say anything.”
Bones chuckled, looking at him. “Feeling sorry for him?”
“For Milo? Fuck, no. Little twat. But he is pulling his weight. That’s the main thing. We could always give him over to the militia. He’s pretty enough to pass as Abigail.”
Bones’ bark of laughter had Apollo grinning. “I wish it was that easy. But would you pass him over? Who would you have to fight with then?”
