He nearly tripped over a sturdy-looking cart on wheels that had been left in front of the opening. Probably designed to carry tools, water, or other necessary supplies to the workers. Dread settled heavily on his shoulders as he surmised what it had been used for most recently. Alex would likely have been unconscious when they reached this point. No doubt Diego had pulled her through the narrow entry on the cart, then must have decided it was easier to carry her until she woke and could walk on her own.
A shudder made Nate twitch as the walls slowly closed in on him and he acknowledged that same loss of control he experienced every time he got on an airplane. He’d never confessed to being claustrophobic, and he’d be damned if he’d start now. It was a matter of choice, and there was really only one choice to be made.
He shimmied out of the hole and brushed the dirt off. “I’m going after them.”
Joe nodded but didn’t look like a man who was agreeing. “I’ve got an idea.” With his cell phone in his hand, he tipped his head toward the floor above. “No signal down here.” He wasted no time getting up the stairs and through the main floor of the house with Nate right on his tail.
The two of them stepped out into the courtyard and the bright sunlight. Ben had evidently called his buddies from the Sheriff’s Department also, and two cruisers, in addition to an ambulance, sat in the middle of the yard. Men were being treated for gunshot wounds everywhere Nate looked, and Jim’s arm was freshly wrapped with a bright white bandage. Two bodies lay encased in black bags. The old coot was talking to the sheriff, pointing as he spoke, and clearly pushing the investigation in the direction he wanted it to go. The aged FBI agent continued to amaze Nate.
Joe dialed his phone and stopped some distance away from the commotion. “Ramon?” He caught Nate’s eye and hit the speaker button. “I’m afraid I need another favor.”
“Anything I have is yours, Joe.” Ramon’s flair for the dramatic flowed easily through the phone.
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ve been wondering about Elena. You haven’t mentioned her since I arrived. Did you think I wouldn’t be curious after my team rescued her from the Verdez Cartel? Or has your sister turned her back on you as she did the rest of her relatives who went into the family business?” Joe’s gaze rested on Nate.
What in the hell was Joe doing? They didn’t have time for a family history lesson, and the vibe from the other end of the phone was much more stilted now. If Joe wasn’t careful, he would anger Ramon and whatever favor they needed from him would go by the wayside.
“My sister is busy. I see her when she has time.” The nervous edge to Ramon’s voice clearly said he didn’t like the topic.
Joe shook his head. “Elena kept in touch with me. Where you didn’t think it was important to share the news of your new endeavor, your sister was much more forthcoming.” Joe’s eyes hardened, as did his voice. “I know how you make your living these days. Running drugs across the border.” He paused, apparently giving his friend a chance to deny the accusation. Silence was all he received.
“I’m not judge and jury, Ramon, but I’m not stupid either. I make it a habit to learn everything there is to know about a mission and the people involved before we ever put boots on the ground. Did you think I wouldn’t find out that Diego is your brother?”
Nate’s full attention settled on Joe. How long had he been holding back that juicy bit of information? And how had he come by it? Nate didn’t doubt the truth of it for a minute, nor that if it hadn’t suddenly become useful in the bid to free Marco, Joe would never have said anything. A man like Joe Reynolds must get used to playing his cards fairly close to his vest. Nate had logged enough undercover hours to understand and respect that.
“He is no longer my brother. We have not spoken since . . . Stephan died.” Sorrow hung on Ramon’s words.
“I grieved with you, Ramon. Remember? Diego stood by while the cartel kidnapped your sister and killed your son, and he did nothing. I don’t blame you for the bad blood between the two of you. I’d feel the same, and that’s why I came to help you save Elena.” Joe’s voice pulsed with sincerity. “Now I need your help, Ramon.”
Nate had known Joe for only a short time, but he’d immediately recognized the man’s deep convictions and his natural inclination to help other people. At first, Nate had difficulty reconciling that with the mercenary lifestyle Joe and his team lived. Of course, having known Ty for years, and trusting him with his life, made it easier for Nate to come around where Joe was concerned. If Ty thought Joe was okay—well, Ty was a pretty good judge of character.
