“We find the doctor first,” Jabar said. “He will lead us to the others. He’s in there.” Jabar pointed to the hospital tent. As they reached the entrance, Jabar stalled, turning his ear, listening for any sign of movement or chatter, but there was nothing.
Jabar moved the flap aside and walked in. Instantly, he covered his mouth with his hand to ward off the smell of rotten flesh in the air. He scanned the tent, but the doctor was missing. Some of the beds were occupied by people who appeared injured or unconscious, but nobody tended to the ailing patients.
He exited, and Raiden said, “What? Where’s the doctor?”
“Missing.” Jabar stood in the middle of the camp. “Where are you?” His gaze moved from tent to tent as he wondered about the doctor’s whereabouts.
“What now?” Raiden spun to ask as Jabar walked in a circle, studying the outside of each tent with purpose.
“Jabar!” Raiden was insistent.
“You look for the girl,” Jabar said.
“Where?” He raised his hands in the air.
“Inside the tents.”
Raiden paused. “And what if we’re seen?”
“Don’t be.”
He huffed. “Why don’t we just burn the entire village, take them out in the process?”
“Because Payne wants the girl, the professor, and the doctor alive. What do you think he’ll do to us if we don’t locate them first?” He squared Raiden’s eyes.
Raiden lowered his head and remained quiet.
“That’s what I thought. Now, check the tents, and don’t be seen.”
“WHAT DO WE DO NOW?” Fox said as they watched the men break into smaller groups and proceed into the village.
Winter sighed, looking over at her. “I count sixteen men.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Sixteen against two, I don’t like those odds,” Winter said.
“So we’re just going to sit back and watch these people get burned alive?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what exactly are you saying?”
Winter shifted his attention back to the men as they spread across the grassland. “We don’t know these people. This isn’t our mission. Our mission is recon.”
“Would you stop handing me that bureaucratic bullshit answer every time. What about what you said earlier?”
Winter swallowed back his pride. “I . . . I misspoke.”
“Bullshit. You’re just scared! These are innocent civilians we’re talking about here.”
She was right and Winter knew it. They had to do something, but what? How could they stop this from happening—or, at the very least, limit the number of casualties?
“Here’s what we’re going to do—” He ate his words at the sound of an approaching vehicle.
Both shot their attention to the Jeep as it sped over the dirt road that entered the camp.
“Who the hell is that, Payne?” Fox said.
Winter leaped from his prone state. “We need to get closer.”
They jogged through the brush, crouching low and keeping their sound at a minimum. The teams of men surrounding the camp were now spread about fifteen yards apart, making Winter and Fox’s advance more dangerous, even with the advantage of their scopes.
The Jeep continued onward, but none of the armed men moved toward it. In fact, they seemed to be trying to hide from it.
“That’s not Payne,” Winter said.
“What?” Fox said.
“Look closer.”
Fox strained to see. “Is that? No . . .”
“It is. It’s Niki.”
“Holy shit. What the hell is she doing here?”
“I assume this is her camp.”
The Jeep stopped, and three people vacated.
“And that’s the professor,” Fox said.
Winter flipped up his scope and rubbed his eyes. “Damnit, Niki.”
Fox’s mouth fell agape. “We can’t move on them now. It’s too risky.”
“You’re right. The only thing we can do now is wait.”
“Wait?” Fox said. She was about to speak again, but she held her tongue.
They had to wait and see how this played out, even though they knew time was at a premium and Niki was walking into a trap.
“What if we warn her?” Fox said.
“How?”
“A warning shot?”
“With what, your unsilenced Glock? Those sixteen men will kill us before we get a second shot off. Unfortunately, Niki is at the mercy of those men right now, and our only option is to wait.”
“And what if they kill her in the middle of the camp or set her on fire like the rest of the village?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Winter said.
“RAIDEN, GET BACK HERE, someone’s coming,” Jabar said.
Not only did he hear the tires rolling over the dirt road, but he saw the headlights approaching as well. Jabar grabbed Raiden and pulled him behind a tent on the north edge of the camp.
“Who is it?” Raiden whispered.
“Since we didn’t see the doctor in the hospital tent, I assume it’s him.”
Both men heard the vehicle stop and heard more than one door shut.
“There’s at least two of them,” Jabar said. “If they walk by us, wait until they separate for their own tents before we make a move. If it’s the doctor, great, but we don’t want to take anyone who belongs in the village.”
Raiden nodded in agreement. They stood listening, first hearing a man, then a woman.
The spy, Jabar thought.
Scooting backward along the side of the tent, Jabar guided Raiden around, knowing that the mystery guests would pass in front of them. They would wait in the shadows for their opportunity, an opportunity they were confident would most definitely come.
It was only a matter of time.
25
CONVERSATION HAD CEASED inside the Jeep. No one had anything to say after the madness at the diamond mine. It wasn’t until they reached the village and began to walk to their respective tents that Lord finally spoke. “I hope you got what you needed back there because we can never go back.”
“And why is that?” Niki asked. “It’s not like anyone got a look at me.”
“That may be true,” Vali added. “But now he’s on alert and will do anything to find out who attacked his mine.”
