Cruz
Venezuela.
And not just any place in Venezuela, but just outside the town of Merida, nestled between two national forests in the Andes Mountains.
The same mountains where I was rescued from just two years ago.
The place where Lorenzo Gallos died.
“I don’t like this at all.” Levi stood at the head of the table, his hands gripping each side as he hung his head.
“Me neither. But what choice do we have?”
“It’s just too coincidental.” Yeah, I’d thought that too. My “spidey sense” was going off like crazy. Something wasn’t adding up, and I didn’t like where the new arithmetic was headed.
Ryder hooked his computer up to the projector, and an aerial view of Merida, Venezuela, shot up on the screen. He zoomed in a little closer to a small area in the mountains cut out like a perfect circle.
“This is where I think they are.”
It appeared to be a large house with several paths that shot out in different directions around it. It was anyone’s guess as to where those paths led. Fear like ice water poured down my spine.
“Do you recognize it?” Levi asked, his voice quiet, almost reverent-like.
“No. I was too far gone to notice anything when they lugged me out of there. And the flashbacks were too bad during my briefing to take any notice of the pictures. I’ve blocked most of that time from my memory.”
“We know it’s a trap. I’ve got Johnny’s team on standby. He’s got a hotshot pilot that can get us to Merida in the morning. After that, we’ll take a car to here.” Levi pointed to a spot on the map. “And then we’ll hike in.”
“They’ll be expecting us. They know I won’t come alone.”
“No doubt.” Levi’s hardened gaze indicated that he knew exactly what we were up against.
“I can’t ask this of you.”
“Of course you can. Our cover is blown. This isn’t just about Lydia—although if it was, we’d still be in this with you. This is also about the team. And when they mess with one of us, they mess with us all.”
For the first time in three years, I truly felt part of something bigger than my history, my pain, my trials. I’d kept myself at arm’s length, trying not to get too close to these men and women. But they were my brothers and sisters. My family.
“I say we set the perimeter up with some fun little toys. Should take out the first patrol and maybe the second.” Oscar looked way too excited about the prospect of playing with his explosives. I was starting to think the man really was insane.
“I’m coming with you,” Jolie piped in from the doorway.
“No way!” Ryder stood, his fists balled up by his sides.
“Ryder Blake, you don’t get to tell me what to do!” Jolie’s temper was in full force, hands on hips, blue eyes blazing like fire. We all sank down in our seats a little bit lower.
Ryder crossed the room to her. “This is a dangerous mission. I can’t be worried about you the whole time.”
“Are you worried about Piper?”
“Well, no—I mean, yeah, I am, but, I mean, it’s just different.”
“How?” Jolie stepped up to him, hands still on her hips, chest poked out, chin lifted in defiance. “How is it different?”
Ryder’s face went red as he stammered some more about Piper being properly trained. We all knew what was really going on, and apparently Jolie knew too. She grinned and then lifted onto her toes and pressed a kiss to Ryder’s cheek. “So sweet, worrying about me.”
Ryder’s mouth dropped open like a fish out of water. He may be a pretty-boy ladies’ man, but it seemed Jolie had him all tied up in knots.
Levi cleared his throat. “If I could interject here before you two start making out.” I didn’t think it was possible, but Ryder’s face grew even redder, resembling the color of a ripe tomato. “Jolie, I appreciate that you want to help; however, this is definitely out of your league.” She opened her mouth to protest, and Levi lifted a finger. “For now. I’d like you and Piper to stay back. We’ll need open lines with Washington and the president, and communication will be spotty in that region even with our SAT phones. Ryder will set you up, and we’ll have a check-in time every hour.”
Jolie sighed but nodded in agreement. “Fine. When you get back, I’d like to talk to you about how to join the team. Formally.”
Levi smiled. “You’re already a part of the team. But we’ll discuss what skills you need to become an operator.”
Jolie glanced back at Ryder before walking out. “And you—” She waited till he met her gaze. “Come see me before you leave. We need to talk.”
Ryder tucked his chin down in a single motion and busied himself with the computer. When Jolie exited the room, laughter spread around the table.
“Shut up.” Ryder tried to infuse some anger into the comment, but it fell flat.
“Ryder and Jolie sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S—” Oscar singsonged the familiar elementary school taunt, while making kissy faces and pretend-smooching the back of his hand.
“Seriously, Oscar. Shut it before we take this to the ring.”
“Okay, kids, let’s get back to the task at hand.” Levi had a grin on his face, but then, as if someone doused the room in cold water, everyone sobered.
Lydia. Chavez.
The bastard had her, and I had no doubt he was prepared to extract his revenge. The longer we took to get to her, the longer he had to torture her.
“Get some shut-eye. Piper and Jolie will load the bags. We leave at 06:00.”
I knew I needed the rest, but I also knew it wouldn’t come that night. Lydia had been gone for several hours. It was three o’clock in the morning, and we had three hours before we left.
Four more hours until we reached Venezuela.
Another hour of traveling by car, and then more than an hour to hike to the compound.
There was no telling how long it would take to find her. We had no way of knowing where he was keeping her. Just that she was there somewhere on the property. Plenty of time for Chavez to hurt her.
