A Break in Time

by Michelle Miles

  “So why did you end up here?”

  “You tell me.” He pinned her with a steely gaze. “I was traveling back and forth between our time and 1701, where I had great success with the plantation. When the bender malfunctioned, I ended up here. I found it interesting it wasn’t all that far off from where my own plantation was. It had been abandoned a few years ago. The buildings were ramshackle, the place deserted. Everything I had built and worked for was gone.”

  “You lied, then, about it being 1935?” she asked.

  “Truthfully, I have no idea what year it is. My best guess is that it’s the early 1700s, a few years after I began my plantation.” He stood in the open doorway, gazing across the lush green land. “Since I was stranded here for the last few years, I made myself a place in their court. I’ve managed to make lucrative, shall we say, business deals that have kept this place running. I built the plantation from the ground up. I found the workers to cut the sugar cane, I built the mills. I did it all.”

  No wonder Tia feared him. Ridgewood was a man who knew how to make himself powerful anywhere—except for perhaps her father’s lab. Jacob Ransom would never stand for someone who pushed their ideas on him, or for someone who needed to be in control. But still, there were things that didn’t make sense. Like how he knew her father was selling the time bender to the Chinese for billions of dollars.

  “Now, perhaps you tell me how this works.” He held up her bender. “Because clearly you’re stranded here, too.”

  Skye wasn’t sure if she had any more lies left in her. If she explained, the time bender would reset itself in less than twenty-four hours, he’d use it and she and Dane would be stranded. If Dane was still alive, that is. She didn’t expect Ridgewood to take her along for the ride. He seemed more the type to get what he wanted and then dispose of those unnecessary bodies. She would be one such person.

  “It doesn’t work,” she said. “Why do you think Dane and I are here?”

  “If it doesn’t work, then how did you two get here?”

  “Purely by accident.” She figured it was pointless to explain the entire situation to him from the beginning. “It’s a faulty time device.”

  He flipped the device on and stared at the readout.

  “That screen,” she continued, “is supposed to show the date you’re traveling to but as you can see, it doesn’t work.”

  “Then how do you know where you’ll end up?” he asked.

  “That’s just it. I don’t. We don’t.”

  “Release her and leave us.”

  The two men holding her let go and disappeared through the door, leaving the two of them alone.

  “I’m going to assume you’re telling me the truth this time.” He came closer.

  He had to know she was in pain with the lashes on her back. He paused just inches from her and stared her down. Despite the fact her heart pounded hard in her chest, she refused to break his gaze. But Ridgewood had other plans and he backhanded her again.

  “For your previous lies,” he clarified, as if she would want to know why he hit her again. “Perhaps there is more you’d like to share?”

  Tears blurred her vision. He had finally beaten her and she gave up the fight.

  “It’ll reset itself in less than twenty-four hours.”

  * * *

  “We must hurry.” Tia slipped down the corridor. “The ship leaves very soon.”

  “And I don’t suppose you have a plan on how to stop it?” Dane asked. “Or even how to get on board and get your family off?”

  Pausing at the end of the hallway, she glanced at him over her shoulder. “Why do you think I asked for your help, meu amigo?”

  “Right.”

  She led him through the Citadel to the top of the steep steps descending toward the village. He tried to focus on the task at hand, but all he could think about was Skye and what was happening to her. He should have never let her go alone. He should have found some way—bleeding or not—to go after the smarmy Ridgewood himself.

  “Meu deus.” Tia stopped short, uttering the words under her breath.

  Dane looked over her slender shoulders at the crowd before them. He counted at least twenty villagers, all men holding torches in the early morning light, with the shaman acting as leader and standing in front, his arms across his stick-like chest and giving Dane a scorching look.

  “Is that the shaman?” Dane asked.

  “Yes. It is Acotl.”

  “How did he—?”

  “He is powerful,” she interrupted. “He has alerted the others to our presence and my betrayal. We cannot go back.”

  “Bad news travels fast, I guess. So we get to face them?”

  “It is the only way.” Her face remained expressionless.

  The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, signaling a warning. “You aren’t leading me into a trap, are you, Tia?”

  She faced him, her dark eyes wide. “I gave you my word. I intend to keep it.”

  He took a tentative step toward her and wrapped his hand around her elbow. “Good. I’d hate for you to betray me.” He saw her swallow hard. “We’ll head down together. I’ll leave it up to you to call off the dogs since you speak the language.”

  She nodded and they began their decent. One hundred steps later, they paused in front of the shaman and a band of angry villagers. Dane’s hand was still firmly clasped around her elbow. The shaman, tall and willowy, said something in Portuguese, pointed at Dane and then spat on the ground.

  “That doesn’t seem encouraging.”

  “He thinks you are an evil spirit,” she said. “He says in order to cleanse our village, you must be sacrificed to the gods.”

  “Great. I always wanted to be a sacrificial victim of some sort.”

  Tia spoke to the shaman quickly then translated for Dane. “I told him you mean us no harm and you wish to leave.”

  Acotl’s voice was loud, harsh. He waved his hand at Dane, then turned and spoke to the group behind him.

  “Did he believe you?”

