“What the hell is that noise?” Zane asked.
“Another rescue party?” she asked, trying to see him in the renewed darkness.
“Get dressed.” His voice snapped, a sharp, un-lover-like tone that wiped her desire slate clean.
Chapter Ten
“What’s going on?”
He started putting on his clothes. “It could be anyone, friend or foe. Most likely it’s foe. We don’t have long before they get here.”
As they dressed frantically in the dark, she said, “What are we going to do?”
He grabbed his automatic weapon. “Make a stand. They’ll see our tent and we don’t have time to pack up the supplies.”
Fear renewed inside her. “This is crazy.”
“Welcome to the life of an agent.” Sarcasm entered his tone, along with humor. “The excitement never ends.”
“But if whoever it is finds us, aren’t we taking a risk they might want to harm or kill us?”
“Everything is a risk. If we lose this stuff to some rebels we’ll be wishing real soon we hadn’t. If we don’t provoke a fight, they might let us keep our supplies so we can make it out of here in the morning.” He unzipped the tent and looked out. “Come on. Stay close to me.”
Clouds obscured most of the starlight, and a new well of fear pumped into her heart. She heard him doing something with his weapon, a clicking noise.
A strange glow came from high above the trees to the northeast.
“What is that?” she asked.
“There’s another trail just north that leads from Haan’s house to the plateau that’s separate from the one you took to get here. My guess is that glow up ahead is a campsite or someone is coming this way very quickly.”
“I thought this area was totally isolated from human traffic.”
“Not totally.”
As the trampling noise continued, she said, “They’re not much for stealth, are they?”
“Maybe they want us to know they’re coming.”
Suddenly a loud cracking noise came from the northeast and they both twitched with surprise.
He slipped an arm around her shoulder. “Shhh.”
She tensed even under the comfort of his arm. The night, no longer pounded by rain, renewed with squeaks, squawks, and the incessant din of billions of insects and other creatures traveling the night. What seemed like hours later, the glow of flashlights pierced through small holes in the jungle and came straight toward them.
Zane’s entire body went rigid and he released her. He held his automatic weapon at the ready, in case whoever approached had ideas about starting a fight. His body still hummed from his sexual escapades with Keira and a definitive thought ran through his mind. He’d protect her with his life, but if the enemy took him down, he wanted more than anything in his life for her survive one way or the other.
“If this gets ugly,” he said as adrenaline streaked through his veins, “duck and run at least until the firefight is over. If something happens to me, submit. At least you have some chance of surviving if you’re taken captive. In the jungle without your supplies, you have almost no chance.” When she didn’t say anything, he added, “Give me your word, Keira. You submit and survive.”
“Yes.”
Her voice sounded out-of-breath, and he imagined the fear she must feel right now, the same dread curling within his stomach. At the same time he wouldn’t concede defeat until the party was over and it sure as hell wasn’t over yet. He heard machetes slashing into the foliage as people came toward them. He thought it might be ten or twenty men; he couldn’t be certain.
“Señor Spinella, is that you? We come in peace.”
The voice sounded familiar, but he didn’t relax as the lights bobbing among the trees and the human shapes moved nearer. He kept his mouth shut.
“Señorita Jessop? Dr. Jessop, are you there?”
He prayed she wouldn’t speak. When she didn’t say a word, the sounds of people coming nearer accompanied faces they could see.
The voice spoke in Spanish to his cohorts. “Do not do anything without my permission.”
Zane suddenly knew who the voice belonged to, but it didn’t give him an inch of peace. “El Jaguar!”
“Sí, Señor Spinella.” Finally the group came close enough they could see each other. The tall man moved away from the trees, advancing without displaying his weapon. “You may put down the gun. We mean you no harm.”
Zane didn’t comply right away as ten more men came out of the bushes. He didn’t see Ortega, Cyclops, or Manuel with El Jaguar, but that didn’t mean the new entourage couldn’t be as brutal. “I’ll keep my weapon like this, thank you.”
