As far as we know.
Jasper had worked in special ops long enough to know things weren’t always what they seemed. “What I wouldn’t give for ten minutes with my iPad to research fringe sonar usage. Just for grins and giggles, let’s say there is a treasure. Could our buddy Leo actually have a sub that was searching the coast with ground penetrating sonar that killed the whales? Could it have been strong enough to have even caused a localized earthquake?”
“I guess? I mean, sure. At this point, anything’s possible, but even if there were a treasure—and that’s a very big if—why all of the weapons? Why kill everyone at the station? Why keep only me alive?”
“Because somehow, you’re connected to solving this mystery, and it might be bigger than we ever imagined. You asked earlier why Leo wouldn’t have ordered his men to blast through the wall we made. For one simple reason—he can’t risk hurting you. Whatever your dad has that Leo wants, you’re the key.”
“Gee . . .” She winced. “That makes me feel so much better.”
“Sorry, but it’s the truth. You’re our one ace in a hand loaded with Jokers.”
“Your stupid poker analogy isn’t helping.” Her faint smile belied her harsh words.
“You used to love a good game of strip poker . . .” He skimmed the backs of his fingers along her cheek. Her color heightened with his dirty innuendo. She was great in bed. They’d been great. Did she remember? He needed her to.
She placed her hand over his, capturing it, holding on tight. “I said I was okay with dying . . . But I lied. I’m scared, and all of this is only making my fear worse. My plan was to go out on my terms, but—”
“Stop.” He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing the back, then turning it over to kiss her palm. Her quickened breathing didn’t escape him. She might say she was done with him, but that was a lie, just like the reassurances he felt obligated to spew. “You’re going to be fine. We both are. Let’s grab some gear, and hike our way out of here.”
“You can’t be serious? It’s thirty below. Those rock walls are impenetrable, and even a mountain goat would have trouble navigating with the size of the rocks going forward. Supposing we do get out of this canyon, what if Leo and his men are waiting on the other side?”
“I’ve got another plan.” He winked, then pointed out the window. “I’m not willing to surrender just yet. Those steam vents you said might be attached to a small cave? What if we go all in and hope for more—like if Leo’s still coming for you, there’s enough room to set up an ambush, then pick them off one-by-one. After that, we hike out to their cats and mosey our way back to McMurdo in time for movie night. It’s possible, right?”
“Sure. I guess that could work. But . . .”
“That’s all I need to know. Come on,” he held out his hand. “Help me load our gear. We’ve got a lot to set up for this to go as planned.”
“For the record, I think you’re being ridiculously optimistic.”
“Whatever. It’s not like we’ve got anything better to do. Unless . . .” He squeezed her hand. “Are you feeling frisky?”
His hopeful wink earned him a playful smack.
“You wish.”
Yes, I do. Never had he been happier than when the two of them had been together. She’d soothed the beasts left in his mind and heart from five Gulf tours, and more covert missions into various hellholes than he cared to remember. Most of all, she made him recall what it had been like to be unconditionally loved when his own family no longer spoke to him. At least, he hoped she’d loved him. If not, maybe he had an even bigger problem.
At the rear of the cat, all decked out in their full arctic finery—he’d sliced the front seat to get padding to make Eden’s boots fit tighter—they stood side-by-side, appraising supplies. While all of it could be needed at one time or another, there was no way they could practically transport it for any appreciable distance. Which meant tough decisions had to be made.
Potentially life-saving decisions.
There were no backpacks, so after jogging back to the front for the GPS, Jasper rigged a cargo net into a bag that he crammed with freeze dried meals, drink packs, a compact jet-boil stove, an aluminum pan and two spoons and mugs.
For warmth, the two sleeping bags and tent were a must.
“Do me a favor,” he said to Eden, pointing toward the first aid kit. “There are a couple of smaller kits in there that are loaded with bandages and other odds and ends. Dump those, and then refill them with an assortment of anything you think might be useful.”
