The climb was grueling. Only five feet after he released the rope, he had to use the full extent of his reach to bridge the gap between two of the footholds. In that moment, he realized he had a choice to make. He and Jay were the tallest on the squad, with Brent about an inch shorter. If he could barely make it, there was no way Quinn could complete the climb with the six-inch difference in height.
If he continued down, he would do so alone. If he climbed back up, he and Jay could return to the rest of the squad to find another alternative. Something pressed him to continue forward, his mind already formulating ways to extract his team from this wilderness.
Chapter 30
Damian parked his grandfather’s old clunker in the hotel parking lot. The pickup truck wasn’t much to look at, but it would blend in where they needed to go, and it was so old there wouldn’t be any concern about anyone trying to track the GPS.
He locked it and hurried through the lobby to the stairwell. He didn’t have the patience to wait for the elevator, eager to see Paige again and make sure she was still doing okay in his absence.
He jogged up the four flights of stairs and made his way to his room. He knocked as he opened the door to make sure Paige had some warning before he walked in.
“I’m back.”
He took several steps in before he realized he was talking to himself. The silence and stillness of the room sent alarms screaming through his head, and he quickly checked the empty hotel room.
Muttering under his breath, he dashed back out into the hall and headed to the stairwell. He was all the way to the lobby before he realized he had no idea where he should look.
He searched the lobby area and hotel restaurant without success. Quickening his pace, he checked the business center and workout room and circled back to the lobby again. Everywhere he looked, he could see people going about their lives as though they didn’t have a care in the world, yet his world felt like it was tipping dangerously out of control.
Becoming more frantic by the minute, he pushed his way outside. He looked up and down the street, seeing no sign of Paige. Continuing his search, he passed through the parking lot and then reached the wide strip of sidewalk that spanned the area between the lake and the many businesses overlooking it.
He still didn’t see her. He stepped into the flow of pedestrian traffic so he could see farther and found himself swept along with the many people in his path. He walked as quickly as he could without bringing attention to himself, constantly searching. After walking nearly a mile, he turned around and headed back to the hotel.
Where could she be? Was it possible she had wandered off and gotten lost? Or worse, could whoever was after Vanessa have found Paige? His thoughts pulled his emotions into a downward spiral, and he struggled to consider what to do next. He was nearly back to the hotel when he caught a glimpse of Paige’s blonde hair.
Relief poured through him. She was walking his direction but apparently hadn’t noticed him yet. For a moment, he just stared. Her dark eyes were currently hidden behind sunglasses, the breeze sending her hair dancing.
The way she moved, she seemed so self-assured, yet he had seen glimpses of those private struggles that made up her inner core. He couldn’t say why he felt so drawn to her after such a short time, and he realized he wasn’t happy about getting to know her under these circumstances. It was time to find the people they’d come for and get her back to the States, where they could explore their growing feelings without worrying about their safety.
Paige’s eyes swept over the crowd, and finally, she saw him. He thought he saw a hint of apology on her face. Perhaps she already knew him well enough to anticipate the lecture that was already formulating in his mind.
She started toward him but was jostled by a man in a blue shirt when she was a mere ten feet away. Protective instincts shot through him when he saw the man take Paige by the arm.
“Where is she?” the man asked in English. “I know you helped her.”
“Hey!” Damian darted forward. In the amount of time it took him to close the distance between them, the man released Paige and sprinted away in the opposite direction.
“Go inside,” Damian urged Paige as he took up pursuit.
The man weaved in and out of the pedestrian traffic, and Damian struggled not to knock anyone over. His target didn’t appear to care about such things, pushing into a couple and sending the woman sprawling.
The distance between them narrowed, and Damian was certain he would overtake him in another block. Suddenly, the man darted into an alleyway and an engine revved.
Damian continued his pursuit but went only a half dozen steps before he saw the taillights of a motorcycle disappearing around the far corner of the building.
* * *
Seth’s fingers were raw and cramped by the time his feet touched the ground. He rolled his shoulders to loosen his tense muscles, and he looked up at Jay.
“I’ll have Tristan come this far before I climb down,” Jay shouted down to him.
Seth shook his head, exaggerating the movement to make sure Jay understood. “The rest of them won’t make it. The reach is too far.”
Seth waited for Jay to relay the information up to Brent. He could hear most of the conversation between Brent and Jay, but Jay repeated it anyway.
“Brent said they’ll try to find another way down.”
“Negative. It will take too long,” Seth said. “I’ll keep going and secure a helicopter to come pick all of you up.”
Jay related the information. This time, Jay didn’t have to repeat Brent’s words. “Jay, go with him. Code three.”
“Yes, sir.” Jay turned back to look down at Seth. “It’s your turn to guide me. I’m coming with you.”
Seth took the news with conflicting emotions. He still felt an urgency to get to Vanessa, and waiting for Jay would take at least another half hour. On the other hand, securing a helicopter to retrieve the rest of the squad would undoubtedly be a lot easier if he had help.
