Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

“Bravski drew me a map.” He pointed to a crooked symbol. “That’s the pine. We can drive through the marsh until we’re about two miles away. Then we’ll go on foot the rest of the way.” He started the car. “But you’ll give Quinn and me an hour head start. We’ll call you if there’s any mound that might be a grave near it and if it’s safe to go after the skeleton.”

Safe?

Eve was sure there wasn’t going to be anything safe about this night.

Jorge Chavez International Airport

Lima, Peru

“You’re late.” Juan Martinez scowled as Gonzalez came up to the gate. “It’s almost time to board the flight. They sent me to take over for you. I’m missing my lunch break.”

“I’m sorry,” Gonzalez said as he went behind the desk. “I was sick.”

“You still look sick.” Martinez’s gaze raked Gonzalez’s face. “You’re pale. Go home. I can handle this.”

Gonzalez shook his head. “I’m better now. Go on and have your lunch. What’s the count?”

“Two hundred thirty-five.”

Gonzalez closed his eyes. “So many?”

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

His eyes flicked open. “I’m fine.” It was a lie. He’d never be fine again. “Go on.”

Martinez hesitated and turned to go. “Call me if you need me.”

“Thank you.” He began to call the flight.

First class first.

He’d be in seat 3C.

What did death look like?

He began to take the boarding passes.

Seat 3C was third in line. Camarez was on the boarding pass.

Dark hair, swarthy skin, dressed in a gray suit. He smiled pleasantly at Gonzalez. “It’s always a pleasure to fly your airline. Everyone is so cooperative.”

Excellent Spanish, not a hint of nerves. Was he on drugs?

“My case,” Camarez said. “I believe security sent it up here?”

Gonzalez stared at him. He could say no. Dear God, he wanted to say no.

He reached beneath the desk and pulled out the black briefcase and handed it to Camarez.

“Thank you.” Then the man was gone, hurrying down the jetway to the plane.

No!

Don’t run after him.

He couldn’t stop him. He had to finish boarding the flight and walk out of the airport.

Martinez would tell everyone that he was ill. No one would be suspicious.

Just finish boarding the flight and walk away.

Don’t look at the passengers getting on the flight. I don’t want to remember the faces.

I’ve made my choice.

God had not saved them all. He would have to do it himself.

I just must not look at their faces.

Joe jumped out of the car and into the knee-deep mud at the side of the road. “Let’s go, Kelsov. I’ll take the guard on the road, then move into the trees. You move east deeper into the marsh.”

Kelsov was already slogging through the mud and disappeared into the trees.

Joe glanced at Eve. “Stay in the car. Don’t get impatient. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to go.”

“We’ll stay unless you’re too long,” Eve said.

Catherine nodded. “And then we come looking.”

Joe shrugged. He hadn’t expected anything else. “I’ll let you know,” he repeated, and moved away from the road into the thicket.

Stay close to the road but out of sight.

Bravski had said he’d seen one of Rakovac’s men on the road several yards north of the twisted pine. That didn’t mean he’d not change his sentry position, but it was reasonable to put a man on the road in case of an approach by auto.

Move silently.

It was easy enough to move through the heavy water and mud with no noise. The problem was usually to not disturb the birds and other animals. That was why he had to creep through the marsh; slowness was of the essence. But he knew how to negotiate swamps. He had done it so many times before. It was bringing back memories of those missions in North Korea when he was a SEAL.

Good. He needed that mind-set.

That was no problem. He was already feeling the surge of adrenaline and the revving of the fierce hunting instinct that was purely primitive. He had loved his stint in the SEALs. He had left the service when he realized he loved it too much. He knew that hunting instinct had to be channeled, or he’d become a savage.

As he was at this moment.

He felt his blood pounding through his veins and his brain open and hyperalert as he searched for the prey.

And there he was.

A tall, burly man carrying an automatic rifle as he stood on the road. He looked bored.

He wouldn’t be bored for long.

Joe moved several yards past the sentry before he started to edge closer to the road.

Slowly.

He took his knife from his holster.

No sound.

Closer.

He had to be almost on top of him before he came out of the water. There was no way to disguise that sound.

Position.

The sentry was oblivious, staring into the marsh.

Joe tensed, gathering his muscles for the spring.

Be swift. Be catlike. Then the knife before the man knew the threat.

Now!

He leaped out of the marsh.

The guard cursed and tried to swing the rifle around.

Too late.

Joe’s knife entered his heart.

He fell to the road.

Get rid of the body in case one of the other guards in the thicket saw him lying on the road.

If they hadn’t already.

Joe pulled the dead man to the edge of the road and pushed him into the marsh. Then he jumped in after him.

One gone.

Go after the other two.

He could feel his heart beating hard as he moved through the mud. He felt complete, invincible. No one could stop him.

“Quinn.”

He whirled, knife ready.

“Easy,” Kelsov whispered. He warily backed away. “I’m on your side. Particularly after watching you take down that guy on the road.”

“Have you located anyone else?”

“One man right after I entered the thicket. He was in a tree. Didn’t want to get his feet wet. I made a few noises, and he reluctantly decided he had to come down and investigate.”

“Dead?”

He nodded. “But there’s supposed to be one more.”

“Then let’s stop talking,” Joe said impatiently. His gaze was raking the trees around them. The hunt hadn’t ended. There was still prey to be had.

Kelsov’s eyes were narrowed on his face. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Joe didn’t answer. He was moving deeper into the marsh. “If you’re coming with me, shut up. I’m not going to get killed because you’re running your mouth.”

“Oh, I’m coming along.” Kelsov waded after him. “I wouldn’t miss it. You put on quite a show.”

“Where are they?”

Eve’s gaze searched the darkness. She could hear the sounds of insects, birds, and night creatures. She was accustomed to those sounds at the lake cottage, but swamps were always different. The sounds were heavier, more exotic, alien. Joe and Kelsov had vanished into that alien growth more than forty-five minutes ago. “I expected to hear something.”

“If you had, then they might really be in trouble,” Catherine said. “Silence is good. Kelsov knows what he’s doing. I’ve been with him in situations like this. And I don’t have to have been with Joe to know that it would be hard to put him down.”

Again, that sense of bonding, Eve thought. But she was in no mood to accept it as comfort. No one knew Joe’s skills better than she did, and she was still scared. “I don’t like-”

Her phone vibrated.

“Get moving,” Joe said. “Three down. There’s a mound by the pine tree. Kelsov is bringing the car closer. One of the men we took down had recently made a call, and I don’t know how much time we have. I’ll meet you at the grave.” He hung up.