“What is it you need from me, Joe?” Ramon’s heavy sigh carried through the phone.
“Before you and Diego parted ways, you were familiar with his home?”
“Sí.”
“He has two tunnels in his basement. One of them leads west and has been abandoned.” Joe waited.
Another deep sigh came through the phone. “The other is fairly new and leads northeast. When last Diego and I spoke, he was only in the planning stage. I’m sure it’s not finished yet, but eventually it will tunnel under the border.”
“So it doesn’t go anywhere now?”
“Diego wouldn’t be as shortsighted as that. He would always have an escape route . . . a secret exit where he could disappear if necessary.” Ramon paused abruptly as though contemplating how much he should tell them.
“Your brother has Alex. They’re in the tunnel. I need you to help me figure out where he’ll surface . . . and we don’t have a lot of time.” That was the bottom line. Joe waited, gripping the phone, while Nate held his breath as a moment of torturous silence passed.
“Well, why didn’t you say so, my friend? As I told you before, the tunnel is almost certainly still under construction, but a few weeks ago, some of my workers stumbled across the escape route you seek. I can take you there.” Ramon’s hearty laugh ricocheted from the phone.
Joe grinned and ran a hand through his hair as Nate released his breath.
“That’s good news, Ramon. I’ll be right there to pick you up.” Joe ended the call and slapped Nate on the back. “We need Ty.”
NATE SQUEEZED THROUGH the ten feet of tomblike passageway and knelt inside the bigger tunnel as he waited for Ty to follow him. He checked the ammunition in his handgun—an unnecessary chore—but it gave him a few seconds to get a grip on the cloying, skin-crawling, twitchy sensations walking back and forth across his skin.
There’d been no question that he’d go in the tunnel after her, in spite of his aversion to being buried alive. He would just have to suck it up. Ty had a choice, however, but had agreed to accompany Nate without a second thought. Joe, Walker, Rayna, and Ben were on their way to the foothills, a little over a mile away, where Ramon had revealed that the temporary egress lay. Sanchez had taken Marco back to Ramon’s hacienda. Jim was supposed to sit this one out, but Nate would bet he was already on his way to meet the team in the foothills.
The plan was to push Diego hard from behind, leaving him no choice but to bolt for the exit . . . right into the hands of the rest of the team. Sounded simple enough. Sometimes simple worked . . . and sometimes it didn’t.
Ty’s head and shoulders appeared. He squirmed out of the chute, got to his feet, and looked down the long tunnel ahead of them. His glance shot to Nate. “Oh man. I bet you’re loving this.”
Nate grimaced. Ty was the only person, besides his sisters, who knew why Nate hated to fly. It wasn’t that he was thousands of feet above the ground. It was the belly-of-the-whale ambiance, with no way out, that got him every time. Obviously, Ty would understand how hard it was for him to navigate this dark underground passage.
“Seriously, man. Let me get one of the other guys.” Concern, rather than judgment, clouded Ty’s face.
Nate would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted to take the offer, but if he didn’t do this, he
wouldn’t be able to hold his head up, especially if something happened to Alex. Anyway, how bad could it be? It was a mile, give or take. They’d be moving fast. If everything went as planned, they’d be out of here in less than thirty minutes. He could do that.
Nate shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine in a second.”
Ty scratched his head, then easy laughter broke free and drifted from wall to wall.
“What’s so funny?” Nate pushed to his feet and twisted around to study his friend.
“I see what’s going on.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” Nate tried to keep the irritation from his voice.
“You . . . and Alex. You got a little thing going?” A huge smile animated Ty’s face.
