Dark Tribute--An Eve Duncan Novel

by Iris Johansen

  “You mean for you to get to Cara in time.” Eve added quietly, “And to keep you from making a choice. Do you think I didn’t realize that might be an option?” She moistened her lips. “I told you that even the closest place where I could secure that canoe would still take at least four minutes to get there from the ranger station. And then you’d have to race back to get Cara. It would be a miracle if you made it in time to help her. That was why I was thinking long and hard about Cheknof on the way here to meet you. Michael mentioned something about how he wasn’t big and strong enough to help with his dad. That it would take someone like Jock.” She paused. “Or Cheknof. If Cheknof can help me get Joe through the woods and down to that canoe, it would free you to go after Cara.”

  “Yes, it would.” Jock didn’t look at her. “But it would be a risk for you. Cheknof is definitely an unknown quantity.”

  “Everything is a risk for us right now.”

  “You can’t trust him.”

  “For some reason, Michael trusts him. I don’t believe it was accidental that he mentioned you and Cheknof in the same breath.” She said unevenly, “Look, I know you’re trying to be fair and giving me all the sensible reasons to discard a possibility that’s nowhere near as strong as we’d like. But I can see it’s tearing you apart. Do you think this is easy for me? I’m scared Michael might be wrong, that the superhero might turn back into a cowardly lion. But this way we have a chance that Cara and Joe can both live. Joe wouldn’t thank me if I didn’t take that chance.” She checked her watch. “Two hours to go, Jock. Stop arguing with me and tell me how we’re going to do this. I have to get back to Michael and Cheknof.”

  He hesitated, then pulled out his small notebook. “I have a few things to do myself.” He pointed to the rough sketch of the station he’d drawn. “There are three perimeter guards in the woods near the lake. I’ll take them out as soon as the time is close enough so they won’t be missed. Here are the two guards out front. Which is still the only way to get Joe out. Abrams and Lacher are on their way to pick Cara up now with three other of Svardak’s finest. She said that she’d find a way to cause a distraction when the vehicle she was in left the main road and started toward the station.” He pointed toward the exit. “There are heavy woods and brush that lead down toward the lower lake. But we don’t know if she’ll be able to use it or if she’ll be able to do anything at all. If there’s no distraction, I’ll furnish one myself by shooting out the two front tires of the truck. That should bring the front guards and Svardak running toward it.” He tapped the diagram of the front porch. “But you’ll have to get Joe out of the station and in the woods in less than three minutes.”

  “Cara said that she could give us ten minutes.”

  “She may not have ten minutes,” he said curtly. ‘I’m going after her the minute I shoot out the tires.” He paused. “And you won’t have time either. I might need another distraction. I’ll probably have to blow up the station.”

  She inhaled sharply. “That would definitely be a distraction.”

  “And if Svardak managed to survive, he wouldn’t know if Joe was blown up with it.” He put the notebook back in his pocket. “But I wouldn’t worry, I’ll see that he’s doesn’t have a chance in hell of surviving.” He turned away. “I’ll call you to come to the station after I take out the guards in the woods.” He was striding back toward the station. “That will be your last warning.” His voice crackled with tension. “After that, be ready to move!”

  COPPER FLATS

  The blue lights of the helicopter speared down, lighting the stark, rocky landscape as the aircraft slowly descended.

  Cara unconsciously tensed as it touched down. She had thought she’d braced herself for this on the way from Ruell Falls, but she’d been wrong. Kaskov had bound her himself before they’d left the Falls, and she felt claustrophobic and panic-stricken lying here on the seat.

  “You still have time,” Kaskov said quietly. “Would you like to stay in the copter until I get the report that Abrams is almost here?”

  “No.” She took a long breath. “You should leave me and get out of here. Abrams will be wary about you anyway. He might do something rash if the opportunity presents itself.”

  “As you wish.” He pulled her to her feet and helped her to the door that Nikolai had just thrown open. “Then I’ll just see that you’re comfortable, as a good host should.” He jumped from the copter and swung her to the ground. She looked around at the rocky plateau and multitude of boulders cascading all over the otherwise barren the landscape.

