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It’s dark when I come to. The fire has died down, but I can still smell it. Embers are burning at the far edge of the pool. I lift my head from the rotting log behind me, checking my surroundings. There’s no one else here. They must have thought I was dead.
That’s the error that will destroy Piper. His men made an assumption, couldn’t be bothered to climb down to make sure. My men wouldn’t have gone home until they found a body, no matter how charred.
I’ve been out for hours. They could have shot me and I wouldn’t have even seen it coming. Now I’m back in the land of the living and getting to my feet, getting stronger by the minute.
I might be in pain, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is I can hear someone shouting my name.
I listen. It’s Alessandro, calling from up at the top of the ravine. The light of a flashlight moves past me, raking back and forth across the undergrowth. “Down here,” I yell up to him.
“Stay where you are. I’m coming down.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I manage to limp out of the swamp to drier land, taking stock of my injuries. Nothing appears broken. My head is hurting and there’s a lump on the back of my skull, sticky with dried blood. Cuts cover my face but they’ve stopped bleeding too.
The stitches from my bullet wound are ripped open. I’m guessing the filthy water might have given me an infection but I can deal with that later. I clench my fists. All my fingers are working. Swollen but working. I can stand but my right ankle isn’t at its best. Each step causes lancing pain. It’s either fractured or sprained.
I’m hoping Alessandro has painkillers. Without them the drive to find Anna is going to be agony. Maybe he can drive. I’ll concentrate on shooting when we get to her.
The flashlight gets closer, weaving down the edge of the ravine. I head toward it, grunting in pain as I reach Alessandro.
He takes one look at me and then shakes his head. “How are you alive?” he asks.
“Born lucky,” I reply.
“We need to get you to a doctor.”
“Later. Anna’s been taken.”
“What? Where?”
“Piper’s men found us. I don’t know how, but they did. Where’s your car?”
“Up top. I turned up at the cabin, but there was no one there. I saw the tracks leading up to the edge.”
“They ran me off the road, but they didn’t think to check I was dead. Help me up.”
“This way. There’s a rabbit trail leading to the top. You all right to walk?”
“I’ll make it. Just take it slow.”
We start to climb. I follow in his footsteps, taking my time, not wanting to fall back down and ruin any chance I have of saving Anna.
By the time we get to the top, I’m coated in sweat. I slump into the passenger side of the car. Alessandro gets in and starts the engine. “Where are we going?” he asks.
“Start with Piper’s house. If he’s there, I’ll make him talk.”
“You’re sure? What if they see you and shoot you?”
“In the middle of the city? With an election coming up? He wouldn’t be that dumb. Get moving.” I lay back and close my eyes, trying to ignore the pain. I need to be able to focus until I get her back. Then I can go to sleep for as long as I want, maybe forever. Once I know she’s safe, nothing else will matter.
It takes a long time to get to the city. I feel a nudge and I open my eyes. Alessandro is shoving my shoulder. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. We’re here.”
He turns the corner and I know we’re in trouble. Rolling out of Piper’s front gate are two vans. One is going left, the other right.
“Which one do I follow?” Alessandro asks.