“That would be all of it . . .”
“Agreed, but if we can’t carry it, it won’t do us much good.”
When it came to choosing the most practical weapon, he opted for a sheathed hunting knife and two 9mms that he fit into the waistband of his pants. “Can you shoot?”
“No. I’ve never even touched a gun.”
“Time for you to learn.” Not sure who or what they might encounter, he fit eight boxes of ammo into his coat pockets. Four hundred rounds seemed like more than enough, but the way their luck was running, who knew? “As soon as we get settled in the cave, you’ll get your first lesson.”
“Yay.”
Ignoring her lack of enthusiasm, he fit elastic-banded LED headlamps over their hats, then crammed two spare units and batteries into her coat pockets.
“Do you think it’s odd,” he asked, “that our friends had all of this lighting gear when it won’t be dark outside for months?”
“Very. Like they anticipated doing a little spelunking.”
He slung long coils of banded rope over each shoulder. “Ready?”
She grimaced.
“Perfect. Let’s go.” From their vantage point, the steam vents were maybe a couple hundred yards deeper into the increasingly more rugged canyon. Hiking with his awkward load sucked. Toss in the added weight and lack of mobility of the bulky winter gear, and each step felt like ten. He looked back to find Eden’s lips pressed tight. “You all right?”
“Swell.”
“Need me to carry something?”
She shook her head.
Twenty minutes later, the steam plumes still looked two hundred yards away. Nowhere in the world had he been such a crappy judge of distance. If Leo and his crew were following on foot, they had to be making better time.
He drove himself to a faster pace, but Eden struggled keeping up.
Slowing, he took the med kit from her, as well as the batteries.
“I said I can do it,” she complained.
“There’s no doubt in my mind you can, but maybe I think you shouldn’t have to.”
She rolled her eyes before snatching back the med kit, then plowing ahead.
That’s my girl. He couldn’t help but be proud of her spunk. But if she had this much of a competitive spirit in taking a damned walk, why didn’t she feel the same about defeating cancer?
Forty minutes worth of scrambling over rocks and boulders netted not much of anything special. No cave. No hot spring perfect for skinny-dipping. Nothing but the lone steam vent, plus more rocks and snow and ice capped by cheery blue sky.
A glance at his watch that he’d found stashed with the gear showed it was ten at night.
No wonder he was so freaking tired.
Through a particularly rough patch, she asked, “What if Leo’s not following us? What if we’ve done all of this for nothing? And his goal was to drive us into the wild to let nature do his dirty work?”
“Not gonna lie . . .” He paused to stretch his back. “It’s a possibility.”
His grand plan had been to set up for an ambush, but now they were back on an open plain that more closely resembled the moon than any image he’d imagined of Antarctica. Where were the happy penguins and tourist cruises?
“See that overhang?” He pointed north—at least what he thought was north. He felt all turned around and embarrassed by his lackluster navigation skills.
“Yeah. It might as well be a million mil
es from here.”
“Nah. Only a half-mil.”
She flipped him off, only her bulky glove stole her thunder.
“You’re sexy when you’re mad.”
“Stow it.”
“Say the word, and you know I’ll—”
“Shh.” She looked to the sky. “Hear that?”
“The sound of my heart breaking from your rejection?”
“No, listen . . .”
No way. “Is that a . . .”
A helicopter banked low and to the right, hammering them with brutally cold wind.
Jasper pulled Eden close, shielding her from the worst of the blow.
The craft hovered. The cargo door opened and two men dressed all in white save for mirror-lensed sunglasses dropped a rope, then slid down it.
Eight more guys followed.
Through the craft’s open side door, a struggle broke out between one last man dressed all in white and another who wore a familiar red civilian coat. A ladder was tossed out.
The guy in red hesitated before he was shoved from the hovering craft, forced to climb down at gunpoint.
“Recognize him?” Jasper shouted above the rhythmic thump.