  “It looks like a photo of a moonscape,” she said.

  “The moon is dead. There’s nothing dead about this place.” He gestured to a large, smooth, flat rock. “Lie down, please, I have to tie your ankles as well. I wanted to give you as much freedom as possible until the last minute.” Then he was kneeling beside her and swiftly tying her ankles. “But we want to make certain that Abrams thinks that you’re so securely bound that there’s no reason for him to do anything else. I’ve always found that laziness always rules if you cater to it.”

  “And I now know the definition of hog-tied.” The claustrophobia was even greater now. “You’re sure that this will work?”

  “Don’t insult me.” He was taking rubber gloves and a bottle of liquid from Nikolai. He put on the gloves and began to rub a thick coat of the liquid on Cara’s hands and arms. “Don’t struggle with Abrams. And avoid having anyone touching you until the moment is right for you. This liquid is transparent, but the texture has to be a little thick. You don’t want anyone to ask any questions. You’ll spoil a perfectly good plan if you’re stupid.”

  “I won’t be stupid.” Her arms and palms felt tingling and hot. “And all I’ll have to do is touch the ropes and they’ll dissolve and fall off me? It seems very high-tech and Disney.”

  “If Disney had hired scientists from labs in North Korea,” Kaskov said dryly. “Disney wouldn’t have appreciated that the North Koreans developed it to be used in their prisons when they tortured prisoners. Yes, they will perform just as I told you they will. But you’ll have to be careful what you touch.”

  “You’ve already told me that.”

  “Well, I didn’t tell you quite everything.” He was stripping off his gloves. “You also wanted a weapon that would prove undetectable. I thought I’d give you two-in-one.”

  “What?”

  “When you remove the ropes, they won’t actually dissolve, the composition will just change so that the ropes will stretch and enable you to slip them off.”

  “Isn’t that basically the same result?”

  Kaskov nodded. “Except that when the composition changes, it becomes acid-based. You can use the ropes as a garrote that will burn through a man’s throat in less than a minute.”

  “Acid.” Her eyes flew to her hands, which were still tingling. “And it won’t hurt me?”

  “You now have a base protective coat. You can handle any of the ropes with no ill effects. But just touching the ropes will cause anyone else to be practically eaten alive.” He smiled. “What a perfectly delicious idea. You may thank me now.”

  “You’re enjoying the idea.”

  “How can I help it? I told you that I’d give you a toy that would put that dagger you conceived in the shade, and I did it. And I like the idea of your having that much power at your disposal. Though you probably won’t appreciate it.”

  “You’re wrong. I will appreciate it.”

  “Good.” He reached out and gently touched her hair. “Because I’ve decided that your life is very much worth preserving. Which probably means I’ll see you later, Cara.” He got to his feet. “And, if you have second thoughts and start becoming softhearted, I believe I should tell you that Copper Flats is infamous because of the number of snakes that make it their home. Most of them are nonpoisonous, but there are also copperheads and rattlesnakes. Very unpleasant and terrifying when one is trussed and helpless as you are. Svardak was willing to risk the
possibility of your getting a nasty bite to put you through that unpleasantness.”

  She shivered. “It doesn’t surprise me. I suppose you took care of the problem?”

  He nodded. “That’s why I was in no hurry to bring you here.” His phone pinged as he looked down at the screen. “But you have another reptile to deal with now. Abrams’s truck is cruising the area to make sure he’s not coming into a trap. I’ll bet it will take him about twenty minutes to be reassured.” He strode toward the helicopter. “Good luck, Cara.”

  “Thank you, Kaskov.”

  He looked back at her and smiled. “You thank me? You lie there bound and helpless, in this valley of serpents, waiting for the monsters to come and devour you. Some would say you’re mad.” He got on the helicopter. “But they’d be foolish because I’ve done everything superbly, and I deserve thanks. You’re welcome, Cara.” The door swung shut behind him.

