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She set down the heels and rapidly put on the uniform, her hands shaking, then tucked the heels inside the shirt. They set the masks over their faces, then the helmets. He could hear the unrest outside over Jack’s panicked breathing. Opening the exit door that was thankfully unlocked, he peered out.
People were everywhere and the police were working on getting them contained. The gates were open. The guard they had promised ten K to was standing there looking around nervously. Easy pulled Jack with him. All he had to do was get through that gate, then down the ramp where their vehicle was. He didn’t want to leave without Shark, but Jack’s life hung in the balance. As soon as he pushed through the door, the crowd overwhelmed them, yelling, throwing things, screaming at guards, chanting, “Let them go!”
It was complete chaos, and the guards were overwhelmed. It wouldn’t be long before the military was called in. He had to get her clear of this place. He took off with her, running for the guard. Behind him, El Helicoide spiraled into the dark sky, surrounded by shantytowns, namely one of the most dangerous in Caracas, San Agustin del Sur.
The guy saw them coming and he frowned, moving backward to keep the gate clear. Easy stopped and said, “My buddy should be coming through here in minutes.” He reached beneath the shirt and pulled out his payment just as loudspeakers screeched, then a man’s voice came over the system shouting that the protesters were ordered to disperse, or they would be removed by force. He identified himself as the warden.
When he turned around, Jack was gone.
* * *
Once Shark got backhis bearings, he tried to get to the exit where the door was unlocked and the guard’s uniform waited for him, but as guards streamed into the halls, he realized that they were busted. He tried to raise Easy on the comm, but there was no answer. The warden knew there had been a jailbreak. He heard the guards mumbling about it as he hid in an alcove. He keyed his comm. “LT, I got separated from Easy.”
“What? What’s going on?”
“I’m working my way out of here, but the route I was going to take is cut off. They know she’s missing. They’re going to be after them, and I can’t raise Easy on comms.”
“All right. We’re still at the rendezvous and will stay put until it’s not viable. If anyone can get her out, it’s going to be Easy,” Tex said with confidence. “Get here as fast as you can, and we’ll regroup.”
“Copy that, LT.”
Now that he’d checked in and the team knew his predicament, he looked forward to getting himself out of here. Unencumbered with a terrified and unpredictable woman, it should be a piece of cake.
He went in the opposite direction and suddenly found himself face-to-face with Juan, the guard who had taken them to the locker room for the shoes.
“What are you still doing here?” he hissed. “They are looking for you.”
“Another thousand if you get me a quick way out of here.”
Juan turned without a word and headed down the hall where he unlocked a door with his keys. The door opened to a balcony. Then Juan pulled his shirt off and handed it to Shark. “At least you’ll look like a guard.” Shark offered the money and Juan shook his head. “This is a freebie. So, let this beadiosfor the last time,señor.Comprendre?”
Shark grinned, pulling off his shirt and throwing it to Juan, then donning the guard’s shirt. The name bar on the left-hand side said Acosta. “Let’s hope so.” Pulling his harness and rope out of his pack, he stepped into it and tied the rope around the railing. “When I hit the ground, untie the knot.”
Juan nodded and Shark jumped the railing and started to rappel down the side of El Helicoide. Once at the bottom, the loosened rope dropped past him and coiled at his feet. He spent several precious minutes getting out of the harness and gathering up the rope. He didn’t want to leave a trace. Let those bastards wonder who had sprung their hostage.
Now that he wasn’t in imminent danger, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d let Easy down…again. Even though it wasn’t Twister’s fault, Shark felt an unreasonable anger toward his teammate. Everything seemed to be colored by his actions to save some pirate instead of Easy. He wanted to let it go, but he couldn’t seem to do it. He put it out of his mind as he looked up. Juan waved and disappeared, then Shark slipped into the night like he’d never been there, heavy thoughts on his mind.
* * *
“She’sagringabitch without means. How could you possibly lose her!” Ernesto Ramos glared over his desk at the two men standing near the door looking as if they were going to the gallows. He kept his gaze on them, watching the men sweat, then like a father unwilling to punish his favorite children, he let out a long-suffering breath. “Forget your incompetence.”
He sat forward and grabbed the cut crystal glass of tequila. He sipped the potent liquid as if time stood still for him. “She’s got to be in the city.” He was already cutting off all her avenues of escape.
The men didn’t move.
“That meansfindher,” he barked and his people left the room.
He rose and left his office, going down to the basement of this filthy hellhole. He walked down a long, dark hall where no sunlight or hope ever touched, then went through a door.
Ernesto looked at the man secured to a narrow table.
The American stared at the ceiling, refusing to acknowledge him. He had been the man posing as an embassy stooge. Brian Cole. But Ernesto suspected that wasn’t his real occupation. He looked like special ops to him. He was probably CIA. Blood dripped off the table edge and onto the cement floor in soft splats.
“Who tookSenoritaDevers?”
Cole remained silent, his face swollen and bloody. Ernesto drew a knife from inside his jacket. The man’s eyes flared, but impressively, he didn’t flinch. Not even when Ernesto cut the tendon in his arm.
He clamped his lips tight, his breathing hard through his nose, yet he refused to scream. Not that anyone would hear him. Americans were so goddamned arrogant.
