Drop Zone

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  Damian fought the urge to hurry. As soon as they reached cover, Damian started to head for the village, but Jay stopped him. He pointed to a spot a short distance away where he could just make out several large gas containers. “What should we do with these?”

  “Are those filled with fuel?”

  “Yeah. It’s never a good idea to commandeer a vehicle without making sure it’s ready to go first.” Jay held up a long coil of rope. “Or a way to accomplish our objective.”

  “Camouflage all of that beneath some of those palm leaves. We’ll need it all tomorrow,” Seth told him. The men quickly hid their supplies. Seth motioned for Damian to take the lead as they headed through the strip of jungle between the airport and the resort. Keeping to the shadows, they made their way forward, determined to stay unheard and unseen.

  * * *

  Paige couldn’t sleep. She sat in one of the cushioned wicker chairs, her elbows on her knees, her hands steepled in prayer, praying Damian would come back safely.

  She heard the doorknob rattle and sat up straight. The latch opened and relief poured through her when Damian walked through the door followed by Seth and Jay.

  Both men were covered with dirt and grime, and it was obvious from the pungent smell they carried that they hadn’t had a real shower in days.

  “I can’t believe you found them.”

  “That makes two of us,” Seth said with a sense of wonder.

  Jay closed the door behind them.

  “Where is everyone else? Are they okay?” Paige asked.

  “If you consider being stranded on a mountain fine, then, yeah, they’re great,” Seth said.

  Damian motioned to the chairs. “Why don’t we sit down and talk.”

  “First, I need food,” Jay insisted.

  “I’ll go get you something,” Paige offered. She could see Damian hesitating. “I’ll be fine. I’ll just say we want a romantic dinner in our room.”

  “That’s a great idea, but I’ll go. You can fill them in as well as I can. Probably better.” Damian headed for the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Paige sat back down and motioned for them to make themselves comfortable.

  Seth took the seat across from her and looked around the room. “Where’s Vanessa? Is she here with you? Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. She’s in Maracaibo right now. She was following what we believe is a diamond payment from the drug cartel to someone working in one of the big oil companies.”

  “Why is she in the field?”

  “Amy told her you were missing, and then the CIA’s deputy director of operations asked her to go back undercover. We think someone was using you as bait to draw her out,” Paige said. “We still don’t understand why, but we’re pretty sure we know who. We’ve been able to trace one diamond payment back to Morenta. It looks like he’s the one who set you up.”

  Seth rubbed both hands over his face. “He would certainly have the resources to do it.”

  “Vanessa found a clue that indicates another diamond exchange is supposed to happen day after tomorrow. That’s why she stayed behind in Maracaibo. She thought she might be able to use the courier to find you.”

  “When is the exchange supposed to happen?”

  “Nine in the morning,” Paige said. “So what exactly happened with you guys?”

  “First tell me what you know about Vanessa while we wait for Damian,” Seth insisted.

  Paige filled him in on how someone had been waiting for Vanessa when she arrived in Maracaibo and how she’d been followed ever since. “I wish I could figure out a motivation for why they’re trying to get to Vanessa,” Paige said. “It seems so extreme to hijack an entire squad of navy SEALs and then murder their pilot.”

  “What?” Seth straightened, his entire body suddenly alert. “What happened to the pilot?”

  “Amy told us the doctor estimates the pilot was killed about half an hour after he returned to the ship.”

  “Any idea of who did it?”

  “A couple people left the ship before the pilot’s body was discovered. We don’t have any direct evidence connecting him, but one of the people who took that transport hasn’t been seen since.”

  “Who is he?”

  “Terrance Gunning. He’s a civilian contractor.”

  “Any leads off him?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  Paige continued to bring him up to date, relaying the events of when Vanessa had been followed near her hotel and how that man had also been killed.

  Jay spoke up for the first time. “It sounds like somebody is using local hires to do their dirty work and then tying up loose ends before they can get traced back to him.”

  “I have to think Gunning is one of the people behind this since he hasn’t shown up dead,” Seth said.

  Paige nodded. “We also think Andrea Kemper may be involved. She was CIA until she faked her own death several months ago. She was undercover as a low-level employee for Morenta. She also used to date Gunning.”

  “Any idea why she would fake her own death?”

  “None. Again, it comes back to motive. We need to know what is driving these people. What is so important that they’ll go to such extremes and even kill to get to Vanessa?”

  “I wish I knew,” Seth said.

  They speculated until Damian arrived a few minutes later with food and a couple bags from the gift shop.

  “I picked up some clothes for you guys. No offense, but you could both use a shower.”

  “Jay, you can go first,” Seth offered.

  “Really?” Jay stood up, not giving Seth a chance to change his mind. He took the clothes Damian offered and headed for the bathroom.

  Turning his attention back to Damian, Seth said, “Explain to me what the plan is with the helicopter.”

  Damian motioned to Paige. “I slipped some extra money to the guy at the reservation desk to say the flight was full. I told him I wanted privacy when I proposed to my girlfriend over Angel Falls.”

  Seth looked from Paige to Damian. “Well, that was quick.”

  “Don’t start.” Damian shook his head.

