Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series)

by Kristine Mason

  “Let’s see if we can track the car first,” Dante said. “I think your time would be better spent on getting geared up and catching a couple hours of sleep.”

  He was hoping Dante would say that. Sure, he could drive to a handful of remote places, great spots for what the kidnapper had in mind, but the jackass could’ve driven Ian and his girlfriend an hour or so along U.S. Route 41, and dropped them off in the heart of the Glades. Or he might have taken State Road 29, or driven to a boat dock and traveled by water to one of the many uninhabited islands that made up The Ten Thousand Islands.

  “Will do. What do you want me to do about the rental house?”

  “Leave it as is. We might need to process it as a crime scene.”

  Might? “What happened to no police?” he asked, moving through the kitchen toward the back door.

  “Nothing. We’re not ready for them to take part in this. What we do with the house will depend on how this plays out.”

  Ryan wasn’t a cop or an investigator, but knew guys who were. Plus, he’d watched plenty of crime shows. This house would definitely be a crime scene. Which made him wonder… “And if we find this guy, then what?” Silence stretched. “You still there?”

  “Yeah,” Dante said. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure your name stays out of it. Just be ready to go once that plane lands. And keep tabs on your supplies. CORE will compensate you for everything, including your time.”

  “I’m not doing this for the money,” he said, as he turned on the flashlight and made his way down the long, gravel driveway. “But I won’t turn it down.”

  “Then I’m honored you’re letting me call in a favor.”

  “I’m not doing this for you, either.”

  “Then why?”

  The beam from the flashlight touched on a dark object. “Hang tight and stay on the line.” He slipped the phone in his pocket, withdrew his gun and crept toward a dense cluster of foliage located about twenty feet from the tail of his Suburban. The closer he drew, the quicker he moved, until he hid behind a couple of palms a few feet away from an abandoned car. He stowed his gun, then shined the light on it. After retrieving the phone, he said, “Got a car.” He swept the flashlight over the back end. “Dark orange Mazda GLC. Florida license plate reads SBT-703.” With the hem of his t-shirt, he opened the driver’s side door. “It’s unlocked.” Using the flashlight, he peered inside. “And incredibly clean.”

  “Check the glove box and trunk.”

  “It’s a hatchback. There’s nothing in the back end.” He looked to the car’s dashboard. “Are you worried about me getting my fingerprints on the glove box?”

  “That’s the least of my concerns. See what’s inside.”

  “Nothing. Lemme check under the seats.” After bending and flashing the light under the seats, he climbed out of the car. “Still nothing. Could be this isn’t the kidnapper’s car.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  After reaching into the car, he popped the hatchback, then made his way to the back end. The flashlight reflected off a shiny object. He picked it up and let it rest in his palm. “Nope. And he wasn’t as clean as I thought.”

  “What’d you find?” Dante asked, his tone anxious.

  Ryan stared at the yellow-gold, oval ruby stud earring surrounded by small diamonds. “An earring. Maybe it belongs to Ian’s girlfriend?”

  “Don’t know. Hang on to the earring and send me a picture of it when you have a chance. Also show it to Lola when she gets there.”

  He slipped the earring into his pocket and took one last look for its match. When he found nothing else, he closed the hatchback. “Who’s Lola?” he asked, heading back to his truck.

  “She’s part of the team I’m sending. She’s also the daughter of the woman who’s been kidnapped.”

  Shit. “This’ll be personal for her,” Ryan said, climbing into the truck. “Will she be able to turn off her emotions? This could get ugly.”

  “Don’t know.”

  “How long has she been with CORE?”

  “A little over six months. But she can handle whatever comes your way.”

  “And you know this how?”

  Dante released another breath. “Look, I don’t know if she’ll be an asset or a hindrance. All I know is she, and the two men traveling with her, are the only members of CORE this guy doesn’t know about.”

  “I could go alone.” Which might be better. He wouldn’t have to worry about the others being hurt or slowing him down if they ended up unable to handle the Glades.