Flashes of the hooded man with his cigarette poised over my chest whizzed through my mind. The cat-o’-nine-tails that fell violently across my back, ripping the skin away, exposing muscle and bone.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of the horrible memories. That wasn’t going to happen to Lydia. We would get there in time. I had to believe that.
I closed my eyes when I slid into bed, hoping rest would come. It came in fits and starts, and at five a.m., my phone beeped. I took the phone from my nightstand and glanced at the screen.
It was a text message from an unknown number.
I opened the message, finding a line of pictures. They were dark and slightly grainy. I clicked on one and zoomed in.
And fear like I’d never known zipped through my body.
I recognized it.
The single wooden post in the middle of a clearing. The ropes that held Lydia fast to the pole. The hooded man who stood poised with his whip held high, Lydia’s head lolling to the side, her back bloodied and bruised.
And all the pieces of the puzzle clicked together.
Chavez knew who I was. He’d known from the beginning. He was playing with me. Taunting me.
Chavez had been the man to take me hostage three years ago. He was the man who’d tortured me almost to death.
And he was the man who would die by my hands.
***
The plane ride to Venezuela had been brutal. I’d shown the pictures to Levi, who’d tried to get me to stay back.
“You have no idea how you’ll handle it, man. That kind of torment. It doesn’t leave you.”
“I’ll be fine. Lydia’s life is in danger. He’s already beaten her. She didn’t even look conscious in those photos. I’m not backing out now.”
He’d nodded, and we’d talked Johnny’s pilot into lifting off a little earlier. Every minute counted.
The ride up the mountain seemed like it took forever, but we’d finally made it to the place where we’d hike in.
It was hard to believe that I’d been here three years ago. We’d finally gotten confirmation from Washington that Chavez was indeed the guy who’d taken me then. The compound had been put in another drug lord’s name, which is why we hadn’t put two and two together. It was a well-hidden discovery, one that would have been nice to have two months ago when I went “undercover” in his employ.
I’m sure he’d taken one look at my photo when I’d “applied” for the position and launched his master plan. He’d known who I was, and now Lydia was stuck in the cross-hairs.
Ryder stepped over to us with a map, an area circled in red. “If it’s the same area Cruz was kept two years ago—”
“It’s the same area.”
Ryder nodded his agreement. “Since it’s the same area, we know where we’re going. We’re mostly sure that Lydia is being kept in the same cave. It doesn’t seem plausible that they’d drag her to and from the house, since it’s a mile away.”
“We need to be prepared to physically carry her out, based on the recent pictures. Oscar will light up the perimeter. Johnny, your guys will go this way.” Levi pointed the direction out on the map.
“Roger that. We won’t let you down.”
“Never doubted it. When the dust settles, Cruz, you get to her and get her out of there while we cover you from this side.” Levi pointed again to a different part of the map. “The place will be crawling with mercs. If we hit them hard and heavy on the front end, we’re hoping some will run off. Chavez can’t pay them enough to die.”
“You’d be surprised,” Oscar muttered under his breath. Levi quirked a brow and nodded in acknowledgement.
“Still, get in—get out. We’ll leave Chavez for another day.”
No. Chavez would not survive to live another day.
“Another day for him to find us. Another day for him to pull a stunt like he did last night and take her. No. We end this now.” I punched my hand for emphasis. I would not live in fear. Chavez’s life should have ended three years ago, and instead, he’d lived a life of luxury while I’d been tormented by my demons.
Levi faced me, concern lighting his eyes.
“I’m fine. I promise. But I don’t want to leave here without taking him out. I say we get Lydia out of there and take out those close to the cave, then retreat and regroup at the house. Most of his protective detail will be out at the cave.”
Several seconds passed before Levi nodded. “Okay. We get Lydia. Ryder, you bring her back here. The rest of us will move to the house.”
With everyone on board, we started the hike through the forest. We were two miles away, which would take us about an hour. The Venezuelan terrain was treacherous, but fortunately the fall temperatures were cooler. I tried to enjoy the scenery, but images from my past flashed before my eyes.
The trees passing above me as marines carried me out on a stretcher. The glimpses of stars as small spots opened up above me, giving me a view of the sky. I shook my head, trying to clear my mind of those days. It would do me no good to stroll down memory lane.
We reached the spot just a couple hundred feet from the cave. By our estimations, the first line of patrol should be just up ahead. I sank to my knees, lying flat on my belly as I waited for Oscar to set his explosives around the perimeter.
He’d split the responsibility with a guy from Johnny’s team who also specialized in blowing things up. The two had practically geeked out on the plane ride over, discussing all the ways they could blast people into smithereens. They’d start running the line of explosives at one side and meet at the middle. Once the perimeter blew, we’d go in under the cover of smoke and fire.
Ten long minutes passed before Oscar came over our comms to count down.
“Place goes boom in five, four, three, two, one.”
The ground shook as explosions went off in quick succession. Dirt, fire, and debris rained down from the sky. Once the explosions stopped, Levi spoke.
“Let’s go!”