  “I have the coordinates for where we left the rest of the guys. I want you, Jay, and Paige to go pick them up.”

  “Shouldn’t we call Kel and have him send a helicopter in to get them?” Paige asked.

  “After someone tried to kill us the other day, I don’t think a night extraction is going to work, especially since they don’t have any comm gear,” Seth explained. “They’ll need to see us coming, and a navy chopper can’t come here in broad daylight.”

  “That’s true, but why do you want the rest of us to get them? Where are you going to be?” Damian asked.

  “I’m going to be a tourist flying back to Maracaibo.”

  “Why don’t you just wait and come with the rest of us?”

  “I don’t want to wait that long. I have to make sure Vanessa is okay, and I don’t like the idea of her staking out that diamond exchange alone.”

  “She said she was going to call Warren and get some backup.”

  “No offense to the CIA, but I’ll feel a lot more comfortable knowing I’m the one backing her up.”

  “I suppose I can understand that,” Paige said.

  “There may be one glitch in your plan. You’re assuming there’s a flight out tomorrow.”

  “We’ve been using the flights in and out to guide us here. It looks like a flight arrives every day about noon and then leaves around two.” Seth looked at Damian hopefully. “Any chance you have extra cash? Ideally, I can buy my ticket before you guys leave tomorrow and make sure there really is a flight.”

  “I have cash.” Paige stood up and disappeared into her room. She returned a moment later with the remaining currency Ghost had given her and laid it out on the table. “Take what you need.”

  Seth counted out enough bills to pay for his ticket a couple times over. “Thanks, Paige. I’ll make sure I get you a receipt.”
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  “Do you want me to write down where Vanessa is staying?”

  “No,” Seth and Damian said in unison.

  When she looked at them, confused, Damian explained. “We don’t want anything in writing that someone might be able to use to find her.”

  Damian then gave Seth the location of the hotel and her room number.

  “Do you want her phone number too?” Paige asked.

  “I don’t have a phone to call her with,” Seth said, sitting up straighter. “Do you have a way to call her now?”

  “She’s been keeping her phone off most of the time, and unfortunately, there’s no cell phone service here, and we don’t have a satellite phone,” Paige said.

  “Here. You can use my cell phone to access the hotel’s Internet.” Damian handed his phone to Seth.

  “That’s a good idea. I can send her a message in case she does turn on her phone. Otherwise, I’ll catch up with her tomorrow.”

  “What do you want us to do after we retrieve the rest of the squad?” Damian asked while Seth attempted to access the Internet.

  “Meet me in Maracaibo.”

  “In a stolen helicopter?”

  “Good point. You may have to be creative on this one.” Seth paused long enough to type in a short message to Vanessa. After he sent it, he looked up at Damian. “We can sneak in again tonight to make sure it’s fully fueled. With the extra fuel we have hidden, that would ensure you could make it all the way without stopping.”

  “Actually, I already took care of that. I told the guy I wanted to be able to stay up as long as possible in case I lost my nerve and needed extra time.”

  “Good thinking.”

  “I do what I can,” Damian said. “We will probably have to set down somewhere, though, and wait until nightfall to travel. Otherwise, it’s too likely the wrong people will notice us.”

  Jay emerged a few minutes later looking like a new person. “It’s all yours, Seth.” He looked from one bedroom door to the other. “Which bunk is mine?”

  “Paige is in that room over there, so I guess you guys are bunking with me.”

  Jay walked in, immediately flopping onto the nearest bed. Seth looked inside as well and gave Damian a cocky look. “I hope you like hammocks.”

  “What? I was here first.”

  “Yeah, but I outrank you.”

  Damian sighed. “That you do.”

  Chapter 35

  “Are you sure about this? Can’t we just pay off the pilot?” Paige asked.

  “We have to be sure he won’t have a chance to go blabbing to somebody,” Jay insisted. “Seth’s flight doesn’t leave until after we’re supposed to leave for our tour.”

  “Paige, you can handle this.” Damian’s words of confidence gave her the push she needed. She also couldn’t deny the feeling of comfort she had felt come over her when Seth had offered a prayer before they all left their room. Amazingly enough, that feeling had remained with her.

  She drew a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”

  “You won’t need luck.” Damian gave her a cocky grin. “But good luck anyway.”

  Paige rolled her eyes and felt some of her nerves fade. She found it interesting how protective Damian could be, but when the situation called for it, he could put that aside and give her the courage and support she needed.

  She followed the path to where the helicopters were parked, a pilot leaning over an open panel as he went about his preflight check.

  “Excuse me,” Paige said. “Do you speak English?”

  “Sí, señorita. Un poco.” He paused as though realizing he had just responded in the wrong language. He held up his thumb and forefinger, holding them slightly apart. “A little.”

  “My boyfriend said I should meet him here.”

  “Ah. Sí, sí.” He nodded understanding.

  “Have you seen him?”

  He looked confused now, like he was trying to decipher her words. He motioned her to the side, indicating for her to wait a short distance from the helicopter.

  She pretended not to understand. “Are you sure you don’t know where my boyfriend is? He was supposed to be here already.”