  The next minute, the helicopter was lifting and the lights were casting their blue beams over her body. It made her feel like a sacrifice on a stone altar as the helicopter disappeared into the darkness.

  She was alone in the darkness.

  Don’t be afraid.

  That rustling sound was her imagination, not the serpents with which Svardak had wanted to threaten her. Kaskov had said they were no longer there, and she trusted him. Yes, the monsters were coming, but she had an Excalibur sword to vanquish them.

  It was twenty-five minutes before she heard the sound of a truck roaring up the road.

  She went still, bracing herself. Don’t think of what she was going to face yet.

  Think of Jock.

  Think of the passion and the love and all the memories that were special and golden that they’d woven through the years …

  But the roaring was louder now, and the vehicle’s lights appeared around the curve.

  Then the truck screeched to a halt in front of her, and the headlights were blinding. She heard a laugh as the driver jumped out of the truck and came toward her. There were three other men tumbling out of the bed of the vehicle and surrounding her, but the driver must be Abrams.

  “Well, what have we here?” He squatted beside her, his flashlight almost blinding her. “All gift-wrapped and ready for Svardak.” He put his hand on her breast and rubbed it slowly, sensuously. “And I told him it was probably a trap. I’m tempted to open the package myself.” His voice lowered. “All he wants to do is hurt you, and that’s such a waste. I wanted to have my turn when I was guarding you up in the thicket but he was selfish.”

  She stiffened. No! His hand was moving toward her bare arm. Kaskov had said no one must touch her exposed flesh. Stop him.

  “Bastard!” She spat in his face. “He’ll kill you!”

  He swore, his fist lashing out and striking her cheek. His eyes were blazing down at her. “You’ll think you’re lucky if he kills you, bitch. He’s going to be very happy to see you. He’s been making plans. If you’d been smart, you wouldn’t have left Lost Canyon.” He got to his feet. “Check the ropes, then load her in the backseat, Lacher.” He strode back toward the truck. “I’ll call Svardak and tell him that we have a present for him.”

  LAKE KEDROW

  After Eve left Jock when she reached the pine tree where the canoe was tied, it was to see Michael sitting on the bank beside the boat.

  But Cheknof was standing guard several yards away, with gun drawn.

  “It’s okay, Mom,” Michael said quickly. “Mr. Cheknof was restless and needed something to do. I told him Mr. Kaskov would want him to be on watch to make sure nothing had changed.”

  “Kaskov seems to be the magic word.” She drew a deep breath and braced herself as she reached him. “All right. I’m not going to fight you any longer.” She dropped down to sit beside him. “We don’t have the time. And there are reasons why you could be right about its being better for your dad that you and Cheknof are here.”

  “Cara,” Michael said softly.

  She was not even going to question how he had immediately made the connection. “It’s better if Jock doesn’t have to be the one to help me get your father from the ranger station to the boat, then across the lake. You said Cheknof would be willing and eager to help.” She stared him directly in the eyes. “Listen to me. I’m going to trust you. But I have to be certain. Can I count on him? Can your dad count on him?”

  Michael nodded soberly. “I’ve been talking to him. He knows what he has to do.”

  “That’s more than I do.” Eve shrugged. “Nothing will be going by the book when I go after your dad. It’s clear Cheknof doesn’t have any respect for me. I’ve been worried that he won’t do what I tell him to do.”

  “Use Mr. Kaskov,” Michael said earnestly. “You were right, he’s the magic word. Mr. Cheknof respects him, but he’s mostly afraid of him. Once I found that out, it was easy to reach him.”

  “Reach him?”

  Michael didn’t answer. He only repeated, “Use Mr. Kaskov.” He was looking at the station. “How much time do we have?”

  “We have?” She tensed. “I need Cheknof. You stay here.”

  “I told you that I would.” He paused. “But I haven’t been able to contact Dad yet. I think he’s sicker than he was before.” He moistened his lower lip. “And he’s so hot with that fever. It’s going to be hard for him to understand me.”

