Iris Johansen - Across the River of Yesterday

"No, it's okay. We have to fight these bushwhackers, remember? If we let them beat us, they hold on forever and we're never safe." He opened his eyes and she could see the moisture as it beaded on his forehead and then rolled down his face. "Just hold me, please?"

"Yes." She was aching, bleeding inside. Julio, dammit, get back here, she thought desperately. "I'm not going anywhere."

"It's all around us. That's what's so bad. Even with my eyes closed, I can hear the night sounds and see…"

They stayed like that for an eternity, holding each other. At least, it seemed like an eternity to Serena. Gideon spoke in fragments, but those fragments drew vivid and heart-wrenching pictures and finally he didn't speak at all. He just sat there and held her as if she were a life preserver thrown out onto a stormy sea.

"It's me." Julio's voice was blessedly cheerful as he called up to them from the ground. "I didn't think I'd risk getting a karate chop when I walked into the house, in case you thought it was the guardia that had stumbled on you."

Serena breathed a sigh of relief. Oh, thank heaven, now Gideon could get out of here.

Gideon's arms loosened and then dropped away from her. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to be a burden to you."

She kissed him quickly, passionately. "Now you are being stupid."

"I seem to be constantly requiring comfort," he said with a crooked smile. "It's a good thing I don't have a particularly macho image of myself, or I'd be having serious ego problems at the moment."

"I've always hated that macho nonsense," Serena said. "And comfort should always go two ways."

"I think so too." There was a hint of sadness in his smile. "I think everything should be shared."

It was clear his words pertained to more than the present situation. She frowned in concern. "Gideon, I know-"

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" Julio stood in the doorway, the beam of his flashlight spotlighting the two of them. "It's time to get moving, Gideon. I brought Ross with me. He's waiting down below."

Serena scrambled to her feet. "Let's go."

Julio glanced at Gideon. "According to what Ross told me, I don't think you and I are included in Gideon's initial plan."

"Why not?" Serena's gaze went to Gideon.

Gideon stood up. "Ross and I have to do some preliminary wrangling with Mendino over the ransom." He didn't look at her. "We don't want the good colonel to become upset, do we? Once we have the situation set up, Julio can storm in for the big rescue." He grinned. "Julio's very good at flamboyant gestures."

"I want to go with you," Serena insisted.

Gideon shook his head. "Your presence would only complicate things. This little transaction won't take long. With any luck, it should be over by dawn. Julio will stay here with you until then."

"You're sure this is how you want to play it?" Julio asked gravely.

"I'm sure." Gideon turned to Serena and kissed her lingeringly. "Don't let this shameless philanderer seduce you. He's not safe when a woman and a mattress are in the same room."

Julio chuckled. "You insult me. Who needs a mattress? Don't worry, I'll take care of her, Gideon."

"I know you will." Gideon gave her another quick kiss. "Good-bye, love."

She opened her lips to protest again, but he was gone. She stared into space. There was something wrong, something about the way…

"It will be all right," Julio said comfortingly. "Gideon can take care of himself."

Her gaze flew to his face. "Why should he have to take care of himself? He said this was merely a negotiation."

"You're jumping at shadows." Julio moved to the window and closed the shutters. "It will be over soon. All we have to do is keep ourselves amused for a few hours." His white teeth gleamed as he smiled. "And, since Gideon is my friend, it eliminates the most obvious and pleasurable pastime." He crossed the room to the rattan chest, lit the hurricane lamp, and then turned off his flashlight. He held the lamp out to her. "Hold this, will you? There's a pack of cards in the chest." He lifted the lid and glanced back over his shoulder. "We'll play poker and get to know each other. Alas, not in the biblical sense." He chuckled. "And perhaps I'll tell you all about the woman who lived in this little house."

"You climb the damn tree. I'm going back to Mariba!"

It was Dane's voice!

Serena tossed the cards she had been shuffling onto the mattress and jumped to her feet. "He got him out! It's Dane, Julio! Gideon managed to get him released. I can't believe it." She tore across the room and flung open the door. "Isn't this wonderful?"

Julio hesitated. "Wonderful."

Serena teetered on the edge of the platform, peering down into the darkness. "Dane, come up here! I want to see you."

There was a short silence then Dane said grudgingly, "Okay, I'm coming up."

Serena backed a few paces to make room on the platform. Then Dane's curly black head appeared in the pool of lamplight issuing from the tree house. Oh thank heavens, he was all rightl His expression was a bit stormy, but he wasn't hurt or… She hurled herself into his arms and hugged him with all her strength. "Damn you, Dane, I hope this will teach you something. The next time someone offers you a bacchanalian revel, check for strings, you idiot."

"There weren't any strings," he protested. "And I had a helluva good time, until that ass Mendino turned into a minor Hitler." He gave her a quick hug and pushed her away. "Thanks for riding to the rescue anyway." He scowled. "And now that you've seen I'm all right, I'm going back to Mariba. I never would have left, if I'd known about the damned deal. I had my party and I'll pay the piper."

"What deal are you talking about?" Serena asked.

"I'm going back for Gideon Brandt," Dane growled. "What do you all think I am? An irresponsible kid? I told you, I had my fun and I'll be the one to pay for it."

Serena went still. "What do you mean, go back for Gideon?"

"Gideon stayed in Mariba," Ross said as he negotiated the last few rungs of the ladder and stepped onto the platform. "He made a deal with Mendino. He promised him another two hundred thousand in ransom, if he'd let Dane go and accept him as hostage instead."

She was terrified. "Why?" Her lips felt numb and her voice sounded wooden. "We were going to free Dane anyway. Julio was- "

"Gideon thought there was an element of risk involved." Ross was choosing his words carefully.

"He didn't believe that he had the right to take that risk since he felt responsible for Dane's predicament. He called me tonight from Santa Isabella and told me to set up the new deal with Mendino."

Dane muttered a low curse.

Serena ignored him, her gaze fastened on Ross's face. "What kind of risk?"

Ross shrugged. "I told you Mendino was unpredictable."

"But what does that mean?" Serena grated out between her teeth.

"It means he wasn't sure which way Mendino would jump when we launched the assault." It was Julio's quiet voice behind her. "He's very volatile and-"

"Julio," Ross said warningly.

"No." Julio moved to stand beside them pn the platform. "She's a strong woman. Don't treat her as if she were a child. I don't think it was fair of Gideon not to tell her what he was planning to do. Women can be a hell of a lot stronger than men when they have to be." He turned to Serena. "He was afraid Mendino would fly into a rage and shoot Dane before we managed to disarm them."

Serena could feel the blood draining from her face. She had thought she couldn't be more frightened, but she was wrong. "Then the same thing will apply to Gideon, won't it? Gideon is in the same danger?"

Julio nodded. "Perhaps even greater danger. Mendino will feel Gideon has made a fool of him."