Nate blew out a breath he hoped sounded just scornful enough. “A little thing? What? Are we in high school? Alex and I might be a little less combative than we used to be, but don’t suggest that to her. I might even go so far as to say we’re friends. If you’re thinking there’s anything else going on, you’ve got shit for brains.” Nate didn’t have time to analyze why he was lying to his former partner. For the last several minutes, fear had clamped its icy grip on his heart, and giving voice to his current emotions wouldn’t help anyone, least of all him.
Ty simply stared while amusement sparkled in his eyes. Finally, he threw his head back and laughed. “You’re so full of it, Nate.”
Aw, hell. Nate turned and set a quick pace down the dimly lit corridor, which seemed to be chiseled from solid rock and closed in around him as he walked. He never could put anything over on his friend. That’s why they’d worked so well together and why he’d been so pissed when Ty had suddenly left the force and went to work for Joe.
Ty caught up and fell in behind him, single-file. “I snagged a couple flashlights from Walker’s backpack.” He fished in his pocket and passed one of the lights to Nate.
Nate could tell he was still smirking without even looking. “I suppose you’d think I was nuts if I did . . . have a thing for her, right?”
“Not at all, buddy. I’d be happy for you both.” Ty sounded serious, but Nate didn’t turn around to make sure.
They walked for several minutes in silence. Nate strained to catch a glimpse of movement in his field of vision. It was surprisingly cool in the tunnel, and fresh air was evidently funneled in from somewhere. In spite of that, perspiration beaded on his face and ran down his back as he pushed on.
He stopped suddenly, eliciting a four-letter word from Ty that he barely heard.
“A little advance notice would be good,” Ty said.
“There’s a body up ahead.”
Ty peered around him. “How can you tell in this light? It could be a pile of dirt.”
Nate hastened forward. “I can recognize a body when I see one.” God, don’t let it be Alex.
ALEX’S DREAMLIKE FREEFALL ended abruptly when her body slammed into something cold and unyielding. Her forehead bounced once and pain shot through her head and neck. A warm trickle rolled toward her eye, and she groaned with the effort to locate her hand and figure out why she couldn’t raise it to wipe the blood away.
Her hands were tied behind her back, numb from lack of circulation. She’d been in the hacienda . . . with Marco. Where was he? The stinging in her neck . . . had been some kind of a dart. She hadn’t been able to get her legs to cooperate, but she’d told the boy to run. Was he safe? She groaned again as her memory flooded back, amplifying the throbbing in her head.
“Get up. I’m tired of carrying you.” Diego stood over her, his face twisted into a scowl. “We’ve got a ways to go yet. You cost me the boy, but don’t worry. You’ll make it up to me.” He grabbed her arms and yanked her to her feet.
Alex swayed dangerously and probably would have toppled over if Diego hadn’t steadied her. She bit her lower lip and resisted the urge to twist away from his grip. She’d have to give the appearance of cooperation if she was going to get out of this alive. There was no way to tell if she still had her knife, and with her hands so numb, she wouldn’t be able to wield it effectively anyway. She had to convince him to untie her.
“Move—that way.” He gestured behind her.
Alex turned and stumbled down the tunnel ahead of him. She walked for what seemed like several minutes, moving her hands as best she could within their bindings. Gradually, the feeling began to come back.
Thank God Marco had gotten away. He’d be safe with Nate and the rest now . . . and she only had to concentrate on getting herself out of here.
She continued to put one foot in front of the other, forcing herself to move, for a few more minutes before she stopped abruptly. “Please take the ropes off. I can’t feel my hands.” Alex turned and met his gaze, but then dropped hers, instinctively recognizing what he wanted—her submission. She would give him what he seemed to need in order to feel like a man—up to a point.
He stepped closer and rubbed his fingers along her jaw. “Why should I trust you? It’s true you are only a woman, and there’s nowhere for you to run. But perhaps I prefer my women bound and helpless.” Diego laughed.
Scorn curled her lip before she could stop herself. “I’ll just bet you do. That’s probably the only way you can get laid. You wouldn’t know what to do with a woman who was free and able to make her own choices. A woman like that would scare you to death.” She’d let her anger get the best of her, and now she couldn’t take back what she’d said. Oh well. She wasn’t about to anyway.
