Deadly Games Part 27

She slipped off her heels and carried them as she flew down the hall. Dress shoes weren't the best choice for an escape, but they were all she had.

Maddy crept down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as she could. If she was caught- I won't be!

At the bottom landing were two doors. Ignoring the one that led to the kitchen, she unlocked the other and stepped into the morning sun. Too late, she spotted the cameras mounted under the eaves.

Just go!

She ran for the closest section of fence and tossed her shoes over, then began to climb it, barefoot. The chain link sagged near the top, causing her to lose her balance. She wrapped her fingers around the wire as the fence started to sway.

She heard the bark of a dog and glanced over her shoulder. A large black and tan Doberman raced toward her, teeth bared.

Terrified of what the beast would do if it caught her, Maddy pushed up and threw a leg over the top. The sharp tips of the fence tore through her clothes and ripped her flesh.

The Doberman had reached the fence now and leaped straight up, snapping his jaws. She kicked as hard as she could, catching the dog's ribs. The dog sailed backward and hit the ground with a yelp but immediately bounced up and launched into a more vigorous attack.

The dog jumped again. And this time, he latched on to Maddy's foot.

Chapter Thirty-Three.

Luc Skihawtra hadn't expected a second uproar at Minh Tran's compound. At least not yet.

Just before sunrise, while the guards ate breakfast in the kitchen, Luc had diverted the power to the section of fence at the back of Tran's compound. Then he'd made a vertical cut in the chain links behind the gardener's shed and slipped inside.

The crowded shed held yard tools and reeked of oil, gas, and chemicals. Keeping the grounds from reverting to jungle was a full-time job.

At nine A.M., the place went wild. Three helicopters swooped in and landed on the compound's neatly manicured lawn. Luc had a perfect view from one of the shed's dirty windows.

Travis Franks had promised to create a diversion and indeed it appeared he had.

Luc counted twenty-nine guards climbing into the choppers. Most of Tran's contingent had left with him. As soon as the helicopters lifted away, Luc called Travis and reported the same. Plus a bonus.

"The woman is still here. I just saw her look out an upstairs window."

Relief deepened Travis's voice. "Stay put. My team will be there in twenty minutes. I'll contact you when we're in place."

Minh Tran had been gone only a few minutes when Luc heard the bark of a guard dog. He grimaced, hoping the dog hadn't picked up his scent. Luc had been told the dogs roamed free only at night, which allowed Tran's kitchen staff to harvest vegetables from the gardens and hang laundry.

But it made sense that if Tran had taken most of his guards with him, he might have ordered the dogs left out as an extra precaution.

Except now the dog was growling and snapping, clearly on to something. Had Travis arrived early? Luc shifted to the back of the shed and peered out another window.

"No!"

Maddy, the woman they were here to rescue, straddled the top of the fence about fifteen feet away. The huge dog had grabbed her foot. Off balance, she nearly fell toward the dog. Then she overcorrected and fell in the opposite direction. That couldn't be good for a pregnant woman.

Immediately she jumped up and ran into the jungle.

A second dog raced toward the other, both howling. Sounding an alarm. Guards would come out any second.

Luc grabbed a can of gasoline and emptied it, then fished out a lighter and struck it. He darted out of the shed, along the side away from the dogs, and slipped out the fence. He paused long enough to shove the fence back in place and weave a stick into the wire so the dogs couldn't follow.

Already smoke poured from the shed. Luc hoped the guards would think the dogs had been stirred up by the fire, buying him and the woman time.

Staying low, Luc tore out after the woman, checking his watch as he ran. Travis wouldn't be there for another ten minutes. Luc needed to call him!

He now paralleled Maddy, could hear her labored breathing. But before he could call her name, she fell.

Luc leaped over a downed tree to get to her. He covered her mouth to keep her from screaming as he helped her up.

Maddy turned toward him, feinting left while delivering a solid roundhouse kick. She'd obviously had some training but still Luc sidestepped her next move.

"I'm Luc Skihawtra. Travis sent me to help you!"

Maddy shook her head as if she hadn't heard him. "Travis sent you?" She held her side as if in pain.

"Yes." Luc straightened and pressed a finger to his lips as a new noise caught his attention. "The dogs are loose. We must get away, fast! Can you run?"

Maddy nodded. "Go. I'll follow."

"No! You first. That way." Luc pointed to her left. "Twenty yards. There is a small river. We can use it to throw them off our scent."

Maddy charged forward as the sounds of yelping dogs grew louder.

"They're coming!" she called over her shoulder.

"Just keep going!" Luc had his phone out and pressed b.u.t.tons as he ran.

The phone rang three times and went to voice mail. Travis had told him to call another number, but there wasn't time.

He left a message. "I have the woman. She escaped, but they are after us. We are headed northwest of the compound, toward the Si Nan River."

A growl was all the warning Luc got as a dog lunged for Maddy.

"Go!" Luc threw himself in front of the dog.

The dog twisted away but leaped again, going straight for his throat. Luc caught the dog midair, grabbing him by the jaw and ears before breaking the dog's neck.