“I-I think that’s my father’s friend Dane.”
7
THE CHOPPER’S WAKE sliced Eden’s cheeks like invisible razors. She gladly stepped into Jasper’s outstretched arms, but then realized hiding wouldn’t make the bad guys go away—or rescue Dane.
“Give me my gun!” she shouted over the chopper’s roar.
“You don’t know how to shoot!”
“No time like the present to learn! We have to save him!”
Jasper dropped the gear to take two menacing handguns from his waistband.
While the bad guys huddled, then coaxed Dane forward by pressing the barrel of an M-16 into his back, Jasper handed her a weapon. “Hold it like this.” He positioned her right hand around the grip, and her left on top of the slide. “Pull back to chamber the first load, then do the deed.”
“I’m not sure I can kill anyone.”
Jasper fired off several rounds before shots pinged off the rock beside her.
She growled, then spun around with a roar, matching Jasper’s every round. She hadn’t hit anyone yet, but with the chopper gone, the bad guys scattered, dodging behind boulders, only ducking out to take potshots. Her pulse went haywire with terror.
She’d lost sight of Dane. Had he been hurt?
“Run for higher ground,” Jasper said beside her. “I’ll cover and look for your dad’s friend.”
“What about you?”
“I can take care of myself. Go!”
Eden ran for all she was worth—terror fueling her legs. She took cover behind the nearest boulder, then fired five times until her gun stopped working.
“What’s wrong with it?” she asked once Jasper joined her.
“Probably jammed. Let me have it.” He pulled the slider back, and a bullet casing popped out. He fired, then dropped the cartridge from the handle, counting her remaining ammo before slamming it back in. He returned the gun to her. “See that ridge?” He pointed to a rocky outcropping above them. “Head up and over that spot. You’ll be safe from the line of fire.”
“Come with me.”
“I’m good. You’ve got nine shots left, so make them count. I’ll reload you as soon as soon as we meet up.”
“But—”
“Quit arguing, and go.” He kissed her forehead, then nudged her in the direction he’d pointed.
With every shot fired, she flinched. So much for Jasper’s theory about Leo not wanting her hurt. To catch her breath, she ducked behind a towering boulder, only to burst into happy tears.
Her dad’s business partner, the man who had been like a second father to her ever since her mother died, stood before her, holding out his arms.
“Dane. You’re okay.” She ran to him, hugging him as tight as her oversized coat allowed.
“Likewise.” He was out of breath. “Your father and I have been out of our minds worrying about you.”
“You’ve seen him? He’s okay?”
“He was this morning. Or was that yesterday morning? Leo and his men have me all confused.”
“No kidding, right? Leo’s crazy. What happened?”
“I don’t know, love. He snapped.”
“Do you know anything about a hidden treasure?”
He shook his head.
“Eden, I told you to—oh.” Jasper froze.
“Jasper.” She pulled him into their shelter. “This is Dane. He saw my dad yesterday.”
“Where?” Jasper asked.
“In a sub of all places. Leo has interesting friends. Turns out for years he’s been part of an incredibly well-funded Neo-Nazi group who call themselves the True Reich.”
“What are you doing here?” Jasper’s gaze narrowed. “Why did they force you from the chopper?”
Eden didn’t like Jasper’s distrustful tone. “Can’t you tell Leo’s men took him, too? He was trying to run away, weren’t you, Dane?”
“Yes.” Dane shuddered before working up a faint smile. “Exactly.”
Jasper’s gaze narrowed. “And out of all of Antarctica, you just happened to run here? Right where we were hiding?”
“No, you don’t understand. Leo’s men have been following you. Eden, Leo told me you were with a friend. When your father escaped, they brought me here to talk with both of you. Leo wants me to try getting Eden to spill whatever she knows about this supposed treasure he believes is linked to a conspiracy theory about Hitler having constructed an underground compound. I told him that even as your father’s closest friend, I had never heard such a farfetched, outlandish claim, but Leo insists the treasure is real.”