Knowing there was no arguing with Brent once his mind was made up, Seth stepped away from the rock face, where he would have a better view. He then began calling out instructions while he silently prayed Jay would make it down safely and quickly.
* * *
Paige waited by the lobby door, not sure if she should hope Damian did catch the guy who had been following Vanessa or if she should hope he’d gotten away. She thought she had been so clever, taking the time to find the closest pharmacy and fumbling through making a purchase so her request for directions would be believable.
Obviously, the man following Vanessa had seen through her guise.
The door opened, and Vanessa strolled in as though she didn’t have a care in the world. With her suitcase rolling behind her, she looked like anyone else about to check in to the hotel.
Reaching into her pocket, Paige retrieved her hotel room keycard. She crossed the lobby to the check-in desk, deliberately brushing past Vanessa so she could slip the keycard into her hand.
“Excuse me,” Paige said loud enough for Vanessa to hear. “I’m afraid I left my key in my room. Could I get another one? It’s room 412.”
Behind her, Vanessa continued through the lobby and headed straight for the elevator while Paige went about answering questions so she could get another key. The hotel clerk slid a new key to her, and she thanked him, turning to head for the elevators. The door opened, and she saw Damian walk inside, clearly annoyed. His annoyance hiked up another notch when he saw Paige standing in the lobby.
Trying to look casual, Paige met him by the elevator and attempted a smile. He looked at her stonily, taking her by the arm and ushering her into the empty elevator car.
“What were you doing out of our room?” he demanded as soon as the doors slid closed. “I told you to stay inside.”
“I saw Vanessa.”
“Where? When?”
“A few minutes after you left. I knew you wouldn’t be back in time to help me make contact with her
, and I noticed someone following her, so I went outside to help.”
He looked at her with something that resembled a combination fury and frustration. “You did what? We have no idea who might be after her!”
“I know.” Paige took an automatic step back. “I gather you didn’t catch the guy.”
“No. He had a motorcycle stashed a few blocks up. Do you know who he was?”
“Not a clue.”
“I need to find Vanessa.” The doors slid open on their floor, and Damian walked with her to their room. “Please stay here until I get back.” He unlocked the door and held it open long enough for him to add, “I mean it.”
“Damian, you don’t have to find Vanessa.”
“Of course I do.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I need to make sure she’s safe before I go look for my squad.”
“I know, but—”
“Stay here,” Damian demanded again. He nudged her inside and prepared to close the door.
“Damian, wait.” Realizing Damian was too focused on his objective to listen, Paige reached out and grabbed his hand and held it firmly. “I have to show you something before you go.”
“Fine.” Damian huffed out the word and let her pull him inside. “What is so important—”
Vanessa stepped into view, slicing through Damian’s question and silencing him.
“Maybe we should sit down and compare notes,” Vanessa suggested. “It’s time we pool our resources so we can find my husband and the rest of your squad.”
Damian gave a solid nod, and his voice filled with resolve. “I completely agree.”
* * *
“Are we really going to just sit here and wait for them to come back?” Tristan asked.
“That’s exactly what we’re going to do, but I think we can do a bit more than just sit around,” Brent said.
“What did you have in mind?”
“See those vines over there?” Brent motioned to some vines twining their way up a nearby tree. “We’re going to harvest some of those and see if we can make our own rope.”
“So we can climb down too?”
“If it comes to that. I agree with Seth that it will take them two days to make it to the airport. If we don’t see any sign of them in three, we may have to improvise.”
“I think we should improvise now,” Quinn suggested.
“You can start improvising by finding us some dinner,” Brent said. “Anything besides pineapple.”
* * *
Damian listened to Vanessa describe how she had spent the past two days trying to track down the people following her while attempting to remain unnoticed. He updated her on the events that had brought Paige and him here, including his theory of where the Saint Squad was currently.
“How can you be so sure the Saint Squad is in Canaima?”
“I’m not sure. It just makes the most sense to me.” Damian could see Vanessa’s uncertainty, which sent off a cascade of doubt in his own mind. “I looked at the radius of where the helicopter most likely would have landed, and Canaima was right at the edge of it. Every other place was somewhere where they could have made it to a town or village to send out a message.”
“Unless they really were captured.”
Damian tensed. “I prefer my scenario to that one.”
“I do too.” Vanessa swallowed and seemed to choke back her emotions. “The truth is, if they are in the wilderness somewhere, they’re fine. It’s the hostage situation we need to worry about.”
“What do you propose we do?”
Vanessa retrieved her tablet and opened an app. “Paige helped me plant a tracking device on the guy who was following me. I suggest we turn the tables and see if he’ll lead us to your squad.”
Damian looked over at Paige, instantly thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong when she went out to meet Vanessa. Her eyes met his, and he could see her awareness of the risks she had taken. Wisely, he decided not to remind her of them.
Damian edged closer so he could see the tracking program on the screen. “Where is he now?”
“It looks like it’s on the east side of town,” Vanessa said.
