Devil's Gold

by Julie Korzenko

  Cole leaned forward and addressed the man at the computer. “When do you think they’ll arrive?”

  The tech answered. “They’re about a day and a half behind us.”

  “Which,” Cole interrupted, “is exactly what we planned.”

  “Are you certain this is smart? Leading them back here?” Fowler questioned, flexing his fingers.

  The NWP president glared at the man. Edward felt blessed not to be on the receiving end of that man’s wrath. “If you had managed to intercept that geological report before Anna Kuffae wrapped her meddling paws around it, we wouldn’t be in this position now would we, Nick?”

  “I didn’t receive no fuckin’ notification about the geologist until it was too late,” the man defended himself. Edward mentally locked away the tidbits of the conversation. He’d ponder them later.

  “Nevertheless, if that report had been buried, then you wouldn’t have been required to release the Kill-and-Go squads, which in turn would’ve prevented the involvement of Black Stripe.”

  Nick rose from the table and crossed his arms. “Maybe you should have been more in tune with ZEBRA and its secret society.”

  Cole pointed a finger at Nick. Edward remained silent, watching in astonishment. “Don’t push me, Fowler.” He sighed and seemed to be silently counting to ten. “We’re both tired, and a lot’s at stake. I’ll forget this attitude indiscretion.” He turned to face the computer tech. “Have you heard anything on the status of the survey?”

  “No, sir. Like I said, communication has been sketchy.”

  Cole tapped his finger against the top of the metal table and turned toward the other man. “Is the doctor ready?”

  Fowler nodded and glanced in Edward’s direction, making him feel suddenly like a lab rat.

  “Good,” Cole responded. “And the amount of CPV-19 is adequate for our needs?”

  Nick rose and tapped the computer tech on the shoulder. “Run the figures for the Delta, would ya?”

  The tech’s monitor sprung to life with a map and then a soft red glow over the portion of what appeared to be …. Edward rose and strode toward the glass. He squinted and focused on the outline of West Africa.

  Edward froze. They were releasing the virus in the Niger Delta? He frowned.

  Robert clapped his hands and nodded. “Fantastic. Anderson and Lowell will land in Principe and then make their way towards us. With a twist of fate forced by my hand, Cassidy Lowell will weave through the villages to the west of Port Harcourt leaving death within her wake. Poor pretty bird, she doesn’t seem to know when the cards are stacked against her.”

  Edward sat back down with a heavy sigh. They spoke as if that’s where they were: in Africa. His heart stuttered when full realization hit. He wasn’t going home … ever.

  Everyone in the room laughed.

  The door to his left hissed, and Edward spun in its direction. A man in full protective gear entered the room, carrying a syringe in a plastic case. He approached Edward. Robert Cole’s voice boomed through the intercom, sounding tinny and distant beneath the shock permeating Edward’s mind.

  “Edward, be a nice man and roll up your shirt sleeve for the good doctor.”

  He turned and stared at the smiling face of Robert Cole. “What are you doing?”

  Cole lifted a shoulder. “Why, infecting you, of course.” He turned and spoke to Nick Fowler. “How else are we supposed to verify the accuracy of the antidote?”

  Edward’s stomach seized and he gagged, pushing down his nausea. “And if it doesn’t work?”

  Robert tilted his head to the left and shook it sadly. “Now, Edward, I have every faith in you. Of course it’ll work.”

  Edward felt lightheaded. They must be pumping some type of nitrous oxide through the vents. The howl of amusement echoing into his chamber faded as a black tunnel of oblivion closed in and ended his session with consciousness.

  Cassidy glanced down at her pad of paper, the hastily scratched notes from the previous teleconference blurring into an unreadable scrawl. She squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed the dull ache that attacked her temple. She was tired. The few hours of sleep she’d succumbed to the night before hadn’t been enough.