“Please, I did nothing of the sort. I was there for . . .” She stalled.
“For what exactly?” Lord pushed.
“Posterity.”
“Whose?” Lord asked. “You have no stake in the future here.” That was harsh.
“Bala, please.” Vali placed his hand on Lord’s shoulder.
“No, he’s . . . he’s right.” Niki looked at the ground where the headlights shone, then faded to dark. “I’m sorry that I put you in that situation, sorry that I nearly got you shot in the process.” Her words were nonchalant, matter-of-fact.
“And you. You were almost killed as well,” Lord said.
Niki kept quiet.
“I think it best we all try to get some sleep. We’ll talk about what happened in the morning,” Vali said.
No way Niki was going to sleep, not after this. Not with adrenaline searing through her veins. But Vali was right, they should at least try. She would try to rest.
They each walked away toward their own tents. When Niki reached hers, she stepped inside and dropped her bag onto the cot. She paced for a moment, walking in a circle, ruminating on the events of the night.
What can I do? What can we do? Winter. Fox. All of us. No way we can take down the entire army. Maybe we could get ten, at best, before we’re found out, captured, or killed. Her pace was quick and calculated as she repeatedly forced her fist down on her open hand. What about a bomb? We could drive inside the mine, disguising ourselves with a shipment of new workers. Maybe I could bring some of the children from the village? No. Stop, Niki, that won’t work, some could get killed in the process. Use your br
ain, think. She slapped her open hand on her forehead. Just as she did, footsteps passed in front of her tent.
“Professor, I know it’s you, what do you want?” she said from inside her tent.
The footsteps stopped and there was no response.
She leaned forward, doing her best to see out the folded flap. “Professor?”
Again, there was no response. She felt the polymer of her Glock on her waistline. But she didn’t figure she needed it, and if it was the professor, she’d blow her cover. Maybe it was just one of the kids from the village playing a prank on her. She moved to the front of the tent, near the entrance, but before exiting, she heard a yelp, followed by a thud.
Something’s wrong, Niki thought, but it was too late. As she reached for her gun, Raiden came in with his own weapon raised and backed her into the center of the tent.
She raised her hands and backed away from the hard steel of a barrel pointed directly at her chest.
“Don’t move,” he said.
She waited for his next command.
He lifted his walkie-talkie and said, “I have her.”
“Bring her outside,” a voice called back.
“Outside,” he barked at Niki, lowering the radio.
But rather than comply, Niki stood still eyeing him.
Boy did you step into the wrong tent.
“Walk!” he whispered through his teeth as spit flew from his mouth.
Niki raised her hand to wipe the spit from her face, but she still didn’t walk.
Just a little closer, about six more inches.
As if on cue, he shoved the barrel nearer to her face, trying to intimidate her. Niki reached out with both hands, grabbed and raised the barrel, and lifted the stock. In one swift motion, she was now holding the gun, pointing the barrel back at him.
In shock he was speechless, but Niki let him know what to do next by raising the barrel up and down. “After you, I insist.”
Raiden lifted his hands and walked forward. He proceeded through the tent in front of Niki, who wasn’t prepared for what she encountered next. Both Lord and Vali were on their knees with an African man standing behind them, pointing his AK-47 at their backs. Niki had expected Payne, but it was not him. It wasn’t her style to falter or to cower, though; she simply came closer to Raiden and shoved the stock into his kidneys.
When Niki came face-to-face with Jabar, she was ready for a gun fight. It would be almost too easy. One lone gunman, and his unarmed combatant, who did they think they were messing with? Big mistake, pal, big mistake, Niki thought.
“Put your gun down,” Jabar said.
“I don’t think so. Why don’t you?”
Jabar laughed to himself. “You may think you’re brave, but I assure you, you’re not.”
“Big words from a man pointing a gun at the backs of two unarmed men. One a doctor, the other a professor, neither of whom would put up much of a fight.”
Niki looked at Lord. Panic rolled over him as he rocked in place. Then she turned to Vali, who knelt strong. His back was straight and he held a stern gaze.
As Jabar paced behind Lord and Vali, he said, “I like you. You’ve got spirit, which is why he wants you alive.”
“By he, I assume you mean Payne?”
Jabar stopped and glared at Niki. “I figured you knew who he was since you came into our camp and spied on our operation.”
What the hell? How did he know it was me? Niki’s eyes bulged in her sockets. “That’s why you’re here?”
“Of course. Did you not think we would find you, especially after Raiden saw your face?” He nodded to Niki’s hostage.
Niki was confused. This wasn’t the man she dropped into the mine, and there was no way he could’ve recognized her or they could’ve followed them that fast.
“I’ve never seen this man before in my life.”
“Uh-huh, that’s doubtful.”
“I wouldn’t lie to you, not while you’re holding a gun to the backs of my friends.”
“I just have one question, why did you come into the camp? I mean, what did you have to gain by identifying one dead freedom fighter? He was no use to you or your government.”
Niki’s confusion quickly faded upon her realization. Lara! What the hell did she do?
