“There are other ways of doing that than kidnapping innocent women and extorting money from their parents,” Mike told him through clenched teeth.
“We treat her well,” Moreno countered. “We haven’t hurt her. We didn’t even kill you. And as for her parents? The money we ask for is but a drop in a lake for them. They will hardly notice it gone, yet for us it will completely change this country.”
“For the better?” Mike asked. “You really think a man who stoops this low will be a good leader for his people?”
Moreno narrowed his eyes. “I will be far better than the rich, greedy fools who call themselves leaders.”
“Really? Say this whole plan works. What will you do next time things get difficult for the economy? Find more American heiresses to kidnap for ransom? Face it, you’ve stooped to their level. You’re no better than they are.”
Moreno stood, sending the wooden chair back onto the concrete floor. He strode away, his back to Mike. And Mike tensed. Was the man saying something? He didn’t know.
Mike’s gaze flickered to the guard, and their eyes met, then flicked away. No clues there.
“Well?” Moreno demanded as he turned back around. “How can you accuse me of sinking low, considering the things your own government does to people all over the world?”
The knot in Mike’s chest loosened. He didn’t have to admit his deafness—a weakness in this situation—or risk looking stupid. “The government of my country is flawed, too, there’s no denying that. But it doesn’t mean you should do it because everyone else does.”
Moreno’s expression grew speculative. “You talk as if you have more faith in me and my people than I do. Is that what you truly believe?” He rightened the chair and sat, folding his hands over his stomach. It looked like the general was preparing for a long chat.
Mike still had no idea what was happening here. Why was he debating morality with the man who had kidnapped him and Jessica? Surely Moreno had better things to do than have this conversation?
Or maybe he wanted to be talked out of his actions? Maybe, if Mike chose his words right, Moreno would let him and Jessica go. Was it possible?
He studied the general with new eyes. The man didn’t look like he was asking to have his mind changed, but why else would he be here?
“I believe in doing the right thing, the right way, even if it’s the harder, slower process,” Mike said eventually. “I agree with you that the government of Zolego needs to change. And soon, before it’s too late for the people here. But I don’t think it’s right for you to use people for your own ends. Exploit them, as you are trying to stop your government doing to your own people.”
“You have an interesting mind, Michael Ford.”
Mike’s eyebrows shot up. “So you know my name.”
“I know a lot about you. I know about your military career. Your retirement. We’ve had similar paths, you and I.”
“What do you mean?” Mike asked.
“I, too, was discharged from the army after giving it most of my life.” He fingered the medals on his chest. “Left out in the cold, as they say. And I found a new cause later in life, as you found your new career.”
Mike swallowed. “My new career is nothing like yours. I simply use the skills I learned in the military to continue doing what I do best, helping people.”
Moreno raised an eyebrow. “As do I.”
Mike swallowed back a retort. He needed to wrest control of this conversation away from Moreno.
“What are you doing here, Moreno?”
The general sat back in his chair. “You mean this old base?” he said, waving a hand. “Nice, isn’t it? Used to belong to occupying forces, many decades ago. I’ve commandeered it for my own use.”
Mike shook his head. “No, here. In this room, with me.”
Moreno smiled. “Ah. Well, that’s simple. I’m trying to figure out whether you’re a spy.”
Mike blinked. That was not what he’d been expecting.
“A spy?”
“Yes. From my own experience, it’s fairly common for Americans to send operatives into unstable countries. My question is: are you here to support my cause, or prop up our farce of a government?”
Mike swallowed. Shit. No wonder Moreno hadn’t ordered him killed right away. He wanted to interrogate him, find out what he knew. From Moreno’s point of view, Mike must look suspicious. A highly-trained, former military operative, sneaking into the country and messing with a rebel mission. Yeah, Mike would be suspicious, too.
Moreno probably believed he was here to either destabilize the country further, or gather intelligence on the rebel operations for the Zolegan government at the behest of the Americans.
This wasn’t good.
“I can assure you, I’m simply on a rescue mission. I was hired to find Jessica and bring her home.”
“Hired by who?”
“Her parents.”
“And how did they find you?”
“I work for a company called Soldering On Security. We work out of Portsboro. You can check our website, and there are plenty of local news stories about us. We’ve recently expanded into international territories when required.”
Moreno was silent, eyeing Mike for a long moment. Mike held still, betraying no hint of nerves.
“It’s a good story,” Moreno said eventually. “And even if it’s true, there’s no reason to think Senator Vanderslice didn’t give you a secondary mission while you are here.”
Of course he’d think that. Mike blew out a breath. His position was precarious here. He should’ve considered how his mission would look from the outside. But he never thought he’d be caught. If all had gone to plan, he would have been out of the country the same afternoon he’d rescued Jessica.
“I can see why you might think that,” Mike said carefully. “But I assure you that Senator Vanderslice was only focused on having her daughter returned safely.”
Moreno tilted his head, studying Mike. Foreboding crept down Mike’s spine. What was this man planning? Whatever it was, Mike was sure it wouldn’t be good.
“I thought you might deny it. Normally, I would consider torturing you for the truth. But we both know that rarely works to extract the correct information, hmmm? And I’m not an animal who would hurt another for no purpose.”