“Whether it is or isn’t,” Jasper said, “the bullets those guys have been shooting are very real. Let’s table this discussion, then get over that ridge.” He nodded toward the spot where he’d previously asked her to go.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Dane left the rock’s cover, emerging with his hands up. “Gentlemen!” he called to the shooters. “Please, hold your fire! I’ve found Carl’s daughter, and she’s agreed to go with us peaceably.”
“The hell she did,” Jasper mumbled.
Eden elbowed him. “Hush. I’m sure Dane knows what he’s doing.”
“Unless he’s planning to get us all killed. I don’t like it. I’m not going anywhere with those guys, and neither are you.”
“I’m unarmed.” Dane steadily moved closer. “Please, call back the chopper and we’ll cooperate.”
One-by-one, men emerged from their cover. Once they’d all joined together, Dane stepped closer. He said something out of earshot, then gestured for Eden and Jasper to follow.
“Not happening!” Jasper shouted. “This is voodoo,” he said under his breath. “How do we know all of this isn’t an act? This Dane character could be one of them.”
“Stop. I’ve known him forever—much longer than Leo. Trust me, he’s one of the kindest, most gentle men I know.”
“Eden! Come!” Dane urged her forward.
“How do we know we can trust you?” Jasper shouted before she’d even opened her mouth.
“Will this help?” He pulled a menacing looking gun of the sort she’d only seen in movies out from under his coat and shot man after man in rapid-fire succession.
Eden retched.
Jasper held her.
“That’s for what you did to my friends!” Dane dropped the last man standing, then crumpled to his knees. He pitched the gun a good three feet away.
“Damn . . .” Jasper slowly exhaled.
Eden escaped Jasper’s hold to run to her old friend. “That was either very stupid or very brave,” she said through tears. “I didn’t even know you knew how to shoot.”
“I don’t,” Dane admitted, shaky while pushing himself to his feet. “I just put my hand on the trigger and hoped for the best. I stole this gun from them on the flight
over.”
Still a nervous wreck herself, Eden slipped her arm around his waist for a sideways hug. “Thank you. That was horrible, but now we’re all free.”
“Free to do what?” Jasper asked. “The wind is picking up and it’s not exactly balmy. And if the helicopter comes back, what then? Do you really trust Leo’s gang to fly us to McMurdo?”
“They never had the chance to radio the pilot,” Dane said. “But their snowcats are parked at the canyon entrance—the pilot picked them up there. I was already onboard. All we have to do is hike to them, and voila—we’re saved.”
“Interesting . . . If you’re telling the truth.”
“Jasper, stop. Dane is one of the good guys. He killed those men to save us.”
“Whatever.” He picked up their dropped gear and Dane’s weapons.
This wasn’t the Jasper she knew. He didn’t used to be so paranoid. But then how much had she really known about him?
“Let’s get going,” he said. “We’ve got a long hike out of here and it’s not getting warmer.
“Jovial fella,” Dane said for only her to hear. “How did you get mixed up with him?”
“We used to date back in Denver. Remember? I was talking with him the day I dropped the sat phone . . .” Her voice trailed off when her mind’s eye drifted to the horror of that day.
“What’s with his attitude?”
“He’s a Navy SEAL—well, used to be. Now, he does bodyguard work. I guess it’s part of his job description to believe the worst of people until they prove themselves loyal.”
“Makes sense. Has he taken good care of you?”
“The best. Promise, once you get to know him, you’ll like him as much as I do.”
“Less chitchat, more walking,” Jasper said.
“When will I start liking him?” Dane asked.
Eden laughed.
Time passed almost pleasantly while hiking back to their original cat.
Upon arrival, just being out of the wind made her shoulders sag in relief. Once Jasper added heat, the vehicle’s interior felt downright tropical.
Outcast (SEAL Team: Disavowed Book 2) Page 5