Jinn & Toxic

by Franny Armstrong

  She saw Metcalfe help Chan to his feet and realized they weren’t going to listen.

  “Okay. Let’s move out.”

  ***

  “I need to know what skills you all have. We’re close to our target now. Jennings?”

  “Communications, sir.”

  “Metcalfe?”

  “Charm of course.” When she didn’t acknowledge his poor attempt at humor, he shrugged. “Sniper. Top caliber, sir.”

  “Blackstone.”

  “Hand-to-hand, sir.”

  “Gonzales?”

  “Weapons.”

  “Chan?”

  “Munitions, sir. He’s the best,” Jennings said quietly.

  “Good. Since you can read my mind, from now on you’ll listen in silence. We make no noise, no sudden moves. Understood?”

  Each of them nodded. Without another word between them, Jinn began moving through the forest, sensing they were closer by the minute. When she sensed the presence of sentries, she halted. Spread out. Two guards ahead. Blackstone to my right twenty feet. I’ll take the other one. Metcalfe, you confiscate their rifles and pass one to Jennings.

  Though they didn’t answer her, she closed in on the guard, freezing when a shout from the area ahead turned into laughter. She was sure that if she held the pendant, the pain would be more intense.

  Chan moved in beside her and motioned with his hand that he was going to help. She shook her head but realized he wasn’t going to back down. I’ll kick your ass later, Chan. Though she couldn’t see him, she was sure Metcalfe would be grinning.

  Another man appeared next to her target and lit up a smoke.

  In Spanish, he mumbled, “Stinking gringos. I wish the boss would let us have a turn with those chicas. I haven’t had a woman in a very long time.”

  “You wouldn’t know a woman from a mule, Pepe. Who are you kidding?”

  From a short distance, another man hissed, “You two shut up!”

  “What for, Marco? There isn’t a soul for miles.”

  “There’ll be two less souls in a minute if you don’t close your bloody mouths.”

  When Marco stopped talking abruptly, though Jinn couldn’t see him from her vantage point, she knew Blackstone had taken him down. A quick nod to Chan was all he needed before they both rushed forward and took out the other two, silencing them in seconds.

  Tell Chan to be careful. I’m not carrying him. When he turned to smirk at her immediately, she realized they all could read her mind and that unsettled her.

  Jennings, you need to get close without getting caught and take out their communications. Chan, you head for their munitions stash and prepare to blow this place sky-–high.

  A tent sat nestled among the trees a few feet further ahead. Jinn felt the strength of emotions that assured her it was her contact as she moved forward. Wet leaves swished beneath her boots releasing a fragrant sweet smell that pleased her senses. In the distance, she heard monkeys squawking. Everything close by sounded like a deep breath waiting to release, silent and still.

  “Where the hell are you?” a voice called out. He was moving toward her position. Jinn motioned for Chan to hide low and froze in place, the bushes part of her cover. When the guard stepped into the light, she decided he’d be useful.

  Hang tight team. I have an idea. Don’t move a muscle.

  Once she’d closed the connection to the team, she focused her attention on the man walking slowly as though looking for a sign of his friends. He stopped and stood as still as a statue. Leaving her hiding place, Jinn walked boldly up to him.

  Her voice a low murmur, she asked, “Where are the prisoners being kept?”

  “Most of them are in a pen on the far side of the camp. The leader and a woman are in the tent.” He stared straight ahead, his tone disjointed as though in a trance.

  “Where are the munitions?”

  “In the tent against the back wall.”

  “Are there radios?”

  “Yes but only one radio and Iceman has it with him.”

  “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know. He left an hour ago.”

  “You will go back to camp and cause a fight with one of your men. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “You only remember seeing the guards in place and they are fine.”

  “Yes.” The man turned and walked back to camp, whistling softly.

  “That’s an amazing gift, sir.”

  “Shit! Blackstone, if you don’t stop sneaking up on me, I’ll kick your ass.”