  Jake sat across the table, barking orders into his cell phone. Tangled emotions continued to invade her soul, but she did her best to hide them. In the end, they would part and return to their respective lives. Within the harsh light of reality, betrayal, distrust, and lack of comprehension regarding one another’s actions didn’t even place a ripple in the pond of incompatibility. They existed in separate worlds. He twisted in his chair and gazed at her, tilting his head and raising his brows in a silent question.

  She shook her head, wishing fervently for that sliver of light that would break away the chains on her heart. Cassidy didn’t like admitting the possibility she’d fallen in love or that suddenly it didn’t matter what he’d done or who he was. She didn’t know how to close the wound he’d opened or move beyond the thought of living without him by her side.

  Peering out the small window, Cassidy saw a tiny cluster of islands dot the surface of the Gulf of Guinea. Sao Tome and Principe, a group of volcanic islands that comprised a portion of the Cameroon line. They sat off the shores of Gabon and were a mystery to Cassidy beyond what the textbooks described. She frowned, wondering where they’d hidden an airport. “Are you sure there’s a place to land down there?”

  “Yes,” Jake said and laughed softly. “I’ve been here before.” He leaned forward and motioned to her seat belt.

  Cassidy grabbed the ends and buckled them around her waist. “You have?”

  “The island is on the brink of economic disaster and has leased several acres to the Army. We use it as a jump-off point within this region. It’s small but effective.”

  “I see.”

  “Do you know anything about the island?”

  Cassidy grinned. “From what my one last brain cell remembers, it’s about 386 square miles, relies on cocoa exportation, and has over 700 breeds of orchids. Also there are numerous birds that are endemic to its locale.”

  Jake smiled and shook his head. “You never cease to amaze me. To be exact, that would be 727 orchids as of last week.”

  Cassidy grinned, deciding not to query him further as to how he knew exactly how many orchids were on the island. “I’ll fess up. I’m no wonder child. But in doing research for my assignment here, I ran across an interesting article. These islands were never a part of the African continent, which makes their flora and fauna entirely different than any other region around here. I found that fascinating.” Cassidy shrugged. “Just little details that stick in my brain. I’d love to try and grab a few photographs. How long do we have before taking off to the Niger Delta?”

  Jake shook his head. “Not long. I have a crew assembling our equipment. I’ll have to review whatever intel they’ve managed to unearth.”

  “I understand.” At least I think I do. Cassidy frowned and focused on the descent. Lush tropical undergrowth met the plane at an uncomfortable rate of speed. Tires collided with the runway and Cassidy held her breath as palm trees and an assortment of other plants rushed past her window, their wide leafy stems swaying and bending beneath the power of the jet engines.

  They slowed, and the plane turned off the primary runway and coasted toward a small grouping of metal buildings. The engines stopped and Cassidy went to unbuckle her belt, offering Jake an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the nail marks on your hand.” When had he reached over and entwined his fingers with hers?

  He grinned. “No worries, Sunshine.” Jake turned toward Valerie and Michelle. “It’s time to rock and roll. Valerie, you’re welcome to join us at base camp or you can stay here. Whatever you choose. Make sure the communications equipment is up and running and give us an hourly update on the status of the wolves and virus.”

  “Aye-aye, Capiton.” She chuckled when Jake frowned at her. “Take care of your girl. She’s not one of us.”

  Ca
ssidy rolled her eyes. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Michelle,” Jake called as the ecologist headed out the door. “I want up-to-date information on the movements of the squads. Also, coordinate tactical information with the Black Stripe squad assembled. Let them fill you in on our last mission.”

  “Yes, sir.” She turned and jogged out of sight.

  “And me?” Cassidy asked.

  “You’re going to the shooting range.”

  Of all the things she’d expected to hear, that wasn’t even close to being on her list. “I’m hopeless.”

  Jake shook his head. “Get your gear. I’ve seen you throw a knife and understand your comfort level with that weapon. However, it’s not functional for where we’re going. If you don’t learn to shoot straight, you’re not coming along.”

  Cassidy stepped into her compartment and grabbed her gear bag. “Honest, I’m fine with the knife.”