  She tried to hide the panic his words brought. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted something, anything, to go right. “We’ll manage if you can’t do it.”

  He shook his head. “You need me. He needs me. I can do it. I just haven’t been able to concentrate because I had to make sure you’d be able to control Mr. Cheknof. How much time?”

  “It will be over an hour before Jock calls me.” She reached out and lovingly touched his cheek that still held the smooth softness of childhood. So young … This weird, bewildering talent that had been catapulted to the forefront must be a thousand times more difficult for him to accept than it was for her. Because he’d had to fight her as well as try to understand what was happening to him. “It will be fine, Michael.” She pulled him into the curve of her arm and leaned back against the tree. “Just relax. I’ll handle it. No one wants anything from you that you can’t give. Not me. Not your dad.”

  “I know,” he whispered as he laid his head against her shoulder. “I like this. I always feel safe and right as long as you’re here. Dad feels like that when he’s with you, too. There’s much more, but he always wants—” He stopped. “Could you just stay here with me for a little while? He might feel you, and that would make it easier for me to reach him.”

  “Of course. I wasn’t going to leave you until I had to. Whether it helps or not, it will be my pleasure.” She brushed her lips on the top of his head. “Because I may not have your voodoo, but I feel as if there’s not a minute of the day when I’m not with your dad. So being here with you will be like having the two of you home with me again…”

  * * *

  That dark honey darkness was back again, Joe realized. Wrong … It made him uneasy … Even through the heat and pain, he knew that it meant something wasn’t right. It was taking him away from that other darkness that was now his constant companion. Then he remembered why it was wrong. It had signaled that crazy dream that was no dream. The dream of Michael who said he was only in his mind and yet was so sad …

  “At last.” Relief. “Stay with me, Dad.”

  Michael.

  “You’re here again?” Joe asked. “I told you that I didn’t want you. It’s dangerous. Go away, Michael.”

  “I can’t do that, Dad. And you can’t go away either. You have to stay with me.”

  “It’s harder … now.”

  “I know. It took me a long time to get through to you. But now you’re awake, and you have to stay awake.”

  “I’m not awake. Or maybe I am, but only for the next minute or two. Go away, Michael.”

  “No, you have to stay awake!” Joe could sense his son’s
panic. “If you don’t, you’ll hurt Mom. You don’t want to do that.”

  Those words jarred Joe into opening his eyes. “Eve? Before you said she wasn’t here. She can’t be here, Michael. Get her out!”

  “She’s not here now, but she will be soon. And it won’t be a dream, it will be real. I can’t stop her. Only you’ll be able to get her out. But only if you stay awake and help her. She won’t leave here without you.”

  “Make her go.”

  “I’m only a kid. What can I do? You’d never leave her, would you?”

  Leave Eve, his partner, his love, his center?

  “She won’t leave you either. You can either go back to sleep and leave her or help her get away from this place.”

  Go back to sleep? How could he do that? Eve …

  He was trying desperately to fight the fire in his head, the searing that was beginning through his entire body. “Where? When is she…”

  “Soon. But you’ll have to stay awake and keep talking to me until she gets here. Then it gets harder. You’ll have to try to walk for a little while until you can get Mom to the lake, where she’ll be safe. But I’ll be with you all the time, Dad. Just listen to me, and we’ll go step by step.”

  “That will be the day. Why should I listen to you, when you shouldn’t even be here? Keep yourself safe. I’ll handle everything.”

  Silence. “Mom just said something like that to me.” He cleared his throat. “Sure, you handle everything, Dad. But since I’m here already, suppose I stick around and help Mom, too. Is that okay?”

  “No.” There was something basically wrong with Michael’s still being here, but the fever was blurring Joe’s reasoning processes. “I’m very annoyed with you, Michael. This is probably a dream, but I can’t take a chance, can I? Not with Eve. I have to stay awake, dammit.”

  “No, you can’t take a chance. But you can close your eyes until she gets here. I’ll still be around, keeping you awake. But it’s better that Svardak doesn’t know how well you’re doing.”