  “I believe there’s a lineup started for that pleasure, sir.”

  If Jinn hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she’d never have believed he could smile. Blackstone was quite handsome when he relaxed his guard. She shook off the thought in case he heard her and refocused on her mission. Her target was inside that tent.

  Go stir up some trouble, kids. I’ll take Chan with me.

  Heart racing with adrenaline, Jinn moved toward the tent, cautious about running into any other guards. Chan stood by her side. She sensed his exhaustion. The best way to keep him alive was to have him close by where she could protect him. Jinn grinned, knowing Chan was the kind of man who’d hate being taken care of by a female.

  When they reached the back of the tent, Jinn knelt down low and pulled out her blade, listening for any noise inside. It was silent but for some harsh breathing. As quietly as she could, she slit the base of the canvas wide enough to peek inside. A kerosene lantern sat on the floor near the entrance of the tent. Jinn could make out the shape of a man’s silhouette and another figure curled up on the floor.

  After slicing the canvas further, she motioned to Chan that she was going inside. He shook his head, indicating he wanted to go first, but she signed he was to stay put, sensing the anger seethe from him. Macho ass.

  Without waiting for an argument, she crawled through the hole, the knife held between her teeth as she pulled herself along. The figure in the chair shifted, sucking in a breath and Jinn knew he’d heard her, yet he didn’t make a sound. The ammunition was sitting on the floor at the back of the tent. The smell of gunpowder assaulted her sinuses.

  Chan, we found the ammunition stash. Hurry up and get in here.

  The first thing she did was move toward the naked woman who lay a few feet away from the silent figure. Jinn could feel his eyes on her disguised body, the tension and anger in his stiffened posture. The air held the scent of blood. A quick glance at him showed the source. He was covered in welts, bruises, and dried and dripping blood and sweat. The eyes were all but swollen shut and blackened while his nose appeared to be broken.

  Instead of helping him first, she cut the ropes at the woman’s wrists and ankles, concerned about the way her eyes held a vacant stare. She’d been beaten also, her lip fat, blood oozing from the cut. Bright red hair lay in a tangled mat around her head, and there were bruises all over her body. Though she’d been cut free, she lay unmoving. Jinn turned to face the man and stood.

  The moment she could see what little of his eyes showed, a jolt went through her. It was as though she could sense everything he did. Strange, it’s Juliette who’s the empath and the only one she could feel when her sister was hurt. His awareness of her was strong enough to taste as he studied her. Though he couldn’t possibly get a visual with the netting covering her head and face, it was almost as if he could see right through her. She made sure to block her thoughts and moved in his direction just as a man entered the tent.

  Jinn froze, seeking his eyes. She watched the enemy who appeared surprised at first then after a moment turned around and walked out calmly. Noise and shouts rose outside the tent as the guard she’d ordered to create a distraction began a fight, yelling at his fellow captors.

  Muffling her voice, she said, “Time to move out, Captain.” She quickly severed the ropes holding him prisoner and helped him to stand, checking his injuries. She was surprised at the low amount of pain he projected.

  I can’t
even imagine the pain he’s in. “Can you walk?”

  He nodded, stumbled over to the woman and knelt down, his movements sluggish and jerky, showing his pain. “Angel, let’s get you out of this hellhole.”

  To Jinn’s surprise, he picked the woman up in his arms and started for the front of the tent, but Jinn grabbed his arm. “No. You go out the back. Chan is going to help me rig this place.”

  “You have my team?”

  “We’ll discuss it later. Get out of here. There’s no time to talk.”

  When it didn’t seem like he was going to follow her orders, she hissed, “She needs to get out of here now!”

  Though a tick flickered in his jaw from clenched teeth, he nodded and left through the back with Angel cradled in his arms. Chan entered a moment later as Jinn began pulling out grenades and guns from the wooden crates, and he took some from her. He motioned with his hand what he planned to do.

