“What are you going to do?” Elena was beside them.
“Put on this harness.” He threw two canvas harnesses at her. “And put one on Dominic. Carmichael is going to drop a line and pull us away from the mountain and then into the copter. The harnesses fasten onto the O ring on the line. Then it’s up to them to use the winch to pull us up.”
“He’s going to pull us off this mountain into the air?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Galen tossed a harness to Forbes. “I wasn’t expecting this many people, so I’ve told Carmichael to drop another harness with the line. It’s good strong equipment. It’s the same issue used by the Special Forces for difficult extractions.”
Elena had finished putting the harness on the priest and was putting on her own. “Have you used them before?”
“Hell, yes. I never take a chance on everything going right. It usually doesn’t.” He checked the fastenings of all the harnesses before he waved to Carmichael. “We have to stagger the ascent. You and Dominic go first. Forbes and I will clip on the second rung. I’ll take the kid.”
“Is Carmichael dropping a harness for Barry?”
“We don’t have a harness that will fit him, so I’ll tie him to me and hold tight.”
“No, I’ll take him.”
“This wind is blowing up a gale and it’s going to get worse when the helicopter is overhead. You’re strong, but I’m stronger. It’s a fact of life that men have more upper-body strength, and you’re wounded. He’s safer with me.” He smiled. “And I know what would happen to me if I dropped him. I’d never make it onto that helicopter.”
She didn’t want to admit he was right. She didn’t want Barry’s safety depending on anyone but her.
But he was stronger. She had found that out when they struggled. With this wound she couldn’t chance Barry being torn from her arms. “You’re absolutely right. If anything happens to him, you won’t survive either.”
“Comforting.” He went around to where Barry was still sitting in the jeep. Galen squatted down beside him. “Pretty exciting stuff, huh?” He smiled at the little boy. “Are you afraid?”
“No.” He looked at Elena. “But Mama is worried.”
“That’s because she doesn’t understand. She thought we were just going to take a plane ride. But it’s going to be even better.” He lowered his voice. “We’re going to fly.”
Barry’s eyes widened. “Like Peter Pan?”
“You know about him? Of course you do. And Tinker Bell?”
Barry nodded.
“But we can’t exactly flit like them. We have to have a rope to swing on. The helicopter is going to pull us along for a while and then bring us up. Your mama is going first, and then you and I are going to fly together.”
Barry’s gaze went to the edge of the mountain. “It’s a long way down. Are you sure we won’t fall?”
“Look at me.” Galen held the boy’s eyes with mesmerizing force. “We won’t fall. I promise you. Like your mother said, it will be a grand adventure. Will you come with me?”
Barry stared at him gravely. “Mama will be safe? She won’t fall either?”
“Your mama will be safe.”
A sudden luminous smile lit the child’s face. “When can we go?”
Galen laughed, stood up, and lifted him from the jeep. “Right now.” He pointed to the helicopter, whose side door was opening. “You stand right here while I get your mother and Father Dominic fastened up.”
“Can I help?” Barry asked eagerly.
“No, you just keep an eye on the helicopter for me.”
Galen had practically hypnotized Barry, Elena thought in amazement. Talk about Peter Pan.
He grabbed the harness Carmichael dropped, put it on, and then spaced a twenty-foot length from Elena’s position before clipping his and Forbes’s harnesses onto the line.
“Shit.” Forbes’s gaze was on the road. “Cars. Only a few minutes away.”
“It might be enough time.” Galen waved at Carmichael and then grabbed Barry and tied him securely to his body. “All set, lad?”
Barry nodded as his arms slid around Galen’s neck. “I just hold on?”
He lifted his thumb to signal Carmichael. “You just hold on. See, there goes your mama.…”
Elena tried to keep an eye on Barry below her, but the wind was too strong. It was twirling her like a top as the helicopter lifted her and spun away from the mountain.
The figures looked like puppets dancing on the end of a cord.