  Again, he motioned her to the side. When she ignored him a second time, he took her by the arm and guided her to a waiting area.

  Paige nodded, pretending she just now understood. As soon as the man turned around, Damian appeared a short distance away and started heading toward them. He called out and lifted a hand in greeting.

  The man turned, his focus now on Damian, and Jay rushed at him from behind. The helicopter hid them from view from anyone who might be standing at the airport, but the blow to the back of his head, followed by the administration of a sedative sent him to the ground.

  Damian continued forward like he hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

  “What are we going to do with him?” Paige asked as soon as Damian had reached her.

  “We’re taking him with us.”

  “What? Why?”

  “If we leave him here, there’s too great a chance someone will find him or he’ll raise the alarm when he wakes up. The sedative will only keep him out for an hour or so.”

  “How can we bring him with us?” Paige asked as Jay and Damian loaded him into one of the backseats. “This helicopter is only intended for six people.”

  “Don’t worry. We have a plan.” Damian buckled the man in and secured his hands while Jay checked out the helicopter. As soon as he completed his preflight check, the two men retrieved something from the woods. Paige thought they were just gathering their belongings, which they had stashed before she had approached the pilot, but her eyebrows lifted when she saw they were loading gas cans as well as their luggage.

  “Is that the extra gas you guys were talking about?”

  “Yeah. We can’t make it all the way to Maracaibo without refueling. Those will save us from having to stop at some airport and explain why we’re flying a helicopter that doesn’t belong to us.” Damian waved Paige toward the seat beside the unconscious pilot. “Grab a seat and strap in.”

  Paige did as she was told. Damian closed her door and stepped out to talk to Jay. After a quick discussion, Jay climbed into the pilot seat, and Damian took the seat beside him.

  Jay handed a coil of rope to Paige. “Can you tie three knots at the end of this? Each knot needs to be about a foot apart.”

  “Sure.”

  Jay shifted his attention back to Damian. “What’s the time?”

  “Two minutes until eleven.”

  “Get on the radio and clear us with the tower.”

  Damian put on the headset and flipped the switch to activate the radio. He spoke in Spanish, and Paige noticed the way he disguised his voice, presumably to make him sound more like their pilot.

  Jay started the engine, and within a few minutes, they were lifting off the ground.

  Paige’s stomach leapt into her throat as they lifted off. The noise from the engine was much louder than she’d expected, making communication difficult, if not impossible.

  Jay started toward Angel Falls, the direction everyone on the ground would expect them to go. Once they were clear of the immediate area, he veered off to the east.

  After twenty minutes or so, Jay hovered over a wide grassy area not far from the river’s edge. She could see the two men in front of her pointing and discussing something between themselves. They apparently came to an agreement when Damian nodded and Jay took the helicopter down to the ground.

  Paige looked around, searching for the other members of the Saint Squad. No one was in sight.

  As soon as they touched down, Damian climbed out and unbuckled the pilot from his seat. To her surprise, he pulled him out of the helicopter and settled him in the shade of a small tree. After he untied the man’s hands, Damian ran back to the helicopter and took his seat once more.

  “You’re just going to leave him there?” Paige asked, leaning forward and raising her voice to be heard.

  “He’ll be fi
ne. He can follow the river to get back to the village. It just may take him a day or two.”

  “Shouldn’t we leave him some food or something?”

  Jay shook his head. “There’s plenty of fruit around. How do you think Seth and I managed to make it without any rations? Personally, I hope I never see another pineapple again.”

  The moment Damian strapped himself back in, Jay lifted off, called out some coordinates, and headed toward the flat-topped mountains in the distance.

  Not sure what to think of her first helicopter ride, Paige tried to settle back and enjoy the view.

  * * *

  Rodrigo walked through the clearing, leaning down to pick up a piece of camouflage fabric. Palm fronts blanketed the area where the Navy SEALs had supposedly been standing, and several coconuts lay split open by automatic weapons fire.

  Decoys. The men sent to kill the SEALs had shot decoys.

  Now he had to face the unsettling question of how the intended targets had known to create the illusion that they had been killed. Did Andrea Kemper use them as a way to gain Morenta’s trust and ultimately a way to access his financial records, or were these men really that lucky?

  Regardless of the answer, he knew what he had to do. The Saint Squad had to be found. And then they had to die.

  * * *

  “Something must have happened to them,” Tristan said.

  “Maybe they found another cliff they couldn’t scale,” Brent suggested.

  “Are we going to go?” Tristan asked. He lifted a section of the vine rope. For days they had braided long sections together, being careful to intermingle where one began and another one ended so they could extend the length.

  “It’s time we do something,” Quinn insisted. “I can’t sit here any longer.”

  Brent turned and eyed Quinn. “Has anyone ever told you that you need to learn some patience?”

  “Sure. My wife, my mom, my sisters, Tristan.”

  “Have you ever thought about listening to them?”

  Quinn considered the question, then shook his head. “No, not really.”

  “All right, Quinn. Are you volunteering to go first?” Brent asked.

  “Definitely. I’m the shortest of everyone. If I can make it down, you guys should have it easy.”