  “I’ll head out and use the diversions to get around to the others.” She slipped four grenades into her deep pants pockets and left Chan to do his job. Keeping low, she pushed through the bush, trying her best not to disturb them too much. Now she could see the enemy guards gathered in a circle, shoving and shouting at the two men in the center. The fight was on, all attention diverted as she moved.

  The prisoners were all sitting on the ground, arms bound behind them as they leaned against trees. She counted ten, but couldn’t make out their faces. As she worked her way closer, Jinn slowed and searched the brush.

  When a hand landed on her shoulder, she tensed but realized it was Blackstone. She shook it off and promised to follow through with her previous warning about his sneaking up on her.

  “They’re in bad shape but know we’re here to rescue them. I’ll tell Chan when you’re ready to go.” His low whisper in her ear helped her focus on the job.

  “Tell everyone to prepare to move out on my mark.”

  When the fight broke up, Jinn hissed, “Let her rip.” She handed Blackstone two grenades and motioned which direction she wanted him to toss them then moved off to do her own work.

  Two dark figures slipped forward and began to free some of the captives, keeping low and out of view of the guards. Jinn was about to take the pin out of one grenade when the barrel of a rifle press against her spine.

  “Don’t move,” a man said in Spanish.

  A blast rocked the area, the tent going up in a blaze as more explosions went off like fireworks. By the time the first boom faded, the man was on the ground, her knife sticking out of his chest. Without pausing, she pulled it out and took off through the bush where she tossed one of the grenades close to the group of men who raced back and forth in confusion and fear at the attack. Gunshots sounded though she could tell that her team remained invisible because the enemy shot at the bushes haphazardly.

  Half of the prisoners escaped when she threw the next grenade. Before it exploded something slammed into her shoulder, and she fell to her knees. She realized she’d been shot as pain flashed through her body like wildfire.

  Before Jinn could stand, someone dragged her up and threw her over his shoulder.

  It took a few seconds before she could tell it was Gonzales. “Put me down.” Her growled response went unacknowledged as he took off running with her through the thick forest. Behind them the shouts and a rain of bullets continued. Though dizzy, she reached up to grab Gonzales’ by his hair and yanked hard.

  “I said let me down, and I mean now, soldier.”

  Again he ignored her.

  “Where are you taking me?” This time she pounded on his back with her fist, her other arm hanging limp and useless as agony washed over her.

  A few minutes of silence went by as she hung there, helpless to break free before he stopped and dropped to the ground with her beneath him as bullets whizzed by overhead. Cries of surprise sounded then utter silence as the shooter ceased fire and silence reigned except for the sounds of the battle behind them.

  Jinn was hauled to her feet and dragged along the unseen path as Gonzales continued their trek. When finally he stopped, she was left to drop to the ground at the feet of the Captain.

  Even in the dark she could tell that something was different about him. He stood straighter, taller, and held a power about him that surprised her. The sensation of his pain was gone as well. Others began to emerge through the woods to stand in a circle around her.

  “Who are you?” he snarled.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “I’m making it my business. Take that gear off your head and show your face.”

  “No.”

  When she made a move to stand, he held her down with a foot on her back. White fire shot through her shoulder.

  “My team tells me you saved us and that you’re a Sergeant.”

  “I am.”

  “I outrank you, now do as I said.”

  “No, sir.”

  The fury that came off him was stronger than before as he towered over her, but she held firm and tried to shift out from under his foot. He moved it to her wounded shoulder and pressed down. Unable to hold back the cry of pain, Jinn cursed herself. She hated it when anyone saw what she considered a weakness in her, and this was no different. He’d done it on purpose. Obviously he, like his teammates, believed she was a man. Remembering that his team could read her mind, she closed off her thoughts and tried to take a calming breath.

  He released a growl of anger and lifted her to her feet with one hand then shook her.

  “When I give you an order, you obey. Do you understand?”

  When he stopped, she caught a look at his face and gasped. It was perfectly healed! He was incredibly handsome, even in the dim light. Thick, short black hair, a five o’clock shadow shaped his chiseled features. The most incredible blue eyes she’d ever seen stared back at her with suspicion..