  “They go with you. But if you’re not comfortable taking them, I’ll have Lola hire another guide. No hard feelings.”

  “That’s okay,” Ryan said. He knew the guides in the area, and while most of them were avid hunters adept at tracking, the rest were too absorbed with tourism and their airboat tour businesses. There were one or two who would be willing to involve themselves with what Dante had in mind, but once those guides discovered the scope of the hunt and that it might not follow legal protocol, they’d back out or call the sheriff. Time they couldn’t afford would be wasted. Plus, he wanted to be the one to bring the jackass down. The soldier in him demanded justice for those people, while the hunter in him grew anxious for the chase. Hell, for the first time in years, excitement warmed his belly and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed living on the edge, braving the unknown and…playing the hero.

  “Like I told you, business is slow this time of year,” he lied again. “Plus, I haven’t been hunting in a while.”

  “The kidnapper is the one doing the hunting.”

  He started the truck, then headed for his boat. “Not anymore.”

  Somewhere in the Everglades, Florida

  Thursday, 2:48 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

  “Watch your step, you don’t want to land on a snake,” he said, keeping his gun trained on his prey and the flashlight aimed at the ground. “I’m going to give you two a few tips before I let you loose for the hunt. This narrow path we’re on probably wasn’t made by humans, but by animals. Wild boar, I’m thinking, or maybe panthers or bears. If I were you, I’d stick to these types of paths for as long as possible.” He flashed the light onto Ian’s bare feet. “You’re going to discover that the vegetation here can be just as deadly as the wildlife. I’ve seen thorns that are almost an inch long. Imagine that impaling your feet.”

  He glanced at his watch. Almost back on schedule. “Here’s another tip. Don’t drink the water unless you boil it.” He chuckled. “Good luck finding a pot and a fire-starter.”

  Cami tripped and stumbled forward. With her hands still behind her back, he expected her to nosedive into the ground, but she managed to right herself. He landed the beam of light on what she’d tripped over, then to her slippered feet. “You’re going to want to keep your feet dry to avoid trench foot and also watch out for alligator nests. Those mama alligators are rather protective of their young.”

  After another twenty yards, he ordered them to stop and keep their backs to him. He shrugged out of his backpack, set the flashlight on the ground, then pulled out a set of handcuffs and a cord. “Here’s how we’re going to do this,” he said, cuffing their wrists together. “We’re going to rest here for a couple of hours. You’ll be thanking me for this later. Fatigue will set in quickly as your body dehydrates and hunger sets in.” He considered adding that spending the next two hours tied to a tree would likely demoralize them. But why waste his breath on the obvious? They had two hours to try and rest against a tree. The temperature had dipped into the low sixties and they were barely clothed. Sleep would elude them. Fear of the unknown wouldn’t. He smiled. “Come along.” He led them to a large bald cypress, forced them to sit, then tied them to the tree, keeping the long cord around their necks and midsection. “Comfy?”

  The glow of the flashlight bared the hatred in Ian’s eyes. Good. The feeling was mutual. He looked to Cami. The woman’s face was still mascara-stained and tear-soaked. At least she�
��d stopped her screaming and whining. He would have hated to have to kill her before the hunt had even begun.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He grabbed his pack, dropped it against the opposite tree and sat down before setting the timer on his watch. “Get some sleep. Because in two short hours we’re gonna have some fun.”

  Orlando, Florida

  Thursday, 3:09 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

  Lola jerked awake and quickly looked out the window of CORE’s private jet. In the distance, thousands of lights twinkled below and she realized they must be nearing Orlando. After they picked up Harrison’s friend, they only had a short one-hour flight to the Everglades.

  Her stomach soured. How was her mom? Where was she? Did that bastard hurt her any more than he already had? Oh, God. Would they be able to find her mom and Ian?

