Cold Day In Hell

by Jerrie Alexander

  The change in him didn't surprise her. She recognized the stance, the set to his jaw, and determination in his dark gaze. This was the man who'd carried her when she'd twisted her ankle.

  After learning Jack was making the trip, she decided to wait and speak with him. The feds probably knew more about Lina and Pablo. They hadn't just vanished off the face of the earth.

  The oversized doors retracted, and a gorgeous man stepped into the open. He wore green fatigues, a drab olive T-shirt stretched to the max across a wide torso and thick biceps. The same type of lace-up boots Ty had worn when they met were on his feet. She thought he nodded but couldn't be sure.

  "Marcus?" she asked Ty.

  "Yep. That's the quiet man."

  "He's scary looking."

  "He's a pussy cat." Ty chuckled, and Ana hurried to keep up with him. "You'll get along fine. Just don't expect much conversation and don't ask him personal questions, especially about his dead wife."

  The two men shook hands. They chest-bumped and finished off their greeting by pounding each other on the back. When Marcus turned to her, Ana sensed an air of sadness around him. His dark, military-cut hair and brown eyes surely attracted lots of second looks. His last name, Ricci, coupled with his facial structure hinted at Italian ancestry. She had to look up at him, too. Maybe it was one of the Lost and Found's requirements for employment.

  "You have hair," Ty said.

  Curious over such an odd greeting, she listened closely.

  "I couldn't compete with that slick head of yours." Marcus turned to her. "You would be Ana."

  "Marcus." She extended her hand, which was quickly swallowed in his grip.

  "Did you manage to get everything we need?" Ty asked.

  Marcus nodded as he turned and walked into the huge metal building. "Plane's loaded and ready."

  She and Ty followed through the hangar and out the other side to where a sleek white jet sat waiting.

  "Did Jack make it?" Ty slipped off his backpack and reached for hers.

  "No. He had to finish his assignment. He'll be a couple of days behind us."

  Ana had no idea where they were, only that they were in the country at a private airfield. They'd passed through two checkpoints getting back here. She wanted to ask but figured she wouldn't get an answer.

  Marcus motioned her up the steps. The pilot didn't acknowledge their presence as they stowed their gear. By the time she'd buckled up, Marcus had closed the cockpit door on the silent pilot and copilot.

  The interior of the plane wasn't fancy. In fact, she'd call it utilitarian. The white walls, beige upholstery, and gray carpet were spotless. A butter-soft leather seat wrapped her in comfort.

  Who was financing this trip? She hadn't given much thought to it until now, but none of this was cheap, especially the plane.

  The engines grew louder as the sleek jet increased its speed. Soon the ground beneath them rushed past the tiny portal in a blur. Traveling much faster than when she'd flown out of Colombia on the Airbus, the jet leveled off quickly.

  Tears filled her eyes, and she looked out the window to hide her emotions. The puffy white clouds reminded her of the day her country had decided it was too dangerous to let her stay. Well, all that had changed. She was going home.

  A hand gripped her knee, a silent comfort. She waited to speak until she could do so without a quiver in her voice.

  Marcus walked to the front of the small plane and brought a briefcase back to Ty. "This should allow you to move around freely. Inside are your identifications, money, and phones. I didn't have time to build you a past, but you are citizens, married, and from Ibague on vacation."

  Heat rushed her face. If for some reason they were stopped, she and Ty would have to pretend they were married. If the idea bothered him, he didn't show it.

  Ty opened the case, inspecting the contents. "You've accomplished a lot in a short period."

  "With Kay gone, Nate needed something to keep him busy."

  "Any word on Jake's condition?" Ty asked.

  The lines on Marcus's face softened. Their friend was recovering from brain surgery, and only bits and pieces of the man's memory had returned. Kay had gone to visit.

  It touched Ana's heart to hear both men speak with such affection and concern in their voices. These men lived with danger every day of their lives. They seemed to thrive on the adrenaline rush. Everything was clandestine, secretive, and hazardous. Yet they could pause long enough to discuss a friend.