Gomez lifted his gun. “I’ll try for the gas tank of the helicopter.”
“No!” Chavez struck his hand. “If the helicopter goes down, so does my son.” He could feel the rage tear through him, choking him. “See if you can get a good shot at the woman. Blow her head off.”
Gomez aimed carefully and then lowered the gun. “Too far away. And she’s almost up to the helicopter door. If you don’t want the chopper downed, I can’t risk it.”
They were almost gone from view. The bitch had stolen his son not once but twice. She had won.
No, he wouldn’t accept that.
“Find out who helped her. Did you recognize any of the men?”
“No, but I’ll check with the men in the other car. One of them might have gotten a better look.”
He turned away from the cliff. “Do it. Find out who helped her. They’re going to pay for what they’ve done.”
Barry was laughing as they pulled him into the helicopter. “I flew, Mama.” He hurled himself at Elena after Galen unhooked him. “Wasn’t it fun? Can we go again?”
“Maybe someday. But not quite like this.” She gave him a hug. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I did.” He turned to Galen. “Thank you very much.”
Galen nodded solemnly. “You’re very welcome. It was my pleasure.” He shook hands with the two men who’d manned the winch. “Good job.” He turned to Elena. “Tad Pullman and Dave Jebb, Elena.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Galen said to Barry, “Would you like to go up and meet the pilot who gave us such a great ride?”
“Please,” he said eagerly. “Carmichael?”
“Yes, that’s his name.” He looked at Elena. “May I?”
She nodded curtly. Dominic was stirring and she didn’t want Barry to be present when he found out what had happened.
Forbes was staring out the window down at the ground below. “Come here for a moment, Elena.”
She went to the window. “What’s wrong? Is there—”
Black smoke. Flames spiking up against the sky.
“Dominic’s house?”
“Yes,” she whispered. All those memories of Barry’s childhood—gone, destroyed in one cruel act. She closed her eyes for a moment until the pain subsided. “We’re not going to tell Barry.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So am I. I have to break it to Dominic. He spent six years in that house. It was his home too.” She sat down beside Dominic and leaned back against the fuselage. She could feel the craft vibrate against the muscles of her spine, and she shifted to ease the pressure. Her wound was throbbing again and she felt a little light-headed.
Hold on. She could let go soon. But it wasn’t safe yet.
She closed her eyes and waited for Dominic to wake.
“You shouldn’t have let Galen do it,” Dominic said.
“It was done before I realized what was happening.” Elena was silent for a moment. “But I won’t lie to you. I would have done it myself. I was planning on it.”
He shook his head. “You can’t take people’s choices away from them, Elena.”
“I can if it means keeping them alive. I don’t have that many people in the world that I care about. I won’t let any of you be taken from me.”
He smiled crookedly. “Even if it means taking us on one by one.”
“Chavez burned your house. He would have killed you.”
“I’m no novice at hide-and-seek. Remembe
r all those years I spent with the guerrillas. I’m just a little out of practice.”
“Chavez wouldn’t have given you the opportunity to regain any lost skills. He would have tracked you down and butchered you. He’ll do anything to hurt me now.”
“Now?” He reached out and gently touched her cheek. “He’s already tried hard to ruin your life.”
“He didn’t care before. It didn’t mean anything to him. I was only an amusement.” She added bitterly, “I guarantee he’s not amused now.” She took his hand, her voice vibrating with feeling. “I know you’re thinking about not getting on that plane in Medellín. Please come with us. What would happen to Barry if I don’t get through this? We need you.”
“You have Forbes and Galen.”
“They’re strangers. They don’t care anything about him. He’s only a pawn to them.” Her grasp tightened. “Come with us for a few weeks, a month. You’ve given me six years. Just give me a little more time.”
“Elena …”
“I’m begging you,” she said unevenly. “Just until Chavez is caught.”