  She clutched her stomach and fought a wave of panic. Her dad used to tell her that if she didn’t have bad luck, she’d have no luck at all. He also used to tease her and call her his little black cat. If he took her to a Lakers or Dodgers game, they always lost. When she was learning to drive, she’d managed to take out their mailbox and rip off the back bumper of her mom’s car. She hadn’t been able to hold a job past nine or ten months without messing something up, to the point where she’d eventually been fired. What had made her think she could lead a team into the Everglades to rescue her mom and Ian?

  The images of the man breaking her mom’s finger, of her tear-soaked face and the terror in her eyes, had Lola fisting her hand with helpless frustration. She wanted to save her mom, but wished she was part of a team of well-trained agents.

  Glancing across the aisle, she saw Harrison sleeping, his mouth open and a bit of drool glistening along the side of his jaw. Harrison was a good guy and a good friend, but he was no agent and spent his days in front of a computer. As for his friend? Harrison had been cryptic about the man they were picking up in Orlando, but had said that he was a total badass. But did the badass know anything about the Everglades? Or how to track down her mom and Ian? She hoped to God Dante’s contact did, otherwise they were screwed and would end up in need of rescue just as much as her mom and Ian.

  “Prepare for landing,” the pilot said over the intercom.

  Harrison snapped awake, then wiped at his mouth. He turned his head and looked at her. “I don’t normally drool. Sorry if I grossed you out.”

  She half-smiled. “I’m just glad you got some sleep.”

  He rose, then sat in the seat next to her and glanced out the window. “Ever been to Disney World?”

  “No, but I’ve been to Disneyland once. It was horrible. I threw up during the It’s a Small World ride and had to walk around in eighty-five degrees smelling like puke.”

  He chuckled. “I guess a little drool isn’t that gross after all.” After buckling the seatbelt, he leaned his head back. “Did you get some sleep?”

  “A little. I had a hard time drifting off. Every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing my mom tied to the chair.” She plucked a hairband from her wrist and pulled her hair into a ponytail. “I’m scared.”

  “I know.” He took her hand. “We got this.”

  “I want to believe that, only…never mind.” While she knew she could tell Harrison about her worry over their search, she also didn’t want her lack of confidence to discourage him or the rest of their team. “Tell me about the guy we’re meeting. I’ve never met a Vlad before.”

  “And you’ll never meet anyone else like him.”

  Her ears clogged as the jet made its descent. “How long have you known him?”

  “Um…” He pushed his hand through his longish, brown bangs. “I think it’s best we not get into that.”

  She studied the side of his face. “Because? Look, it’s bad enough I don’t know anything about the guy who’s going to be guiding us into the Everglades. Since Dante vouches for him, and I trust Dante, I’m okay with that. But I think it’s only fair that you tell me about Vlad. Unless he’s a mass murderer, how bad can he be?”

  “Well, he’s not a mass murderer. He did work for one though.”

  Not a mass murderer?

  The landing gear hummed and thudded beneath them. She looked out the window just as the jet made its final approach toward the runway. “But he’s a murderer?”

  “I wouldn’t call him that, either.”

  “Has he killed people?”

  “Yeah. But—”

  “I don’t know what your definition of murder is, but in my opinion, if you kill people, you’re a murderer.” She looked away from the window and met his gaze. “You should have told me from the start. I would have never agreed to have Vlad on our team if I’d know this.” How in the hell was she going to work with a killer without worrying that he wouldn’t slit their throats?

  “You’re right. I should have told you. But Dante knows about Vlad and he approved him joining us. You did say you trusted Dante.”

  She had said that, and she did trust Dante’s judgment. He’d been Ian’s first hire and ran the agency in his absence. He’d also trained her. Dante wouldn’t jeopardize their mission or place any of them in harm’s way.

  “Fine. Then tell me this. Were his victims innocent?”

  The jet touched down. Harrison squeezed her hand and closed his eyes. “God, I hate that part.” He rolled his head to face her. “No. Vlad didn’t kill innocent people. When he lived in Russia, he was a heavyweight boxer and won a ton of fights. Some douche bag Russian mob guy unfortunately took interest in him and, after his career had ended, he was forced into working for the mob as a hitman. After a few years, Vlad tried to get out. It ended up costing him his family.” His jaw hardened. “If he returns to Russia, he’s a dead man. If the U.S. government knows about him, he’ll go to prison because of the man he used to work for, which would be better than being deported back to Russia.” The jet stopped and Harrison unbuckled his seatbelt. “Don’t judge him for his past. He’s not that guy anymore. Give him a chance. I think you’re going to love him.”