“That’s where a lot of warehouses are located.”
“We need to find out if the squad is really there.” Paige picked up her purse.
“You stay here while I check it out,” Damian said.
“Damian, I appreciate that you want me to stay where it’s safe, but I’m the one who recognizes Andrea Kemper,” Paige reminded him. “I can’t do that from a hotel room.”
“I understand that, but we also don’t want to walk into a hostile environment. You aren’t trained for that. I am,” Damian said. “Besides, I know the area, and it will be easier for me to blend in.”
Before Paige could respond, Vanessa held out an arm and looked at her dark skin. “I think I’m more likely to blend in.” She looked pointedly at his hair. “May I remind you that you’re blond? You might be from here, but you don’t look like it.”
She made a good point, but he had a better one. “That may be, but I’m not the person Morenta or whoever is trying to lure out into the open. You are. I can’t stand by and watch you walk into a trap.”
He could see Vanessa waver. “Fine, but I’m coming with you. I can be your backup.”
“You need to stay here where it’s safe.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Damian recognized the determination in her eyes. “Fine, but you’re staying in the truck.”
“What about me?” Paige asked, still clutching her purse.
“You definitely stand out as a foreigner too.” Vanessa set her tablet on the table. “I want you to stay here and keep an eye on the signal. If there’s any movement, call me.”
Paige clasped her hands together, her fingers linking nervously. Damian put his hand on her arm and spoke with confidence. “We’ll be back soon.” Turning back to Vanessa, he said, “Let’s get going. I want to make sure our worst-case scenario doesn’t get any worse.”
“I agree completely.”
Chapter 31
“It doesn’t look like anyone’s here,” Vanessa said quietly from the passenger seat. The old truck rumbled to a stop.
“Call Paige and see if the signal has moved.”
Vanessa did so, confirming that they were still in the right place. She reached for the door handle. “Come on. There’s only one way to find out if they’re here.”
“You said you were going to wait in the car.”
“No, you said I was going to wait in the car.” Vanessa climbed out and prepared to head off Damian’s objections. “I’ll wait here until you make your first sweep.”
“I’m starting to see why all the guys are scared of you.”
“You have no idea,” Vanessa said, the hint of humor briefly overshadowing the deep-seated fear of what they might find inside.
Vanessa watched Damian circle the building to make sure they were really alone. She studied the structure for points of access but saw only the door in front of her. It was exactly the type of place someone might use to hold others captive.
When Damian approached the door, Vanessa moved forward, glancing around to make sure they were still alone. Damian shone a light around the doorframe, obviously looking for any sign of tampering.
“Is it clean?” Vanessa asked.
“It looks good, but maybe you should stand back just in case.”
“Why?”
“This is my first time doing this for real. I’m supposed to be here to protect you, not get you killed.”
Vanessa reached out her hand and took the light from him. Quickly, she examined the doorframe before handing the light back to him. “This isn’t my first time, and it looks good.”
“Humor me anyway,” Damian insisted.
Vanessa let out a long-suffering sigh, but she did as he asked. She couldn’t help but notice Damian’s protectiveness, a trait she had seen often in Seth. She also found herself wonderin
g if Paige and Damian could see the parallels in their relationship and her own with Seth.
Her focus snapped back to the present when Damian cautiously opened the door. As soon as he stepped inside without any incident, Vanessa hurried forward.
The room was dim, the only light coming from the open doorway. Damian flashed his light around the room, stopping when it illuminated something along the far wall. Vanessa recognized the form as a lifeless body at the same time he did.
“Oh no.” She breathed the words out in a whisper, praying it wasn’t Seth or any other Saint Squad member.
Damian worked his way around the room, making sure there weren’t any other surprises, but Vanessa couldn’t wait. She rushed forward, lowering to her knees the moment she reached him—she assumed it was a male from the person’s obvious height.
“Flash the light over here,” she urged Damian.
He complied, approaching where she knelt with the beam of light cutting through the darkness. When the light reached the man’s face, Vanessa looked up at Damian with relief and surprise.
“He’s the man who was following me.” Vanessa reached down and checked his neck in search of a pulse. The feel of his cool skin told her there wouldn’t be one. “He’s dead.”
“What do you think? Did his own people kill him, or was it the Saint Squad?”
Vanessa reached a hand out for the light, and Damian handed it over. “He took a bullet to the back of the head. That wasn’t our guys.”
“I didn’t see any sign of the guys being held here. I don’t like this. It feels like a trap.” Damian motioned to the door. “We need to get out of here.”
“Just a minute.” Vanessa searched through the man’s pockets. She didn’t find a cell phone or wallet, but she did find a folded-up piece of paper tucked away in his jacket pocket. “All right. Let’s go.”
She handed the flashlight back to Damian and followed him across the room, both of them deliberately staying to the side of the door in case someone really had lured them here. Damian held up a hand when he reached the door, signaling for Vanessa to stop.
In the distance, she heard what had alerted him. The sound of an approaching engine.
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