I jumped to my feet and looked to my left. Levi was there, his gaze straight ahead as we waded into enemy territory. To my right, Cade mirrored his stance. My teammates. My friends. My brothers. My family.
The first shot was fired, whizzing by us, and the dust began to clear. The place was crawling with mercs, hired guns with no loyalty to anyone but the money.
I fired two shots, and two men fell.
Left and right the enemy dropped like stones. They hadn’t expected so many of us. Johnny’s guys had evened out the score big time. I saw the post in the clearing, the images of my past straining to break through, but I kept my eye on the cave just beyond it. Lydia was there, and nothing was going to stop me from getting to her.
Just as I entered the clearing, a man stepped out from the woods right by the cave. A hooded man.
Boiling water dripped over my shoulders, scalding the flesh on my chest and back. Tender flesh was opened repeatedly on my back.
Pain shot through my body, and I stumbled, falling to my knees.
The hooded man strode towards me, a nightmare come to life. He walked through the gunfire unfazed as if something so common as a bullet couldn’t touch him.
His arms were open wide, palms up, his head tilted back. It was as if he was welcoming anyone to try to kill him.
I couldn’t breathe. My ribs hurt. My back felt like it was on fire. Screams ricocheted through my brain. My screams. Tortured and broken. Hopeless.
“Cruz. Get your ass up and fight, man!” Levi’s voice cut through the memories, ripping me back to the present.
I wasn’t hurt. I wasn’t in pain. It was all in my mind.
The hooded man stood before me, and I waited. He knelt down his head near my ear.
“I’ve missed you, Lorenzo.”
His voice was low, whispered, hoarse. As if he was purposely disguising it.
Man. He was just a man. And I was no longer afraid.
He stood, taking a large machete out of a holder from his back. He lifted it high above his head. I had a gun. The fool hadn’t relieved me of it, but a gunshot to the head was too good for this psycho. Slowly, I pulled my Ka-Bar from its place in my boot. Then I stood, ramming the knife deep into his chest.
The hooded man took a step back, then another and fell backwards. I watched as he grasped at his chest, heaving as blood pumped furiously from the wound.
I stood over him, watching as his lifeblood drained from him. Then I knelt and pulled the hood from his face.
Juan Carlos Alvaro.
Shock shot through me. How had I not suspected, in all those weeks working next to him? I’d been close enough, multiple times, to take this man’s life, and I hadn’t.
Juan Carlos grinned, blood and foam gurgling from his mouth.
“Surprise.” He coughed, as more blood and liquid bubbled up.
“You.”
Laughing, he inhaled deeply, his breath hitching as his lungs filled with fluid.
“I had fun with your girlfriend.”
My hand shot out, tightening around his throat. “You bastard. If you weren’t already dying, I’d kill you again.”
Juan Carlos just smiled wider, his teeth red from the blood, giving him a grotesque Halloween-like appearance.
“I killed her.” The words were choked out, and I let go of his throat.
“No. It’s not possible.” Fear was a desperate thing. It clawed at your insides like a wild animal trying to escape. It crippled you. Humbled you. Surely, I’d heard him wrong.
“Lydia’s dead.”
With a cruel smile, Juan Carlos’s chest stopped moving, and his eyes turned glassy. I shook him violently. “No! She can’t be dead! No!”
I stood, taking in my surroundings. My brothers were still fighting, guns, hand-to-hand combat. Knives. It was an all-out war, and yet I felt completely alone.
The cave. I had to get there. He was lying. She wasn’t dead. I’d go in and find her, bloody and bruised, yes. But she’d be breathing. Alive.
I stumbled over my feet as I left Juan Carlos’s body lying on the ground. All this time he’d tortured my memories, and he was just human. A man. And now, he was dead.
The cave was a few feet away, and I struggled to stay upright, fear making it hard to breathe. Hard to see. My vision was blurry, dreamlike as I stumbled inside the mouth of the cave.
It was empty. Hay lay on the floor near my feet as I desperately searched the small area for Lydia. She wasn’t there.
I sank to my knees, unable to accept the evidence. The hay underneath me was covered in blood. A lot of blood. Lydia’s blood.
“No.” The word came out whispered, hoarse and raspy, as if speaking it would change reality.
“No! No! No!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, grief tearing at my insides. A monster that was destroying me from the inside out.
A sound that was part sob, part scream tore from my throat as I collapsed on my side. Tears hot and furious rolled down my face as my body racked with anguish.
Levi’s face entered my vision.
“Cruz. Cruz, man, what is it? Where is she?” He shook my shoulders, trying to tear me away from the horror of reality. I shook my head, struggling to shake him off.
“Cruz. What is it? What’s happened?”
I sat up, pain worse than any torture I’d ever experienced tearing through my body.
“She’s gone.” Levi’s face contorted in confusion.
“He killed her.”
“No. Are you sure?”
“Juan Carlos told me before he died.”
Sorrow passed Levi’s features, and it was too much. I had to do something. I had to move.
I stood, determination set in my heart.
“Where are you going, man?” Levi called to me as I walked out of the cave.
“To kill Chavez.”