That point was debatable, but Mike was too relieved from the apparent lack of torture in his future that he didn’t call Moreno on it.
“However, you do have a clear weakness. The Vanderslice girl.”
The bottom dropped out of Mike’s stomach as he stared at Moreno.
“I think, if we torture her, you’d be far more forthcoming.”
Mike’s chest squeezed. “Don’t do that. I’ve told you the truth.” He knew his voice was coming out panicked, but he could stop it. Not Jessica. He could withstand the torture, but he couldn’t bear for Jessica to get hurt at his expense.
“I’m not a complete monster,” Moreno said, as if he hadn’t heard Mike. “I won’t make you watch. I think her screams would suffice, no?”
“You won’t hurt her. You need her alive for the ransom.”
“Alive, yes. Whole? I believe that would be negotiable.”
Mike swallowed past a thickening throat and shook his head. “Please don’t.”
“Bring her into the next room,” Moreno said to the guard. “I want him to hear her screams.”
Moreno stood, turning his back on Mike to leave the room.
The intense, miserable irony of the situation penetrated Mike’s haze of panic. To his own surprise, he laughed.
Moreno whipped around. “You laugh. You want your woman to be hurt?”
Mike swallowed the bitter laughter. “Of course not. But if you want to use her against me like this, hearing her screams won’t be enough.”
Moreno turned all the way around, a confused frown on his face. “You are so callous you wish to see your woman be tortured?”
“Of course I don’t want to see
that. But if you want me to react to the torture, we’ll have to be in the same room. I’m deaf, Moreno.” At least he’d get to see her if they brought her here. And being together would give him and Jessica a greater chance of escaping.
Moreno stared at him. “That, in your file, was true? But we’ve been talking just now.”
“I’m reading your lips. It’s a bit harder with you because you have a heavy accent, but I can understand enough.”
“That’s…” Moreno stopped. He looked completely taken aback, and Mike had a moment of satisfaction that he’d managed to put the man on the back foot. And then knowledge slammed into Mike. Moreno hadn’t really meant to torture Jessica. He clearly had some kind of charade or set up to make Mike think she was being hurt.
The general wasn’t as bad as Mike had feared. Yeah, he’d still kidnapped Jessica—twice—but at least he wasn’t a gung-ho torturer. Small mercies.
“Fine,” Moreno snapped eventually. “Have it your way. We’ll bring the woman to you.”
With that, Moreno strode out. And Mike’s stomach dropped.
What the fuck had he done?
Chapter 14
Jessica paced the small room.
Where had they taken Mike? She hadn’t seen him since they’d knocked him out. After that, they’d thrown a bag over her head and dragged her through the jungle for a while before throwing her into a car. She hadn’t seen any of the journey. They’d tied her hands so she couldn’t remove the bag, and only untied her once she’d been marched into this cell.
She didn’t even know if they’d brought Mike with them. For all she knew, he could still be lying unconscious back at the village.
Or dead.
Her heart clenched and tears threatened. She breathed deep and clenched her shaking fists to stay in control. She wouldn’t accept that. Wherever he was, he was alive.
He had to be. She cared about him too much. She swallowed painfully as that revelation hit her. It hadn’t only been physical attraction between her and Mike. She liked him. A lot. She liked his calm under pressure, his ability to rethink plans at the last second. His respect for her, and the protectiveness he showed.
And the amazing sex hadn’t hurt. He’d read her body like a book and it had been the hottest thing she’d ever experienced.
But this ache in her chest wasn’t an intense afterglow from amazing sex. She cared about him. More than she had about any other guy she’d dated.
And here they were, separated. With her trapped in the compound of a rebel leader who wanted to ransom her to fund his regime. She’d been sympathetic to their cause—still was. But Mike was right. They were going about change the wrong way. She couldn’t accept any group that kidnapped an innocent woman—twice—and hurt the man who’d only wanted to protect her.
If they’d killed Mike…
Well, she’d never let them get away with it. She’d use any and every power at her disposal to make them pay.
The door swung open. Jessica whirled around to see a woman standing in the doorway. She was demurely dressed, in a buttoned shirt and skirt that hung to her ankles. A dark braid hung over one shoulder. Her eyes were lowered to the ground in an apparent display of meekness. A servant, or even a slave? Jessica suspected the rebels would have staff to help run things—cooks and cleaners and such—but she didn’t want to make assumptions. The woman may only be acting subservient to catch Jessica off guard.
But for what?
It was then that Jessica noticed the rope dangling from the woman’s hands. She folded her arms across her chest.
“You don’t need to tie me up. I won’t escape.”
The woman raised her gaze and stared at Jessica blankly.
Jessica tried again, this time in bad Portuguese. “Por favor não me ligue.”
The woman shook her head and let out a string of Portuguese too fast for Jessica to follow. She gestured with the rope, and Jessica took that to mean she wouldn’t let Jessica go untied. Still, at least the woman hadn’t mentioned the bag over her head.