  She turned to leave the small cubicle, but Jake blocked the doorway. “Trust me, you won’t have time to chase your knife down after every throw.” He grinned when she frowned.

  “You’ve got a point there.”

  “Let’s go, Sunshine. We have two hours before Colonel Price arrives.”

  Cassidy followed Jake out of the plane and paused, the humid atmosphere strangling her after the controlled temperatures of the plane. Stripping off her lightweight jacket, she understood the selection of a tank versus tee. “Hot,” she exhaled.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She scanned her surroundings. The runway was at the top of a high peak. In the distance, she could see bright orange and green tiles dotting the landscape. There didn’t appear to be an abundance of roads, and the noise from the surrounding tropics was a symphony of bird songs. The fumes of oil and gas were all that permeated the air around the small landing strip, but Cassidy imagined the perfume of the myriad of flowers and tropical plants would be sweet nectar.

  “Santo Antonio,” Jake said, following her line of vision.

  “I don’t suppose we’re going there.”

  He winked. “No, we’re not.”

  “How about the beach? I hear it’s lovely this time of year.”

  “Sorry, Sunshine. No bird watching. No beach. And no shopping.”

  She narrowed her eyes and sashayed past him. “You’re no fun.”

  Cassidy spotted a military truck parked close to the first metal building. “Is that ours?”

  “I believe it is.”

  They approached it and tossed their bags in the back. “Michelle’s already gone?”

  Jake paused before revving the engine. “Cassidy, this is a covert mission. If I didn’t think you were necessary for its success, you wouldn’t be here.”

  “I figured that,” she responded, her voice taking on the icy undertone of her aggravation. She wasn’t a child. “I’ve been in dangerous situations before.”

  “No,” Jake said, shaking his head. “You haven’t. Not like this.”

  “I’ll do what I’m told.”

  “I don’t doubt that. But I want you to remember we’re going to war. Are you prepared?”

  She stared at him, unable to voice the words lodged in her throat. Was he asking her if she was prepared to die? “No.”

  “Good. That’s exactly how it should be. Don’t get cocky, and don’t get bossy.” He started the ignition, backed the truck up, and sped across the tarmac.

  “I suggest you take your own advice.”

  “No need, Sunshine.” He grinned at her. “I’m the man in charge, which makes me automatically bossy and most certainly cocky.” His eyes glinted in amusement, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

  Cassidy sobered, her mind turning to the events about to unfold. “How many men will you have?”

  “Only a handful. This is extreme covert ops. The United States imports 33 percent of their oil from Nigeria. If the Nigerian government were to catch wind of this infiltration into their land, they’d stop exportation.”

  “I see.”

  “Our rescue mission of your crew a few weeks ago was sanctioned by OPEC because you were there on their behalf. Otherwise, we would have had to leave the choppers behind and come in by foot.”

  Cassidy chewed over this information. “But we’re no longer sanctioned?”

  Jake shook his head. “Nope. You never know which way the wind blows when it comes to third world governments. This will appear as just another attack by rebel forces.”

  “And if we fail?”

  “We won’t.”

  Cassidy sighed and gazed out the window. His confidence didn’t appease her uncertainty. If anything, it accentuated exactly how unprepared she was for this mission. He pulled off the road onto a winding dirt path. Through the wide branches of the palm trees, Cassidy spied several military tents interspersed with metal modular buildings. She immediately recognized the ZEBRA logo that was painted on the buildings. “Is this base camp?”

  “Yes. But we’re going to the range first. It’s only a few clicks more.”

  “Okay.” Cassidy closed her eyes, allowing the warm breeze to caress her face. They were far beyond the hot tarmac of the tiny airstrip, and sweet fragrances from a plethora of orchids and lilies tickled her nose. “They speak Portuguese here, right?”

  “In the late fifteenth century, the Portuguese explorers Pedro Escobar and JoAo Gomes discovered these islands.” He knocked his shoulder against hers. “I know a few things, too.”

  She offered him a cheeky smile. “Yeah? Did you know that these volcanic islands are one of Africa’s smallest countries?”