Niki had no more outs; she had to act, she was done talking. Not only would talking get her nowhere, but the last thing she wanted to do was send them after Lara and Mitch. This was a case of mistaken identity, and it would be easy enough for her to weasel her way out of this situation. Then get the villagers to safety. Then find Winter and Fox. Then track down Payne and kill him once and for all.
“Let them go or I’ll put one in the back of his head,” Niki said.
“That’s not an answer to my question.”
“Tough shit. You’re not getting one.”
“Very well.” Jabar kicked Lord and sent him to the dirt face-first. He stepped forward and put the barrel of his rifle to the back of the professor’s head.
“Did you hear me? I’ll do it,” Niki warned. She had no problem killing the man in front of her.
“I know, sweetheart, but before you do, why don’t you turn around and say hello to the rest of my friends?”
Just as Niki rotated her spine, the stock of another rifle contacted her temple and sent her into a blackened abyss.
26
“NIKI!” WINTER GASPED.
“We have to get to her.” Fox stood and took one step.
“No!” Winter warned.
“What do you mean, no? You just saw what they did! He knocked her unconscious. How can you say no? They’re going to kill her.”
“You said it, they knocked her unconscious. If they wanted her dead, they would’ve killed her. They didn’t. We can’t blow our cover. We’d be dead before we even got close.”
“So, what, we do nothing?”
“For now, yes. Our best bet is to follow them out once they leave, once they head back to the truck.”
“And what about the villagers? Have you forgotten about them?” Fox held her gaze.
But Winter didn’t look her in the eye. His attention was on Niki, as the man who’d knocked her out now lifted her and flung her over his shoulder.
“Mitch!”
“I heard you, Lara, and no, I haven’t forgotten about them. But like I said, there is nothing we can do. It’s just you and me. And now they have Niki. I’m not going to risk her life.”
Fox reeled and threw her hands in disgust.
“You don’t have to like it, but I know for a fact, Collar and the director wouldn’t want us to interfere. Not with Niki’s life on the line.”
Fox strode away.
“Where are you going?”
“To get away from you. This is chickenshit and you know it.” She turned and walked deep into the night.
LYING IN THE DIRT AND high grass, Niki blinked. It was dark. At first she wondered if she’d been blindfolded, but in fact she hadn’t. Two forms knelt next to her. She opened her mouth to speak but felt a gag there. Her tongue tasted the bitterness of motor oil. She rolled onto her side and tugged with her arms, but they were locked behind her back. Bound with rope. She couldn’t rip free. She kicked her feet, but they, too, were tied underneath her. She wriggled for a moment before Jabar lifted her to her knees.
“I’m glad you’re awake. I wouldn’t want you to miss this.” He bent down to whisper in her ear. Then he stood, brought a walkie-talkie to his mouth, and said, “Begin.”
From the north, an orange glow of fire sparked. At first she wondered what she was viewing, but her question was soon answered as more flames appeared around the camp’s perimeter, threatening the entire camp.
“No!” Niki screamed, but her voice was muted, overwhelmed by the distance between her and the tents.
She turned to Vali, who rather than screaming was humped over at the belly, staring at the ground and sobbing uncontrollably. Lord was neither sobbing nor screaming, but rather staring in u
nbelief.
The blaze spread its way around, stopping fifty yards in front of where Niki, Vali, and Lord kneeled. There was a small opening in front of them, left there on purpose so they could bear witness. Jabar stood in front of them and faced them to speak. “This is what happens when you come into our camp uninvited.”
Beyond Jabar, the villagers began to exit their tents, all coming out to witness the commotion. The flames reached fifteen feet high, burning hot and furious. The smoke must have been visible for miles, but there was no fire department, no one coming to their aid.
Quickly the villagers realized the danger and ran toward the only opening remaining: a twelve-foot gap directly in front of Niki and the others.
Jabar walked ahead, lighting his own torch.
“You bastard!” Niki yelled beneath her gag. She wrenched her arms and kicked her legs, but the ties held. There was no way to shake free. She was forced to watch.
At that moment, she realized what Vali meant by pain. He’d said, if caught, at best they would die. This was worse than death. To witness over a hundred innocent men, women, and children being slaughtered just to prove a point was unbearable, beyond comprehension.
Jabar torched the ground. Holding the fire to the grass, he walked along the gap until both ends of the circle connected. From there, he spun, then chucked the torch toward the center. When he walked back, he bent down to Niki, and amongst the pained screams from inside the fiery ring, he said, “Listen to them. Listen to them scream.” He turned his ear, and grinned.
Niki gnashed her teeth and stared up at him. I don’t know who you are, but I assure you, I will break free from these binds, and when I do, you’re gonna wish you were already dead, because if you’re not—
“Because you’ll know those screams well,” Jabar said, cutting off her thoughts. “If you think this is bad, wait until you meet him. He’s got something extra special planned for you.” Jabar rose and nodded to his men.
Three men lifted each of the captors. Niki gave one last glance to the fire before a hood was placed over her head. She tried to will the people to escape. Just jump through the fire, please. Do it. You may be burned, but you’ll be free of the blaze. Do it. Now!
Second Best: A Niki Finley Novel (A Niki Finley Thriller Book 2) Page 12