  Ty opened the briefcase. "I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't a private jet. I thought we'd have airline tickets under assumed names or hitch a ride on a military hop. This is way past first class. Not that I don't appreciate everything, including the ride."

  He dropped the papers and closed the lid, leaving her curious. Marcus unbuckled and moved to the seat directly across from her.

  "New information came to light. Once the conversation with the feds started, things happened fast."

  Ty leaned forward. "We're listening."

  "According to the FBI, Pablo Cisneros holds a high rank in an underground militia. He's been a member for years. They battle the drug cartels where the government failed." Marcus paused, his eyebrows pulled together as he looked straight at her. "You don't look surprised."

  Ana thought about her answer for a second. Exactly how much should she say? "I'm not. He's a kind, generous man who cares deeply for his country, but there's not one criminal bone in his body. It's a citizens group. Pablo and his brother-in-law taught me how to shoot, to defend myself, and stand up for what's right. Even after Lina decided I had to go to a private school in Europe, he insisted my political education continue."

  "Why did they send you out of the country?" Marcus asked.

  "To keep me safe. To allow me to grow up without fear. To keep me from going after Ortega when I was just a kid."

  "Or to keep you in the dark about Pablo's activities," Marcus commented.

  "I was a fool for not coming home years ago." She didn't intend to respond to his statement. Instead, she asked Ty, "Do you think Ortega found out about their involvement?"

  "He does seem to have a healthy information network." Ty turned to face Marcus. "Where'd you learn all this?"

  "Dalton Murphy, Nate's federal contact in Atlanta," Marcus said.

  "That explains why Nate didn't balk. But the feds do nothing for free. What's the price?"

  Marcus's face actually brightened. "This is the part you're going to like. The bill is paid in full when Ortega is dead. Too many people have been murdered recently, and the path leads back to him. We received the green light from both governments."

  Ana stared at Ty. He hadn't blinked at Marcus's statement. After their trip through the jungle, she knew he'd kill when forced to, but this was different.

  "No bringing him in for trial? We take him out with prejudice?"

  "Yes."

  "Okay. We do it quick and get out of Colombia for good." Ty's head moved forward slightly in a slow nod.

  "Wait. I don't think I understood correctly. As badly as I want Ortega dead, I won't turn my back on the people who raised me. We find and rescue Pablo and Lina first."

  "We don't know that they're alive," Marcus said quickly. His words were for her, but his gaze was locked on Ty.

  "You can't turn your back on them," she begged Ty. He had to back her up. "This isn't some op where you rush in, hit the target, and disappear. This is my family."

  His hand gripped her knee. This had to be his way of telling her he'd help.

  "Of course, we'll try," he assured her. "We have to figure Ortega has them. Can you get in touch with any of your dad's vigilante friends?"

  She searched Ty's eyes, looking for the truth. What she found was a stone wall, an impenetrable one she couldn't see through. Her heart squeezed. Neither Ty nor Marcus believed they'd find Lina and Pablo alive.

  "They are not vigilantes. But they might have information on how to locate Ortega." Her tone carried an edge, and
she didn't try to mask it.

  "We have to start asking questions somewhere," Marcus answered. "If we're going to start throwing Ortega's name around, it's best to begin with people you trust."

  "We'll have to go to Choachi and meet with them in person."

  Finding information would be easy for her. Sharing what she learned with Ty or Marcus might be a mistake. What if there were no rescue plans? Nobody wanted Ortega's death more than she, but not if it meant sacrificing Lina and Pablo.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ty went through his backpack, adding supplies Marcus had brought with him. He methodically checked each item, taking extra time on the first aid kit since he didn't seem to be able to keep Ana from suffering myriad twists, cuts, scrapes and stings.

  "What weapons are in the hold?" he asked Marcus.

  "Two HK416s and a Beretta for you, with extra clips. And enough C-4 to get us out of any jam."

  "You bring anything for her?"

  "No." Marcus blinked as if surprised at the question. "Didn't know she needed hardware."

  "Then we'll get her something from the underground militia."