His eyes narrowed in a murderous glare. For a few seconds, it was so quiet in the tunnel, she could hear the timbers creaking. The next instant he laughed—a head-thrown-back, loud, you-got-me kind of a laugh. He pulled a knife from a sheath on his belt and held it to her throat.
She stood still, her gaze fixed on his. If he wanted to kill her, he could bring it on. The steel of his knife would be preferable to any other way he might touch her.
Diego drew the blade back and forth along the base of her throat. Suddenly, he whipped her around and sliced through the ropes binding her wrists.
Alex shook out her arms, rubbed her hands together, and clenched her fingers as though the feeling hadn’t already returned. Diego didn’t need to know that just yet.
“You’re wrong about me, Alex. I have broken stronger women than you. You may be free for a short time, but know that I will kill you if you try anything. Now let’s go.”
She moved out, gradually picking up the pace. Taking stock of her surroundings was easy. Obviously, they were in a tunnel. Was it the one Ty guarded? She wouldn’t learn the answer to that question unless they ran into him, but she would be ready just in case. Until then, she might as well assume she was on her own. She could wait for a chance to get the jump on Diego, but it would be difficult to pull off in this underground passageway with no place to hide.
“Where are we going?” Engaging him in conversation might get him to let his guard down further. If she could convince him she was cooperating—play to his ego—perhaps she could change the odds. His obvious belief that women were incapable of intelligent thought would make this child’s play if the right opportunity presented itself.
“We’ll find a place close by until the heat is off. Then we’ll take a trip to Mexico City. I can get top dollar for you there.”
Alex stopped, barely able to breathe as her stomach churned in revulsion and an icy chill sent an involuntary tremor through her. No way would she become the property of someone else again.
Diego moved up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. “Don’t worry, mi querida. We’ll have time to get to know each other first.” His breath teased the hair on her neck just before he bit her. A small cry of surprise and pain escaped, and she twisted to free herself. He tightened his hold cruelly and pulled her against him, grinding his erection into her lower back.
His lips sucked at he
r neck as he brought one hand up to squeeze and fondle her breasts. His thumb was close enough for her to bite . . . and bite she did, drawing blood and a long screech from Diego.
She jerked away, but she hadn’t even taken a step when he grabbed her hair and yanked her off balance. She fell, her hip taking the brunt of the impact, and she inhaled sharply at the scalding pain that numbed her leg. The next instant, he was on her, rolling her to her back and pinning her beneath him. He slapped her hard, snapping her head to the side, then captured her wrists and stretched them over her head while he leered down at her.
“Don’t fight me, Alex. It will be less painful for you if you cooperate. If you please me, I might even keep you for a while.”
Over my dead body! Alex clamped her lips closed as his mouth descended on hers. He ground his open lips against hers, using his tongue in an effort to pry hers apart. She bucked and thrashed her lower body, trying to unseat him, but he only gripped her tighter between his legs.
Suddenly, Diego let up trying to open her mouth, licking her lips almost gently instead, then took her lower lip between his teeth and bit down. Even though he wasn’t hurting her yet, Alex cried out, and allowed her lips to part just enough. The instant his tongue pushed into her mouth, she bit down on the tip as hard as she could and hung on.
Diego growled and wrenched back. A mere inch from her face, he glowered at her. “You bitch!”
Alex swung her head forward, slamming her forehead into the bridge of his nose, eliciting a gruesome crunching sound. Diego reared back and rolled off her. With one hand, he held his bloodied nose while his other arm flailed to grab her and hold her down.
She rolled away from him and bounded to her feet. A steady stream of epitaphs came from Diego as he fought to stand, muffled by the hand that cradled his nose. Alex backed away until she came up against the tunnel wall. Bending slightly, she raised her right leg and breathed a sigh of relief as her fingers met the cold steel in her boot.
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