He sighed and then slowly nodded. “A few months. Then I have to get back.”
“Thank God.” She let her breath out in a profound sigh of relief. “And thank you, Dominic.”
“Since when do there have to be thanks between us? Now, where is Barry? I’ve got to show him I’m alive and stirring.”
She nodded at the front of the helicopter. “Galen has him.”
He flinched as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Galen seems to be taking charge in a number of ways.”
“Only until we get to the U.S. Then we’re done with him. Forbes told me he only brought him into the picture to get us out.”
“That may not be such a good thing. He seems to be a handy man to have around. You’re going to be on unfamiliar ground and you’re going to need help.”
“Forbes will take care of things. We made a deal and he’ll keep it.” She glanced out the window. “I think we’re descending. We must be landing in Medellín.”
“So she persuaded him to come along.” Forbes’s gaze was fastened on Dominic and Barry, who were hunched over a game of checkers toward the front of the jet. “I wasn’t sure she’d be able to do it.”
“She would have moved heaven and earth to see that he wasn’t left behind.” Galen’s gaze shifted to Elena, who was sitting by herself across the aisle. She was bolt upright, staring straight ahead, her muscles locked into place. “And she’s got a damn strong will. I don’t know how she’s even managing to sit up.” He stood. “But I believe it’s time to pull the plug.”
Elena stiffened warily when he crossed to stand beside her. “Yes?”
“Time to go to bed.” Galen checked his wristwatch. “It will be at least seven hours before we reach the coast. There’s a sleeping compartment and bathroom behind those curtains. Go and hit the sack until we get there.”
“I’m fine here.”
“Bullshit. You’re just afraid you’ll fall apart if you relax. Go on and lie down. I’ll get some painkillers and bring them to you.”
“I won’t have Barry worried.”
“He won’t be worried. I’ll take care of it. He’ll be more worried if you collapse. He’s going to an entirely new environment. He’ll need you to be able to help him adjust.”
“I’ll be able.”
“Right.” He helped her to her feet. “If you get some rest. You don’t look so good.” He gave her a push toward the curtains. “Wash your face and try to get comfortable. I’ll give you a few minutes.”
“Your concern is touching.”
“I’m not concerned. It’s a matter of professional pride.” He moved down the aisle toward Dominic and Barry. “You were my assignment, and I have to make sure you’re still alive and kicking when I bow out.”
Elena moved her cheek, trying to find a cooler place on the pillow. There wasn’t any coolness. So hot …
“Here I come. Ready or not.” Galen had pulled back the curtains and entered the enclosure.
Elena sat up quickly on the bed. “What do you want?”
“Nothing to be alarmed about. Don’t you remember? I was going to bring you something to ease the pain. You don’t have to be defensive.”
How else did he expect her to be, she thought hazily. Every minute that he was in the room she was aware of who he was, what he was. No, not what he was. She doubted if anyone knew what lay beneath the surface, but she knew he was dangerous and could be totally ruthless. Though he didn’t look dangerous. He was lean and fit and his sparkling dark eyes held both humor and intelligence. Some women would have called him handsome. It wasn’t until you studied him that you saw the threat.
He drew the curtains shut behind him. “Your cheeks are flushed. You probably have a fever. Unbutton your shirt and let me look at my handiwork.”
She didn’t move.
He came forward. “I need to change your bandage and make sure you haven’t broken any stitches.” He pulled two containers of pills out of his pocket. “Then, if you’re a good girl, I’ll give you a couple penicillin pills to fight the infection.”
She stiffened. “I don’t have to be a good girl. Neither Forbes nor Dominic would let you withhold medicine from me.”
“It was just a turn of phrase.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “What did you think I meant?”
She didn’t answer.
“You thought I was talking about sex.” His lips twisted. “You must be out of your head. I’m not that hard up.”
“Men don’t have to like a woman or even find her attractive to want to screw her. They only see us—they use us. You know that.”