  "Stop talking like I'm not here." Ana lifted her head, sending them a chilling glare. "And stop calling them a militia. Once we're in my country, I can get what I need without your help."

  Ty chuckled and slapped Marcus on the back. "I'm witness to her accuracy with a pistol."

  "I'll take your word for it." Marcus went back to separating supplies.

  By the time the five-hour flight ended, they'd pulled together a plan. Staying at her family's house was too risky, so a motel in Choachi would have to do. Ana's expression clearly indicated she didn't like the idea of sharing a room with him.

  The jet engines remained running after landing. The pilot came out from the cockpit, nodded, and walked to the exit. He still hadn't spoken when he popped the hatch and dropped a small ladder to the ground for an easy exit.

  Stepping out into the sunlight, thankful not to be crammed into that flying toilet roll with wings, Ty stretched the kinks out of his back. The pilot followed them down the steps to an airstrip in the middle of nowhere.

  Ty scanned the area, finding no outbuildings or tower, just the long strip of blacktop and a foot-worn path into the jungle.

  "Where the fuck are we?" Ty mumbled.

  The pilot glanced over his shoulder. "Not as far off the beaten path as you might think."

  "You do have a voice," Ty said with a laugh.

  "When I have something to say." He offered no other identification other than a slow Southern drawl. He joined Marcus and helped unload the weapons.

  Ty didn't push it. The man had delivered them safely and under the radar. That was good enough. Since Lost and Found, Inc. was nowhere solvent enough to own a jet, the man was either FBI or DEA.

  A small hand gripped his bicep, sending a jolt of heat to every nerve ending. Her scent, soft and floral, drifted up and clouded his thoughts. An image of her in a bathtub full of bubbles and flowers flashed though his mind. He sobered when he looked down at her face. Her gaze asked the unanswerable question. She wanted a promise that her adoptive parents would be alive and that they'd rescue them.

  He shifted his gaze and pretended to be interested in the activity at the plane. More than ever, he wished they'd left her behind. The kidnapping and a sanctioned target put a different spin on the trip. Ortega had to be located and a plan executed perfectly. None of which would be easy, because if his intel was as good as Ty thought, their entry into Colombia wouldn't be a secret for long.

  He bit back a scoff, remembering a line from some poem he'd learned years ago. Ortega would not go quietly into that good night. He would indeed rage against the light. Quite a few people could die before this was over.

  Guilt surged through Ty's system. None of this was going to turn out like Ana wanted. She wouldn't take part in eliminating Ortega. In fact, she wouldn't even be present. Once she helped locate him, she'd have to stay behind. He couldn't risk taking her. She'd spent twenty years living on revenge. No doubt, she'd spend the next twenty hating him.

  Marcus shouldered a duffle bag. The pilot walked to the edge of the path.

  "Everybody ready?"

  "Yeah," Ty answered. He and Ana fell in step with the pilot. "I can't say that I'm looking forward to going back into that sweatbox."

  The pilot stopped a few feet outside the jungle. "This is as far as I go. The trail is open and easy to follow. You'll reach an open field. Go straight to the back door of the shack. To help you blend in, clothes for the three of you are inside the house. Press the small lever in the bottom right corner of the closet. Clean phones are in the front seat of the car parked out front. I programmed in two numbers. Use them wisely and only if you need immediate help."

  Ty nodded, giving Marcus a nonverbal command to take point. For her safety, he placed Ana between them. The air temperature jumped ten degrees and climbed as they entered the one place Ty had hoped he'd never see again.

  A few hundred yards in, the path narrowed. Marcus motioned for them to stop, indicating he was going ahead to assess the situation. Ty stepped closer to Ana, resisting the urge to tuck her under his arm. Ever vigilant, she remained motionless while she scanned the thick foliage for problems. With her feminine, soft curves and eyes a man could lose himself in, she might give the impression she was weak. What a deadly mistake that could be. He'd witnessed her under pressure. She had nerves of steel and willpower to match.