Jessica hoped this meant that she would be taken somewhere other than this cramped room. If she got a better view of the place, she might be able to figure out the best way to escape. And she would escape. No way would she let General Moreno extort her parents. They didn’t deserve that, if they’d even pay—which Jessica still wasn’t certain of. It would also set a bad precedent, and General Moreno would think he could get away with these kinds of tactics next time. And if her parents didn’t pay? Well, chances were Jessica would be screwed.
Jessica eyed the woman in front of her. Should she make a move now, while she had the element of surprise? This woman would be easier to defeat than the general, or any of his men.
But then a guard stepped up behind the woman, glaring at Jessica. He cradled his assault rifle as if he itched to use it. Jessica swallowed and stepped forward with her hands out, capitulating to the woman’s request. Better that she get a good assessment of her situation before making any plans. She figured that was what Mike would say, anyway. He liked to recon first, before he made a call.
Thinking of Mike again was like a punch to the stomach, and Jessica let out a shaky breath. She hoped more than anything that he was okay.
The woman cinched the rope around Jessica’s wristed and tied them tight. Then, she indicated with her head for Jessica to follow her into the hallway outside the room. Jessica did, noting everything she could see.
Besides the guard she’d seen earlier, who now followed her down the hall, there were two other men guarding the door. The corridor was otherwise empty of people, but there were doors leading off that could house any number of people.
They turned right at a t-junction. The corridor they’d been on continued down to a set of double doors. Jessica ran her gaze over it as they turned. Was it an exit? She didn’t have a definitive answer before they were out of sight.
Two doors down, they stopped. A guard was posted on either side of it. Jessica nearly ran into the woman leading them, so distracted was she by her assessment of the guards. The man behind her also stopped in Jessica’s personal space, but she had no doubt that was intentional. His hot breath on her neck made her shudder in distaste.
The woman knocked and the door swung open from the inside. She stepped away and indicated Jessica precede her into the room. Jessica hesitated a moment, not sure what she’d find in the room beyond. But then a sharp poke in the back had her stumbling forward. She turned to glare at the guard who’d nudged her with his gun. He gave her a smug grin in return.
Jessica rolled her eyes and stepped into the room without another glance back. The first thing she saw was Mike, tied to a chair with his arms behind him. He appeared unharmed, and her heart soared. He was okay. Better than okay. The way his arms were tied behind his back made his bicep muscles bulge and his shirt pull across his chest. Given their situation, she really shouldn’t be noticing things like that. But he was so built it was difficult not to notice.
Their gazes met, and his expression tightened. Regret and apology mingled in his gaze, so strong Jessica nearly stumbled back. Her stomach tightened. What had he done to look at her like that?
A movement to her left caught her eye and General Moreno stepped into view. He looked the same as he had in the village house. Tall, straight-backed, radiating command.
“General,” she said as a greeting. Her mother had always taught her to be polite when dealing with your adversaries. A woman would be deemed over-emotional if she was passionate about anything, such as swearing a blue streak at the asshole who kidnapped you.
“Miss Vanderslice. Glad you could join us.”
Like she had much choice. Instead of saying that, however, she smiled and inclined her head. There was no reply that was both the truth and polite, so she chose to say nothing.
“Your friend and I have reached a bit of an impasse here, and I’m hoping you can help.”
Jessica’s gaze flickered to Mike in confusion, but he was too busy
glaring at Moreno in frustration and anger to give her any hint about what might come next.
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
“I want you to persuade your friend to tell me the truth.”
Jessica frowned. “What truth?” Was Mike hiding something? If he was, it was from her, as well.
“The truth about his mission here. About how he was sent to gather intelligence and destabilize my hold on power.”
Jessica’s eyebrows shot up. What the hell? She glanced at Mike. This time he looked right at her.
“It’s not true.” His voice was steady and sure. She wanted to believe him. Surely that was the truth. Because in the week she’d known him, he’d made no effort to gather any information on the rebel camps. In fact, he’d stayed as far away from any hints of the rebels as possible. He wasn’t willing to risk his true mission—keeping her safe—for any information.
So why did the general think he would?
“I have no idea what you’re referring to.” If he believed she was a weak link who would blurt out Mike’s plans—plans she didn’t even know, and likely didn’t exist—then he was sadly mistaken.
“Yes, I didn’t think you would. You were the excuse to enter the country, not a partner. I do wonder if they placed you here as bait for my plans, but that might be a little too clever, even for a United States Senator.”
Jessica nearly choked. He thought her mother was behind this? It was true Senator Vanderslice could be ruthless and manipulative, but she generally kept that to her home city of Portsboro. It would be highly unusual for her to meddle in international affairs. Even if the president suggested she use her daughter’s kidnapping as an excuse, Jessica didn’t think she would. Right?
Or maybe she would. Maybe there was something in this for her Jessica hadn’t considered. Her mother often played a long game Jessica couldn’t even begin to fathom.
She chanced another glance at Mike. That apology was still in his eyes. Why was he sorry? Did that expression mean everything the general said was true? Mike had used her? She didn’t want to believe it. Not after what she and Mike had been through together. But she wouldn’t put it past her mother to manipulate a man for her own ends. And Mike would have no other reason to feel bad about the general’s accusations, so what else could it mean?
On the Move: Soldiering On Security #6 Page 16