“I don’t know that. And I don’t like to be lumped in with the rest of mankind. It hurts my ego. Don’t generalize.”
“Why not? You’re generalizing about me, aren’t you? Whenever you spoke to Forbes about me, you were thinking, A woman like her.” She added fiercely, “Well, I’m not like anyone but myself, and I value who I am. You can hurt me and you can fuck me and I’ll still be Elena Kyler. Not some whore or worthless piece of—”
“Shh,” Galen said. “Hey, you’re shaking so badly you’ll break my stitches.”
He was right. Her whole body was shaking. Stop it. Don’t show weakness. Not in front of Galen. “I’m not shaking.”
“Sure you are. Perfectly understandable. You’re not well.”
“I don’t need your understanding.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that I’m chock-full of it. It’s one of my finest qualities. Now that we’ve established that I’m not going to rape you, unbutton your shirt. You’re not showing me anything I didn’t see back at Dominic’s house, and considering your background, you can’t be that shy.”
“Considering what kind of woman I am?”
“That really seems to be bothering you.”
“I have value.”
“Who said you didn’t?” He studied her face. “Or who acted as if you didn’t? What happened to you in that prison?”
“Nothing that I didn’t choose to happen. They wanted to break me. They didn’t do it. They couldn’t do it.”
“You’re telling me too much. It’s the fever talking. You’ll regret it when you’re better.” He sat down beside her and unbuttoned her shirt. “Just one look and then I’ll get out.”
She sat ramrod straight, staring over his shoulder at the wall.
“Not too much blood on the bandage considering the amount of movement, and the stitches held. Not that I’d expect anything else.” He buttoned her shirt again. “You said that you’d been wounded before. How many times?”
“Badly?” She tried to think through the haze of heat and pain that was beginning to close around her. “One bullet wound in the leg when I was twelve. My father said it would never have happened if I’d been careful. Another in the left arm when I was sixteen. I’d learned by then, and that one wasn’t my fault. A bayonet graze in my left side when I was twenty. This is th
e fourth.”
His lips tightened. “Isn’t it convenient that you can mark the rites of passage from childhood to adulthood by the wounds of war? I’m sure not many women can do that.”
“And how did you mark your rites of passage, Galen?”
“You wouldn’t want to know. I’ll get some water for you to take the pills.”
“I can get it myself.”
“But then you wouldn’t get the pleasure of having me wait on you.” He disappeared into the bathroom and came back with a glass of water. He opened the containers and handed her the pills. “Swallow them.”
She stared at him defiantly but swallowed the pills and set the glass on the table.
He paused before going through the curtains. “You have seven hours to nap and get that fever down. You wouldn’t want me to have to carry you off the plane in San Francisco. Think how humiliating that would be.”
“I wouldn’t be humiliated. I’d take what I had to take from you.”
He gazed at her thoughtfully for a moment. “You’d do anything for the boy, wouldn’t you?”
“Anything.”
“I could almost pity Forbes.” He didn’t wait for an answer before he went through the curtains.
Elena lay back down and took a deep breath. She felt exhausted and she wasn’t sure if it was from the fever or dealing with Galen. She had thought he was like the mercenaries she’d known in the past, but he was much more complicated. It was strange that he had tried to stop her from revealing too much about herself because he’d known she would be ashamed of the weakness later. She was ashamed. She should not have babbled. Fever, exhaustion, fear of what was to come, horror of the past … She should still have retained control.
She would be stronger after she rested. She would push the thought of Galen out of her mind so that she could nap and be strong for Barry when she woke. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.
Christ, she hoped she wouldn’t dream of Chavez.
“Is Elena all right?” Dominic asked as Galen dropped down in the seat beside him.
“Not exactly fighting fit.” Galen glanced at Barry, who was now tucked under a blanket and sound asleep on a seat across the aisle. “But she won’t admit it. I think she’s been through more than she can handle right now.”