  “Yes,” Jake laughed. “I did know that. Over the past six months, I’ve spent quite a bit of time here.”

  Six months? Cassidy frowned. “I don’t suppose that time span has anything to do with my assignment in the Niger Delta.”

  Jake frowned. “Now you know if I tell you that, I’d have to kill you.”

  “I have security clearance. Valerie said so.”

  “Only for this mission.”

  She hated being in the dark. What the hell had he been doing in the Niger Delta? If he’d been there that whole time, then he certainly would’ve been prepared enough to save Anna and Georgie.

  “Cassidy, stop that thinking.”

  Shocked at his intuitiveness, Cassidy frowned at him. “I’m not thinking.”

  Jake didn’t bother to hide his grin, and it irritated her. “Yes, you are. You’re trying to figure out exactly how long I’ve been here and whether or not I was spying on you. And if I was monitoring your actions, then why the hell didn’t I prevent the invasion of your camp?”

  Her mouth dropped open, and a soft hum reverberated through her body. There was a certain comfort level in having somebody know you so well he could read your mind. “I can’t help it.”

  He parked the truck at the edge of a short grassy plain. Turning toward her, he stared into her eyes. “The Niger Delta is a military hot spot. The United States is very concerned with rebel forces and the depth of corruption within the government. Your assignment allowed our people to move freely within the area. Many of the employees on staff belonged to this unit.” He reached over and rubbed a thumb against her cheek. “You weren’t alone in your fear for the safety of that region.”

  Cassidy didn’t know how to respond.

  “That’s how we operate, Sunshine. We weren’t there to watch you. You were our cover. An important aspect of our mission. And whatever you were working on, our actions in no way infringed upon your assignment.”

  “How did you know about the strike?”

  Jake offered her a half smile. “We have our informants.”

  “And Anna? Why couldn’t you save Anna?”

  “Who says I didn’t?”

  Cassidy frowned and worried her bottom lip. “I wish you’d be straightforward instead of giving me all these half-truths.” She didn’t understand the scope of his work, and it was apparent from his description of ZEBRA’s presence on this island tha
t she wouldn’t be privy to any details.

  Jake sighed. “Can we just go shoot and quit arguing?”

  “I guess so.” Cassidy followed Jake and stopped when he turned around and stared at her. “Are you forgetting something?”

  “No. But you are.”

  She tilted her head and put her hands on her hips. “I am?”

  He tipped his head back and raised his arms to the heavens. “Please help me.” Fixing his sight on her, he pointed back to the truck. “Your gun.”

  “Oh, right.” A soft giggle escaped her mouth, followed by the flush of embarrassment on her cheeks. “Sorry. You can take the girl away from zoology, but you can’t take the zoologist out of the girl—or something like that. I’ll be right back.” Spinning on her heels, Cassidy raced back to the truck and retrieved her gun from the gear bag. She’d stored it there before landing, uncomfortable with its weight around her waist.

  She secured the Glock in its holster and went to turn around, but a flash of color distracted her. Twisting her head, she stared at the dusty path they’d driven down. Beyond the canopy of trees, a few buildings from the ZEBRA camp could still be discerned. With only a small portion of the island at their disposal, it appeared to Cassidy that ZEBRA crammed everything around the hub of the encampment. The gun range was less than half a mile from the cluster of buildings.

  The figure of a woman dressed in jeans and a bright red tank top walked in her direction. A large white bandage bound across her upper left chest stood out against the cocoa complexion of her skin. Cassidy’s heart stopped. She recognized the woman, but it was the young boy tugging and straining against her grip that sprung tears to her eyes. “Cassidy!” the boy cried. “Doctor Cassidy!”

  “Georgie,” she whispered and ran to meet him halfway. He flew into her embrace, wrapping his bone-thin arms around her neck and squeezing with all his might. Tears poured down her face as she rocked him back and forth, thanking the Lord for the sweet scent of bubble gum.

  CHAPTER 36