Iris Johansen - Across the River of Yesterday

"No, I…" She stopped and then smiled reluctantly. "Well, maybe, but I would have chosen a more convenient time."

"I decided I might not get another chance. You might say the people of Castellano are a bit upset with the military. Those two might not have been around once the government fell."

The scaffold was now even with the roof, and Julio jumped onto the black tarred surface and then steadied the metal cord, which was fastened around the huge air-conditioning pump, as the other three left the scaffold.

"What now?" Gideon asked.

"We wait." Julio checked his watch. "But not for long, I hope."

"As long as we're not doing anything, why don't I run down and help Ross?" Dane asked. "All of this was kind of tame compared to the job you gave him."

"Tame?" Serena echoed blankly. "Blowguns, and scaffolds swinging hundreds of feet in the air? Tame?"

"Well, there's no real contact involved." Dane frowned discontentedly. "I was a little disappointed in you, Julio. I thought you'd provide more interesting entertainment."

"I'll try to do better in future," Julio said solemnly. He smothered a smile as he turned away and shaded his eyes, "You don't have to worry about Ross. His orders were to make a diversion and then get out. There wasn't much risk involved. Besides, I'm afraid you won't have time to join Ross at present." He pointed to a blue and white helicopter on the horizon. "There's our transport."

"Thank heavens," Serena murmured. All they needed was to lose Dane again.

The helicopter zoomed in, hovered, and then landed with pinpoint accuracy on the roof.

"Beautiful," Julio said admiringly. "I couldn't have done it better." He started for the helicopter. "You haven't lost your touch, Jeffrey." He opened the passenger door. "Wonderful landing, considering the wind up here."

"Wonderful landing, period," the pilot said flatly. "I thought I'd show you how it's done by the real pros, kid." His curly brown hair was torn by the wind as he stuck his head out the window. "Gideon, get them into the copter and let's move out."

Gideon, Serena, and Dane were already hurrying toward the helicopter. Julio had climbed into the seat beside the pilot, and the other three scrambled into the rear. Then the helicopter was lifting, turning, and speeding off over the rooftops of Mariba.

"Serena, Dane, this is Jeffrey Brenden," Julio said over his shoulder. "Jeffrey and I were partners in the air charter business, until he decided to retire." He grinned teasingly at the older man. "I decided he needed his red corpuscles revitalized, so I asked him to make the pickup. I didn't want the old man to get stale, vegetating on his coffee plantation."

"You asked me to make the pickup because I'm the best pilot in the Caribbean," Jeffrey corrected. "Even you would have had trouble with that wind."

"Maybe," Julio admitted. "Now let's see if you can do as good a job landing in the glade by Kate's tree house."

"A piece of cake, my boy." Jeffery smiled and turned the helicopter with faultless skill. "Just watch me."

It was almost over. Serena leaned back and closed her eyes. They were all safe, and soon it would be over. Her muscles suddenly felt as if they had dissolved into gelatin.

"All right?" Gideon's hand covered hers.

"Yes." She opened her eyes. "I guess I'm suffering from aftershock." She smiled shakily. "It's been quite a morning."

"Did you see that helicopter land?" Dane's gaze was narrowed on Julio and Jeffrey quietly bantering in the cockpit and his tone was speculative. "Smooth as glass. I wonder how it feels to be able to do that."

Serena groaned inwardly. Knowing Dane, she was very much afraid he would soon be moved to find out.

She heard Gideon's amused chuckle, and felt his clasp tighten on her hand. "It could be worse," he whispered in her ear. "Jeffrey isn't exactly a sterling role model, but he's not a smuggler any longer."

"Smuggler?" Serena repeated faintly. "I don't know why I'm even surprised. You do have the most interesting friends."

He laughed again and settled back, as the helicopter took on added speed and left the environs of Mariba.

Jeffrey Brenden landed the helicopter in the glade in the rain forest with the consummate artistry of a butterfly settling on the petal of a fragile orchid. "There we go," he said with satisfaction. "Now could you do better, Julio?"

Julio shook his head. "No one could do better," he said with affection. He opened the door of the helicopter and stepped out onto the ground. "But don't get too cocky. We have a few more challenges to meet before you go home to Mariana."

"What challenges?" Serena asked warily. She had just been congratulating herself that the danger was almost past, and now Julio was speaking as if everything were only beginning. She jumped down beside him, closely followed by Gideon and Dane. "Haven't we had enough challenges for one day?"

Julio grinned. "Don't worry. You and Gideon and Dane are out of it from now on. Jeffrey is going to fly the three of you back to Santa Isabella in the Cessna. I'm taking the helicopter back to Mariba to join my men. Things are probably just beginning to liven up there about now." He glanced at his watch. "I have a rendezvous in forty-five minutes, so if you'll hop into the Cessna, Jeffrey will-'"

"I'm going back with you," Dane interjected swiftly.

"No!" Serena's reaction was immediate and violent. "This is an uprising, not one of your parties, Dane. Do you think men as desperate as Mendino will be shooting blanks?"

"I'm going," Dane said stubbornly. "We left Ross back there, and it's only right I go back and help out."

"Very noble." Julio's gaze was shrewd as it searched Dane's face. "And besides, you didn't get in on the real action and you're jealous as hell."

Dane smiled. "Right."

Julio turned to Serena. "The only way you're going to keep him from going with me is to knock him out and hog-tie him." His smile was faintly regretful. "I should know. I went through the same kind of madness when I was a youngster. Only I didn't have to go looking for trouble. It always found me."

"But Dane's not like you," Serena protested.

Gideon took a step nearer and touched her arm. "Isn't he? Just look at them, Serena. They're cut from the same cloth."

Gideon was right, she realized gloomily. Gazing at them now was like looking at Siamese twins.

Dane and Julio's expressions, their attitudes, the way they perceived life as a glorious game, were exactly the same. Julio might be older and more experienced, but he had the same daredevil eccentricity she recognized as her brother's dominant trait.

"I'll take care of him," Julio promised. "And I'll bring him back to you in one piece."

"No one has to look out for me," Dane said with indignation. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be the one to have to take care of you."

"Maybe," Julio answered.

The two men exchanged smiles of perfect understanding.

Serena experienced a sudden twinge of sadness as if she'd lost something that would never be recovered. After all their years together, Dane wasn't going to need her very much longer. He would move on to other companions, and form other attachments as he grew older. It was entirely natural and right that this should be true, but the realization still brought with it a touch of melancholy. This adventure might be the last she would share with her brother.

Gideon's arm slid around her waist. "He'll be safe, love. You can trust Julio."

"I know." She also knew she had to let him go, cut the loving strings that had been as much for her own benefit as Dane's. She had never found it easy to let go of anyone she loved, and she loved Dane very much. She smiled with an effort. "Just promise me you'll stay off scaffolds."