El Jaguar carried a flashlight and pointed it near the ground, obscuring his face in the semi-darkness. “Very well.”
Surprised by the rebel leader’s compliance, Zane almost let the tip of the weapon drop. Trust never came easy to him, and it wouldn’t start now, especially not with El Jaguar’s motivations unclear. At least a new group of problems hadn’t walked out of the trees. Dealing with a known entity should be easier.
“What do you want?” Zane asked.
“We heard from a friend that you needed assistance. Our camp is a short distance away. Come with us and we will provide shelter for the night and your safe return in the morning.”
Zane kept his weapon trained on the rebel and asked, “What friend?”
El Jaguar smiled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He waved with one hand back toward his group of men. “It’s taken us all night to find you. Now that we’re here, you would not insult our hospitality.”
Fuck’in A. Yes, he would. He’d been perfectly happy tucked in the tent, delirious from the hard, deep fuck between a woman’s thighs. Not any woman, but one that set his blood on fire and made him feel things he’d never experienced for a woman before. He glanced at Keira. She might be putting on a good face, but he could sense her fatigue and worry. She stood with her feet braced slightly apart, hands on hips. He almost smiled. That’s it, honey, look strong. Hell, she didn’t only look strong, she was. He’d felt it inside her from the moment he’d met her. It didn’t make having her here now, danger all around, any easier for Zane to swallow.
“Why are you being all kissy-face with us now?” Zane asked. “Earlier you allowed your men to club me and brutalize Eduardo and Keira.”
El Jaguar laid his weapon on the ground and approached slowly. “Señor Spinella, you misunderstood our intentions. We never intended to run you off the road. Your chauffeur, Eduardo, is a clumsy driver, no? He takes the road with great speed.” The tall man stopped near Zane and Keira. “And the men who attacked you and Miss Jessop have been punished. Harshly.”
“Where is this shelter you’re talking about?” Keira asked out of the blue.
“We are on the edge of Haan’s reach. He no longer ventures into the jungle this far, as you know. It gives us more freedom to roam.”
“Then you’re Haan’s enemy?” Keira asked.
El Jaguar nodded. “Most certainly.”
This news flash altered Zane’s game plan. While he couldn’t trust the rebel in front of him until he knew more, he wondered if El Jaguar might be able to help him and Keira in their quest for the octagon statues. Maybe this meeting could be advantageous after all.
El Jaguar centered his attention on Keira, reaching for her hand and lifting it to mouth to press a kiss there. “Anything to make such a lovely woman comfortable.”
Jealousy ran hot and sudden in Zane’s blood. He didn’t like the childish feeling, but possessiveness hit him in the gut hard. The hunger in El Jaguar’s eyes for Keira didn’t hide much. Zane knew this man admired her, probably wanted to take her as his own.
Not acceptable.
When El Jaguar kept Keira’s pale, slim hand in his, Zane said, “Keira is off-limits.”
Keira’s gaze snapped to his and held, irritation glowing in her eyes. El Jaguar released her fingers and erupted into laughter. S
ome of his men laughed, too. He walked with slow deliberation around Zane. Zane’s muscles tightened, readying for possible battle.
“Señor Spinella, as much as I admire your woman, I would never presume to take her. It is clear she is yours.” His gaze darted back to Keira for a second. “And the way she defended you when you were knocked unconscious, it is plain she has deep feelings for you.”
Zane tried not to let the words mean anything to him. “You can assure me no man in your camp will try and touch her?”
“Of course, you have my word.”
Somewhat placated, Zane said, “I’ll hold you to that.”
The rebel smiled again, his teeth straight and white. “As I said before, we offer you shelter and comfort. We have dry clothes and food if you wish it. Come, the night is wasting. Gather your things.”
Calm but looking exhausted, Keira asked, “How did you know where to look for us?”
The rebel leader’s eyes glinted, a fire that equaled the searing look from a jungle cat. “As I said, we had a tip from a friend. No other explanation is needed for now.” El Jaguar paced away a couple of steps, nearer now to Zane than Keira. “Would it make you more comfortable to know there are women and children at this camp? We are not complete barbarians.”
