Page 33 of The Search

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Logan stretched out on his bedroll and closed his eyes.

Death.

Galen was right. It had been a long time for Logan, but he hadn’t felt a moment of hesitation. He had always believed in an eye for an eye. Primitive but fair.

Rudzak understood that philosophy. He had waited almost fifteen years to get Logan, and he was out there now, salivating.

Logan had gone over and over in his mind the possible targets. Which one would Rudzak pick next?

Screw him. No use worrying about future targets until Bassett was free and he had Sarah, Monty, Galen, and his team to help do that job.

And seven out of ten odds weren’t that bad.

Seven out of ten.

Sarah stared into the darkness as she heard Logan lie down across from her. Those were good odds, better than what she had gone up against in a dozen situations in her life. And the chances of survival for her and Monty had to be even greater because their part would be finished the moment Rudzak’s camp was located. She would have no part in the attack, and even if Logan and Galen were captured or killed, she and Monty had the training and experience to survive alone in the jungle.

Jesus, that was cold.

No, it wasn’t. She had a perfect right to preserve her life and that of Monty with no sense of guilt. She liked Galen, but he had been hired to do a job and evidently he was a mercenary who was paid well to take his chances. As for Logan, he was the one who had drawn all of them into this web. Even if his motive in rescuing his employee was compassionate, his methods were certainly not. No, she was in this alone and would act accordingly.

Monty whimpered and put his head on her arm, sensing her tension. She reached out to stroke, quiet him. No, she wasn’t alone. Not as long as she had Monty. “Go to sleep, boy.”

Scared?

She was scared. She’d been scared since the moment she’d caught sight of that burned-out research facility. Premonition?

Hell, no. Imagination.

But Monty wouldn’t believe that, not when he could feel the tension tightening her muscles.

She gently stroked his throat. “A little, but it’s okay.”

He relaxed. Monty knew about fear. How sometimes you had to keep on going even if you were scared. Once he’d crawled down a tunnel in a crushed parking garage when he’d caught scent of a victim. She’d gone in after him and the shaft had crashed down behind them. There had been no going back, and there had been nothing but darkness and fear ahead. She had felt Monty trembling beside her and could smell his fear and her own. He could have frozen, but he’d crawled on his belly through the long tunnel, guiding her until she could see light ahead.

If they survived that nightmare, they could survive anything.

And seven out of ten odds weren’t bad at all.

“Wake up. It’s time to leave.”

Sarah’s eyes flew open to see Logan’s face above her. “Okay.” She sat up and threw aside her blanket. “Monty.”

Monty stretched and then trotted over to the nearest tree to take care of morning business.

“Here’s your backpack.” Logan dropped it beside her. “I took a few bottles out and put them in mine. I didn’t have room for many.”

“I don’t need your help. I could have managed.”

“I wasn’t being gentlemanly.” Logan was smiling, but the words were crisp. “I can’t afford to have you falling behind.”

She put on the backpack. “I won’t fall behind. You worry about keeping up with me. This stroll through the jungle is going to be a little more demanding than playing tennis at one of your fancy country clubs.” She looked around and suddenly realized they were the only two in the clearing. “Where’s Galen?”

“He went on ahead.”

“Why?”

“To take care of a few things. We have information that Rudzak may have set up a decoy camp about ten miles to the west. Galen will join us later.”