  Marcus waved them to come forward, and a few minutes later, they walked into the open. Ty's system went on alert. The area they had to cross offered no cover. The small weathered house a few hundred yards away looked abandoned, as was intended.

  "Let's move." Ty took Ana by the arm and pushed through the waist-high overgrowth.

  "I need to get myself a gun. It's stupid for me to be unarmed." Ana's voice had that hard edge that he'd grown used to back when they'd made their way through the jungle. Her tone was full of independence and determination.

  He liked this Ana. He liked her a lot, and it had to stop right here. His life had no room for entanglements of any kind. His commitment to take whatever job Nate needed done came before personal preferences. Until Lost and Found, Inc. established themselves, government jobs would pay the bills. Those jobs could be anywhere in the world.

  Besides, they were from different cultures. Still, he wondered. With Ortega dead, would Ana continue her fight by taking on other drug cartels? If Lina and Pablo were dead, Ana would never stop.

  "You coming in?" Marcus held the door open.

  Snapping to attention, Ty stepped inside. "Let's make this quick."

  He walked though the old house. For all practical purposes, the place looked ready to live in. Marcus found the hidden lever, pushed, and a panel opened. A narrow shelf held a stack of clothes. Ana grabbed hers and headed to the bathroom.

  Ty quickly changed into the baggy pants and shirt. "They'll do."

  Ana emerged wearing a plain housedress and leather sandals. She'd piled her long, wavy hair on top of her head in the typical knot, giving her a reserved look. Nothing she could do would hide her beauty.

  Ty tucked the pistol into his waistband and pulled his shirt over it. Carrying in that fashion was not the optimum method, but he'd make do. They removed the rest of the weapons from the duffle bags and stowed them under the seat of the four-wheel-drive Chevy parked out front.

  "Ready?" He opened the passenger side door for Ana while Marcus slid into the back.

  "If you're going to drive," Ana said, "there are a few things you should know so you won't look like a foreigner. Most of the time people slow or stop before proceeding on a red light. If you don't, you'll have drivers honking at you. In fact, they honk at everything. Ignore them. Motorcycles are undisciplined, more so than in the US. Ignore them, too."

  "Sounds like home." Ty was rethinking getting behind the wheel.

  "I'll drive if you'd like, or I'll tell you more after we're o
n the road."

  He wasn't worried, having driven in some of the most dangerous places in the world. Colombia would be easy. At least here he'd didn't have to worry about roadside bombs. But her offer made sense, because she knew the area and he didn't.

  ****

  Ana kept her gaze glued to the road and both hands on the steering wheel. Her nerves stayed right on the edge, which was to be expected since they were in the country illegally, had weapons in the car, and were carrying fake IDs. She took the back roads to Choachi, figuring this route would keep them out of trouble. At the very least, it would minimize their exposure. Her adrenaline pumped at super-max level. The surge wasn't from fear but anticipation. She fought the urge to push the SUV to its top speed.

  "We're twenty minutes out of town. There are a couple of motels with lots of traffic in and out. We'll be less noticeable if we stay there."

  Ty was unresponsive, so she glanced in the rearview mirror and received a slight nod from Marcus.

  "How do you get in touch with this citizens group? I assume they don't meet in a public building." Ty spoke for the first time in over an hour. He'd put a heavy emphasis on the word citizens.

  "Some of them will be searching for Lina and Pablo. I know who to reach out to for information."

  Her heart hurt at the thought of betraying anyone. She had no choice but to reach out to her uncle. He'd come around when he learned why they were in the country. If only Ty had promised to put rescuing her family first.

  "You being the only person who knows doesn't help us. You have to convince them to confide in us." Ty's tone was full of confidence.

  "They're not going to trust strangers. You and Marcus will have to stay at the motel."

  "That's out." Ty snapped the words like exploding fireworks. "You go nowhere alone."

  "Then we're wasting our time. Call your friends at the FBI and tell them we failed, because these men will not talk to you."

  "How can you be so sure? I thought you weren't aware of Pablo's position with the citizens group." Ty leaned across the small car, getting in her space. "Did you lie?"