  “I do not think so.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

  The angry mob, led by the shaman, advanced. Thinking fast, he snatched the dagger from his waistband and nabbed Tia, placing the knife at her throat. It was enough to make the men pause.

  “What—” she began.

  “Play along,” he interrupted, speaking softly in her ear. “I’m not going to hurt you. Try to look frightened. Tell him one more step and I kill you.”

  “I do not understand,” she rasped.

  “I won’t hurt you, Tia, but we have to get out of here and I need you to do that. Tell him what I said.”

  She spoke to the shaman, her voice shaking. Either she was a really good actress or she really was terrified. The shaman’s bottom lip curled in disgust, his eyes still fixed on Dane before glancing back at Tia, and replied.

  “He says he should have killed you when he had the chance,” she said. “He says he will take you to the gods.”

  “Not until I get out here. Tell him we walk free and if he tries anything funny, you die.”

  She hesitated and he tightened his grip on the dagger at her throat. “Tell him.”

  She spoke quickly. “I told him you will only come back as an evil spirit to haunt us if he doesn’t allow us to leave peacefully.”

  “Good girl.”

  The shaman spoke again, this time to the crowd of men and they all parted, making way for them.

  “He is allowing us to leave,” she said.

  With the knife still at her throat, Dane dragged her through the crowd and toward the edge of the village. Once they were out of sight of the group, he removed the dagger and slipped it in his waistband again.

  “Hurry!” she urged. Grabbing him by the hand, she dashed down the main road.

  Behind them, Acotl stood rooted in place but the other male villagers followed. They emitted a loud war cry as they ran after the two of them. At least it sounded like a war cry to D
ane.

  “What the hell is going on?” he demanded. “You said they were going to let us go.”

  “Acotl was willing,” she panted. “I said nothing about the others.”

  “Oh, for the love of God.”

  “Here!”

  Tia dove into the underbrush on the side of the main village road. Dane had no choice but to follow. She had released his hand and, trusting her instincts, he willingly followed her through the thick underbrush. He could hear the rustle of leaves and foliage behind them, knew the others followed.

  “You’d better know where you’re going,” he said.

  “I do,” she tossed over her shoulder.

  She paused, grabbed his hand once more and led him to the left. She gave him a shove and dropped to the ground, crouching behind a thick fallen log.

  “Down,” she ordered. “We hide.”

  He crouched next to her, watching as the men went right past them. A large grin spread across his face as he saw the dimwitted men of the village continue on their path. Once they were by, he started to rise, but she grabbed his hand and jerked him downward.

  “Wait,” she warned. “For safety.”

  They remained in place until the sound of the men was long gone. When she felt certain all was clear, she rose, Dane’s hand still in hers.

  “The river is there.” Tia pointed straight ahead.

  “Then let’s get going.”

  Chapter Nine: Back from the Dead

  Without wasting any more precious time, Tia and Dane ran through the jungle to the edge of the Amazon. There, docked at the shore, was the largest pirate ship Dane had ever seen. Not that he’d seen a lot and had anything to compare to it. The sails were rolled up, which seemed to be a good sign. At least that meant they weren’t ready to set sail.

  They crouched at the edge of the foliage behind a large tree, watching. Men with guns stood guard while the women were led onto the ship. Manhandled might be a better word for it. Seeing the men’s less-than-friendly treatment of the women sent his blood boiling.

  He counted five guards on shore and a few strolling the decks of the ship. No telling how many more were on board, armed and dangerous. From this distance, he could see the guns were what would be considered collectibles in his time. He salivated at the thought of getting his hands on a real working one since he’d been an amateur collector.

  He wiped his brow with the back of his hand, his heart pounding a hard rhythm and his gut burning from the freshly stitched wound.

  “Do you see them?”

  “No.” Her voice was raspy and she was still out of breath from the sprint. “They could already be on the ship.”

  “Great.” What he wouldn’t give for one of those rifles and a good distraction. He ran his hand over his chin, his skin bristling against the stubble on his face.

  Several hundred feet away, not far from the edge of the shore, the village men who had chased them earlier crashed through the underbrush. They stopped short as the guards turned their attention on them.

  “The villagers,” Tia gasped.

  “Didn’t we just leave this party?” Dane asked.

  One guard intercepted the man who looked to be the leader. The guards didn’t seem alarmed by the sudden appearance of the villagers and Dane wondered if the men really knew what was going on with the women. Could they willingly be giving them up? Surely not. Perhaps Ridgewood had brainwashed them into thinking slave trading was okay.

  Tia grabbed Dane’s arm, her fingers biting into his flesh.

  “We should go now, while we have the chance.”

  “Why didn’t I think of that?” Dane rose and turned to Tia, grasping her hands. “But, Tia, I want you to stay here.”

  “No, I’m coming—”

  “Stay. I mean it.”

  “But…how will you know my mother and sister?” she asked. “I must come with you to help.”

  “I’ll know them.” He studied the ship again. “Because I’m going after all of them. Not just your family.”

  She was silent for a long moment as she stared at him, tears pooling in her eyes. “I do not know how I can repay your kindness.”

  “Yes, you do.” He flashed a grin. “Remember our bargain of getting me and Skye out of here?”