  She unbuckled her seatbelt, too. Normally she wasn’t judgmental, but she also didn’t associate with murderers or wanted men. “You said he was badass, and that he’d help us. I promise not to judge him.”

  He blew out a breath and stood. “Don’t be surprised if I remind you that you’ve said that.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Harrison parked the rental car that had been waiting for them at the Orlando airstrip in front an extended stay hotel.

  “Let’s make this fast,” she said, exiting the car. “He knows we’re coming, right?”

  “I called and sent him a text.”

  She rolled her eyes and looked to the star-filled sky. “Did he respond?”

  “Ah…sure.”

  “Liar. If he’s not here, we’re back on the jet. We might need his help, but we also can’t afford to waste time.”

  He led her up the steps to the outside door of suite twelve and stood under the small porch light. “I’m sure he’s here,” Harrison said, his tone lacking confidence as he knocked on the door. “He just hates texting. Says his fingers are too big to manage the buttons.”

  She crossed her arms and waited. If they’d made this stop for nothing, she was going to be furious. “Call him.”

  Harrison rapped on the door again, this time harder. “He’s probably sleeping. Give him a sec and then I’ll—”

  “Busy,” a man yelled from within the room.

  Harrison pounded on the door. “Open up.”

  “чёрт возьми! Coming,” the man called. “Hold onto horse’s rein.”

  “Your friend sounds like that Boris guy from Rocky and Bullwinkle,” Lola whispered.

  Harrison chuckled. “That’s exactly what I thought when I first met him,” he said, as heavy footsteps approached.

  The knob jiggled, just before the door cracked open a couple of inches. “Harry?” The door swung open and a bare chested, giant of a man filled the threshold. “Harry,” he repeated, hauling H
arrison into a big, bear hug.

  She smothered a grin as she watched Harrison’s feet dangle a foot off the ground.

  “It good to see Vlad’s comrade,” the Russian said, setting Harrison’s feet back on the concrete. “Vlad prefer reunion in daytime, but—”

  “Didn’t you get my text?” Harrison asked, rubbing his upper arms. “I tried calling, left a voice mail, then texted you.”

  “Vlad phone kaput. Take Vlad advice. Don’t drink and hot tub with phone.”

  “But I just bought that for you three months ago after your other phone went kaput when your girlfriend shattered it. I hope you’re not still dating her, by the way.”

  “Misty?” The Russian shook his white-blond head. “Vlad kick Misty to the side of street.”

  “You kicked her to the curb,” Harrison corrected him. “And, by the way, it’s hold your horses, not hold onto horse’s rein.”

  The big man frowned. “Would not Harry hold horse’s rein to stop it?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “No but,” Vlad said, waving a hand and finally looking at her. His mouth curved into a grin. “Ah, Harry surprise Vlad. Harry no longer like fiery redhead, but sexy Asian girl. Vlad approve.”

  Oh, this guy was too much. Lola straightened her shoulders. “Sorry, Vlad, but me no love Harry long time,” she said, and cocked her brow. “Harry, hand me the keys and get your buddy ready. We have a jet to catch.”

  “Geez, Lola. Let me at least intro—”

  “Vlad Aristov,” the Russian said, offering his hand. When she took it, he kissed her knuckles, then grinned. “Vlad love bossy woman.”

  “Lola Tam. And I’m not trying to be bossy. Time is of the essence and we need to leave.”

  “She’s right,” Harrison said. “How soon can you be packed?”

  “Where Harry and Asian Lola take Vlad?”

  “Everglades.”

  The Russian stared at Harrison for a moment before shaking his head. “Has Harry not watch Gator Boys?”