Caution stayed in Keira’s eyes. To reassure her, Zane nodded and lowered his automatic weapon. “All right. Take us to your camp.”
Zane hoped he hadn’t made the biggest mistake of his life.
* * * * *
Dawn broke over El Jaguar’s camp, daylight struggling to penetrate the thick, towering canopy above. Zane stepped out of the tent into fresh air. He left Keira sleeping like the dead. They’d fallen asleep in their borrowed attire last night, but he’d redressed in his own clothes this morning. When they went back to Haan’s estate they couldn’t afford to walk in wearing garments that belonged to rebels.
He stretched and yawned, his weapon dangling over his shoulder. He didn’t intend to go anywhere without this very big, very effective piece. He was comfortable with the vibes here for the moment, but as an SIA agent he couldn’t become lazy with security.
Right. What the hell was I doing last night? Playing fuckin’ tiddlywinks, that’s what. Getting deep inside Keira had been his priority right before the rebels showed up. Not exactly cautious of an SIA agent. He figured Mac Tudor would be chewing his hide big-time right now if he knew what he’d done. Emotional entanglements didn’t belong on a dangerous assignment like this.
What emotions?
Other than wanting to protect and fuck her, he couldn’t afford anything else.
He’d wanted to stay up through the night and watch over her, fear lingering in the back of his mind that she might be harmed. Possessiveness had never harnessed him before when it came to a woman, and this new development bugged the crap out of him. Perhaps the jungle broke a man down to his basic elements and showed his true substance. But he didn’t have time to analyze the chaotic feelings bouncing inside him. He needed to learn what El Jaguar really wanted from them and if the rebel could be an ally.
After they’d traveled by foot the additional three miles through harsh jungle last night to El Jaguar’s camp, Zane felt a total lack of danger. Few people had wandered the area. Men had circled the locale at intervals on watch, a couple of women walked with small children, their eyes curious and cautious about the newcomers.
This place and these people still gave him the willies. Nothing in his time in Puerto Azul had prepared him for supposedly peace-loving rebels. What about this so-called friend who alerted El Jaguar to their presence? Who could it be?
What about the glowing pillars with animated sexual positions carved into them, and the ring Keira claimed had lured her away from Haan’s estate? He hadn’t believed a word Keira said about the ring until those damned pillars started glowing and he saw the ring light up, too. Something fucking strange was going on in the jungle. On the way to El Jaguar’s camp Keira asked Zane to keep the ring in his pants pocket.
Shrugging off unease, he turned his attention to the camp. He admired the village-like settlement around him now that he could see it in daylight. Zane watched the camp stir to life. Several women walked into the jungle escorted by men, bundles of clothes in their hands. Maybe they planned to wash garments at a nearby water source. He smelled food cooking and his stomach protested. He hadn’t broken out the MREs, meals-ready-to-eat, that Haan had given him.
As a little relaxation returned to his muscles, he started across the encampment toward El Jaguar’s tent.
The two guards packing rifles and knives standing outside one tent attested to El Jaguar’s presence inside. Zane relayed his wish to see the leader.
One man ducked into the tent and emerged a few seconds later. “You may go in.”
A little surprised the guards hadn’t tried to relinquish him of his weapon, Zane entered the tent. El Jaguar sat on a fold-up chair behind a small collapsible desk. His tent wasn’t bigger than anyone else’s, and he’d covered most of the floor space with maps. He wore a clean khaki camp shirt and dark pants, his hair clean and combed.
One thing he would give the man, he managed to be one of the most civilized rebels Zane had ever known.
“Welcome, Señor Spinella. I trust you slept well?”
Zane wanted to cut right to the chase, but decided he could produce a couple of socially acceptable responses. “Like a rock.”
“Excellent. And your woman, she slept well?”
“She’s still sleeping.”
