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He hurried through the brush and trees, emerging near the loading ramp at the back of the hotel.
As he came out into the open, taillights flashed as a dark SUV sped away.
Ace ran after it, but it was gone before he could catch up. Not that he could have stopped it.
“Fuck!” Ace yelled.
“What happened?” Fearghas asked as he ran up beside Ace. “Where’s Jasmine?”
“An SUV just pulled away. She has to be in it.” His hands clenched into fists. “Demopoulos got to her.”
Dmytro arrived in time to hear Ace’s words. He was breathing hard when he asked, “So, the Greek has Jasmine?”
Ace nodded.
“And the copper scroll?” Fearghas asked.
Ace jammed a thumb toward the backpack strapped to his shoulders. “I have the scroll. I switched it out of her bag and put it in mine.”
Dmytro muttered something in Ukrainian.
Ace’s heart sank to the pit of his gut. “He’ll kill her when he finds out she doesn’t have the scroll.”
Fearghas stood staring at the empty loading area. “He won’t kill her.” He faced Ace. “Not as long as you have the scroll.”
Dmytro nodded. “Jasmine is their leverage with you. Demopoulos will want to make a trade. Her life for the scroll.”
“And if I give Demopoulos the scroll to get Jasmine back, her son could die,” Ace said aloud. She’d never forgive me.
“Do we go after Demopoulos or Bertolli?” Fearghas asked.
Ace’s jaw hardened. As much as he loved Jasmine, if anything happened to her son, she’d never forgive him or herself.
“We go after the kid,” Ace said. “As we all promised Jasmine.”
Dmytro’s brow furrowed. “Are you going to trade the scroll for the boy?”
“Not if I can help it,” Ace said. “We’ll get the boy out, then go after Demopoulos.”
“What if he demands the trade before we get the child out?” Fearghas asked.
“We’ll think of something.” Ace turned to Dmytro. “You said you have a contact here?”
Dmytro nodded. “I do.”
“Then let’s find him. We’ll need to know how to get into Bertolli’s compound, preferably before sunrise. I could use a weapon. And if your contact has any idea where Demopoulos has taken Jasmine, that would be more than great.”
Dmytro tipped his head toward the hotel. “I will meet with my contact. You will stay out here…?”
Ace nodded. “We’ll wait here.” He met Dmytro’s gaze. “I don’t have to tell you to hurry.”
Dmytro nodded and sprinted around the side of the hotel.
Ace and Fearghas stepped out of the open and back into the shadows.
“What about the guys we left tied up on the beach?” Fearghas asked.
Ace’s lips pressed into a tight line. “I’d kill them, but then we might get tied up with the local authorities.”