  “You have my word.”

  “Good. I want you to stay here out of sight where you’ll be safe. I’ll be back soon.” He started to leave when Tia pulled him to a stop. Turning back, he met her soulful gaze.

  “You have my thanks,” she whispered. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him on the cheek.

  “Don’t thank me until I come back with the ladies.” He winked and, slipping out of her grip, headed for the ship.

  Armed only with the dagger would be somewhat of a disadvantage. He wished for a broadsword from Nyan’s time. Or his 9mm Glock, for that matter. He hoped he hadn’t wasted precious moments telling Tia to stay behind.

  A shout rose from one of the villagers. He pointed to Dane and spoke loudly and quickly to the others. The guard with the gun spotted him then, shouted orders to his other men.

  “Christ,” Dane hissed.

  All he could do was raise his hands in surrender as two men approached and he found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. A tall, dark-haired man with cold blue eyes came to a halt in front of Dane.

  “You’re coming with us, amigo.” He waved him toward the ship with the gun.

  “Right.” Dane grinned, feeling like a fool as they headed up the plank and boarded the ship.

  “The captain wants to see you.”

  Dane was surprised he could speak English so well. In fact, he sounded almost American. Strange.

  On board the ship, Dane took notice of where they were leading the women—to the hold.

  He must have paused too long for the henchman gave him a shove toward the captain’s quarters. Inside, shadows played about the stuffy room that smelled of sea salt and unwashed bodies. And rum. Candelabras blazed brightly, the yellow-orange light flickering across the dark furniture.

  A man stood with his back to them, his long brown hair tied at the nape with a black silk ribbon. He wore the typical pirate attire—blousy shirt, black pants tucked neatly into shiny knee-high boots. He seemed to be interested in a well-worn map on the table in front of him. A compass was to one side of him and he held a pencil in one hand.

  “Leave us,” he said, his voice hauntingly familiar.

  The two guards scuttled out of the room, the door closing behind them. The man turned and fixed Dane with his dark brown gaze. Surprise shifted through him as he stared at the man. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing—surely his eyes deceived him.

  “Dane Fortune.” He smiled a broad smile and stepped toward him, his feet scuffling on the planks of the floor. “Fancy meeting you here. Welcome to the Captain’s Slave.”

  “Conner Dade. What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Oh, believe me, I was just as surprised to see you crossing the shore to the boat.”

  This didn’t make sense. Dane had put a bullet in that man’s head in the future. He had killed him and now he stood before him?

  Conner tucked his hands behind his back and sauntered forward. “The last time I saw you, it was a dark and stormy night.” He chuckled at his own use of the cliché.

  This was a memory Dane didn’t have. His brows drew together. “I don’t follow.”

  “Wrong answer,” Conner said.

  His response sent warning bells sounding in Dane’s head. He clearly recalled saying that to him before shooting him in the head. What the hell is going on here?

  “Perhaps you’ll recall the nasty telephone call you received from your superiors at the CIA?” Conner asked.

  Dane’s blood ran cold. He did, indeed, recall the telephone conversation. It was moments after discovering the double-cross Conner had tried to pull. He had asked for a substantial amount of money to kill Skye and when Conner had ponied up, he had faked some of the bills.

&n
bsp; Dane had been furious because Conner had tried to outwit him and Dane had called his CIA team leader about the double-cross.

  “Lucky for me I eavesdropped on that call before you could follow your orders. I’d have a bullet in my head if I hadn’t. Wouldn’t I?”

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  A spasm of irritation crossed Conner’s face. “Then allow me to help you remember.” He picked up a jeweled-handled dagger and toyed with it. “He told you to kill me, didn’t he? Should I quote him? I believe he said, ‘Kill him. We don’t need him anyway. We have what we need.’”

  Dane recalled the conversation perfectly well, as if it were yesterday. What he didn’t know at the time was what his superior had meant when he said they had what they came for. Now he did—it was so obvious to him. They wanted the time bender and had tricked him into killing Emily and Jacob Ransom as well as Conner Dade.

  His own government had used him as a pawn in an elaborate game to get Jacob Ransom’s invention. We have what we need.

  Meaning the time bender? Dane knew that couldn’t be true because he chased Skye down in the street and she’d had it all along. Unless…they were after her that day, too, and he just happened to find her first.

  A chill ran up his spine. If that was the case, then she wouldn’t be safe if they ever made it back to their time.

  “Remember now?” Conner asked.

  “Yes.” The word formed an icicle on his tongue.

  “And remember the confrontation we had after that?”

  Now that he couldn’t say he remembered, but rather than expose his ignorance, he played along. “Sure, I do.”

  “I should have killed you when I had the chance.” Conner tossed the dagger on the nearby table and paced. “Leaving you alive was my mistake. You proved yourself more resourceful than I would have imagined.”

  “Tell me, Conner, what do you think you would gain by killing me? Then or now.”

  His eyes narrowed to slits. “Where is Skye?”

  Dane’s heart pumped madly in his chest. He refused to answer. Skye was already in the hands of Dr. Ridgewood. The last thing he needed was Conner on their tail.