“Good. She looked very tired last night. You’ll want breakfast soon, of course.”
Enough with the small talk. “Yes, thank you. I appreciate your hospitality, but there are some things I need to know.”
“Of course.” El Jaguar leaned back a little in the fold-up chair, resting his clasped hands on the little desk like a corporate executive. “Ask me anything.”
Zane snorted in disbelief. “I asked you last night who this friend was that told you about Keira and I being in the jungle. You didn’t answer that question.”
El Jaguar smiled. “You’re right. That is the one question I can’t answer.”
“Then tell me this. Why are you Haan’s enemy?”
“Why are you his friend?”
Busted. How could he probe El Jaguar’s motivations if he didn’t reveal his own? The SIA book of rules said an agent never revealed his agent status to a stranger. A cardinal rule. At the same time, he couldn’t discover this man’s relationship to Haan without a bargaining tool.
“I’m not his friend,” Zane said, hitching his weapon higher over his shoulder.
El Jaguar nodded. “Then we are at an impasse. I cannot tell you why I am his enemy and you choose not to tell me why you are his friend.”
“I just told you I’m not his friend.”
“You are staying at his estate.”
“A business deal only. Nothing else.”
Again the man nodded. He reached down for a small thermos, then popped off the top. The scent of hot coffee teased Zane’s nose. He could use a caffeine injection right about now. El Jaguar reached into a bag and produced two milky-white, chipped coffee mugs. Man, this guy was equipped with everything. Living on a shoestring, yes, but still…
“Coffee?” El Jaguar asked as he poured the steaming brew into one mug and held it out to Zane. “We do not have accoutrements here in the jungle. Black coffee is all we have.”
Accoutrements? El Jaguar rated as the most articulate rebel Zane had encountered in Puerto Azul.
Zane took the mug and sniffed it, savoring the comforting scent. “Thank you.” He waited until the other man had taken a few sips of his coffee before drinking. The taste burst on Zane’s tongue, a delicious blend that surprised him. He’d expected bitter. “Why would you care, if you think I’m Haan’s friend, whether I’m stuck out in the jungle?”
Shifting, El Jaguar turned his small chair around so it more directly faced Zane. “I will admit something, S
eñor. You and the Señorita seem very capable people. I think you are more than simply a rich engaged couple.”
Shit. Zane shrugged. “You don’t think rich people can be capable?”
“Many of them are not. They are waited on hand and foot and are spoiled. They barely know how to boil water much less trek through the jungle unmolested. Your woman is obviously very strong.”
Zane smiled. “I know a lot of capable rich people. You’re hanging out with the wrong ones.”
El Jaguar shrugged. “Perhaps. But as I said, she is an extraordinary woman.”
Zane’s grin grew wider. “I didn’t know men in Puerto Azul believed women could work outside the home.”
El Jaguar’s dark eyes crinkled at the corners as he maintained a friendly face. “We are modern in many ways. Not as modern as the United States, perhaps. But we have progressed far passed many countries in this region. Give us our due.”
“Machismo never dies.” Zane almost snorted at his own statement. He sounded like a feminist.
El Jaguar chuckled, then shrugged. “No nation is perfect.”
The rebel’s penetrating gaze held Zane’s for solid seconds, as if he might read his mind. Niggling disquiet grew moment by moment as Zane felt the man continue to stare.
“I felt an energy connecting you and the woman that says she is also not who she says she is,” El Jaguar said.
Hell. When he’d first met him at the limo crash, Zane hadn’t given the man this much credit for intelligence. Deciding what to say now would take extreme care.
“What does this have to do with you coming to our rescue? If you think we’re capable, I don’t see why you bothered coming out to us last night.”
“Did Señorita Jessop become lost earlier in the day?”
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“The friend who told us where to find her.”
Screw the friend, Zane wanted to growl.
Suspicions, ugly and penetrating, reared their heads. He remembered the man who’d been stalking Keira when he’d found her yesterday and described him to El Jaguar.
Special Investigations Agency: Primordial Page 18