  “What the hell is going on here?” she hissed as she tried to manage her pain.

  “I’m the one who asks the questions, Sergeant. Now, tell me who you are.”

  “I won’t do that.” He was a few inches above six-feet tall, causing her to have to crane her neck to meet his gaze. Before she could take him off guard and drop him, he spun her around and held her tight against him then stripped her of her head gear.

  Cries of surprise sounded as the teammates caught sight of her face. The Captain turned her to face him and frowned.

  “You look pretty good for a dead woman, Dennison. Did you set us up?”

  Jinn held her silence, unable to tell them she wasn’t Juliette. She had to keep her presence a secret even from this team. A quick glance behind her proved he was mind speaking when someone came up and tied her hands behind her back. The wrenching pain brought out an unwelcome groan, and she cursed under her breath.

  “Until you tell me what I want to know, you’ll be my prisoner.”

  “Captain, she helped us all. She’s one of us. Could we¾”

  “Silence, Jennings. I’m not taking suggestions right now. Something isn’t right here and I want answers. What are you up to Dennison?”

  “No comment.”

  “Captain, we have company coming. Can we leave this battle for later?” Blackstone asked.

  “Move out. If we get separated, meet at the designated coordinates in two days. You have your orders.”

  Two at a time the team members disappeared into the underbrush and left the Captain and Jinn alone. He dragged her off through the forest in a different direction, his grip tight on her arm.

  For hours she tried to keep up but her legs buckled from exhaustion and blood loss. The Captain squatted beside her. Sweat rolled off them both as thunder roared overhead, lighting flashing to fill the area with brightness. The wind picked up, rain slapping against their faces. All of the animals and insects disappeared to weather the storm, leaving Jinn and Tab alone.

  Her whole body was on fire with agony, but she remained silent and uncomplaining.

  “Sit up, and that’s an orde
r.”

  “You’re a bloody fool.”

  “And you’re out of line.”

  His hand slapped down on her good shoulder and forced her to sitting position. His other hand gentled over her injury. A strange tingling in her wounded shoulder made her gasp. Furious, she could do nothing but wait until he lowered his guard then escape into the night.

  “You’re under watch. Don’t try and leave. You won’t like the consequences.”

  “You are a jerk, Captain.”

  “A court-martial is a nasty process, Max. Get comfortable. It won’t be long until sunrise.”

  He walked off into the dark leaving her fuming. Damned alpha male with a command complex. Won’t listen to a word anyone else says!

  His chuckle came from the distance.

  Chapter Four: Captivated

  After waiting for a few hours, Jinn slipped on her knapsack and crawled away from the direction the Captain had disappeared. Confident that she would make it, the sight of a pair of military style boots in front of her almost made her cry out.

  When she looked up, it was to see only the shadow of the man who’d begun to drive her crazy. Between the insane attraction and his bullying attitude, Jinn wanted to deck him.

  “You aren’t going anywhere, Dennison.”

  The sun was beginning to come up. She was barely able to make out his grin. Jinn came to her feet and faced him.

  “I’m leaving right now, and you can’t stop me.”

  “Don’t be so sure.”

  Jinn stepped in and attacked, slipping her foot behind his knee to trip him, but he was ready for her and twisted his hip into her abdomen, flipping her on her back. The air whooshed out of her chest leaving her breathless for a moment as he stood over her.

  “I rest my case.”

  Determined to beat his ass, she spun onto her side and hooked one foot behind his heel the same moment she kicked out into his knee. He sucked in a breath and went down hard, slamming into the soft earth with a grunt. In seconds, she was up on her feet, but before she could run off, he grabbed her pant leg and dragged her back, pulling her resisting body down with him.

  It was lighter now. Jinn saw that the team stood all around them. Even if she could get past the man, they’d capture her in seconds. Not an inch of space between them, they stood silent and watched the battle.