There were shouts ordering them to stop. More barks grew closer as the dogs outraced their handler. Clearly the guards had emptied the kennels.

Luc headed after Maddy. She had reached the river but stopped, looking uncertain.

"You can swim?" he asked.

She nodded, then doubled over as she held her abdomen.

Luc saw blood on her thighs. Not good. But to stay meant worse from the dogs. The beasts were trained to kill.

"Let's go before they catch us." Maddy waded into the water.

"Float," Luc hissed. "The current will carry us without much noise."

He crossed the river and ran up the side of the opposite bank, making a few footprints before diving back into the water. He hoped the guards would think they'd crossed to the other side.

Luc quickly caught up with Maddy and moved beside her. Behind them, the barking grew frantic as the dogs reached the riverbank. He signaled for her to remain quiet as they continued to float farther away.

Maddy continued to clutch her abdomen, clearly in pain. Luc realized she had likely suffered a miscarriage. His phone was ruined now, leaving him no way to reach help.

Had Travis gotten his message in time to redirect? Or was he back at Tran's preparing to invade?

"We'll get out soon," Luc told her. "Before the river goes underground. We should be well ahead of them."

"Thank you for helping me."

Luc shrugged. "I'm not sure you needed help. I watched you climb that fence."

"Where is Travis?" Her voice cracked.

"I'm not sure," Luc answered. "I was waiting for him when I saw the dog attack you. And I'm sure I've ruined my phone."

The river widened and Luc steered her toward the bank. "Easy. It's a steep climb."

Once they were free of the river, he noticed she'd lost her shoes.

"You won't make it far in bare feet." Luc knelt down in front of her. "Climb on my back."

"I'm bleeding," Maddy protested.

"I know. Another reason not to walk."

Luc felt her hands grip his shoulder. He stood as soon as she leaned into him. She didn't weigh much and she was shivering violently.

She was in even greater danger now from loss of blood and the chill from wet clothes. Which in turn would make her even more vulnerable to infection from the dog bite and the scratches on her feet. He'd seen people succ.u.mb in frighteningly short times to jungle diseases.

That Travis Franks had entrusted her well-being to Luc had him hurrying his steps.

He headed south. "I have a small motorbike hidden off the road, not too far from here."

"Won't it make us too visible?"

"Perhaps. But it will be faster. And if we stay in the jungle, you will die."

Chapter Thirty-Four.

Mexican Jungle October 6, 9:30 A.M.

Harry hated jungles. He smacked a mosquito but got only a moment's respite before two more flew in to bite his flesh.

They had been hiking for four hours, stopping frequently since they had no water, no food.

To her credit, Gena hadn't complained. Of course, to look at her, you'd think she was walking on air, thanks to her rediscovered love.

Harry had kept an ear pressed to their door and heard every word of their heart-to-heart last night. To listen to them compare notes and piece together the fact they'd both been manipulated was almost comical. And still they didn't have it right. Didn't have a clue why Harry had been determined to come between them. Jesus H. Christ! Did he need to hire a skywriter to spell it out?

Gena getting facts wrong was understandable. Harry had planned it that way. The drugs he'd given her had helped, but she'd also been a willing partic.i.p.ant, drinking herself into oblivion.

Rocco, however, had no such excuse; he should know d.a.m.n well why Harry hated him. More likely, Rocco wasn't telling Gena the whole story on purpose after hearing her reaction to the fict.i.tious Brandy. Why bring up yet another woman and risk Gena's wrath?

"We should be getting close," Harry called out. "Unless I've totally screwed up my landmarks."

"So far you've nailed them, Clay," Rocco said. "Next time I decide to tour the jungle, I want you on my team."

Harry smiled. Let's see if you still feel that way when we find the highway. Let's see if you still feel that way when we find the highway.

Harry had lied about his cell phone not working. Once the storm system moved out of the area, the satellite chip in his phone had picked up a weak signal. It had been just enough for a text to Edguardo.

Fortunately, Edguardo was still in Acapulco. It had taken a few hours, but finally Edguardo had located the El Brisa ruins on a map. He had texted directions to the closest road, which had still been a long hike because of the terrain.

Harry could tell he'd impressed Rocco after he pretended to recognize the area in daylight.

Harry had been surprised to learn they were only sixty miles from Acapulco. And the last time Harry took a leak and checked for text messages, Edguardo had confirmed his ETA. He should already be in the area.

Harry signaled to Rocco, then pointed to the unpaved road at the bottom of a steep hill. "There it is. With luck, we'll meet up with someone before nightfall."

"Preferably not drug runners," Rocco said. "Just kidding, sweetheart," he added for Gena's benefit.

"Maybe we'll meet only nice drug runners," she replied.

"Watch your step going down here," Harry warned as he started along the path.

"See the way Clay anchors his feet? Do like that," Rocco said. "And watch your center of balance."

At the bottom of the trail, Harry scrambled onto the road but saw no sign of Edguardo.

Gena came up behind him and paused to catch her breath. "It still seems pretty rural."