Without a Trace

by Velvet Vaughn

  As if being lost in a jungle wasn’t enough, they had to deal with thick mud clinging to their boots as they set off down the soggy path. After the ordeal with the hidden hole yesterday, Wyatt made sure to watch his footing in case there were any other surprises along the way.

  #

  Amelia had never been a quitter. Not once in her life had she stopped when the going got tough. She was a fighter, always had been. But she was on the verge of giving up now. Her energy was low, every muscle in her body was sore and all the positive thoughts she tried to repeat in her head sounded hollow and unrealistic. The jungle had won.

  She plowed into Wyatt’s back when he stopped suddenly. Rubbing her nose, she glanced around him to see that their path ended at a river at least twenty feet across with rushing water the color of mud. Recalling the anaconda sliding into a creek the other day, she wasn’t sure she could voluntarily plunge into the drink. Plus, they all sported open wounds, from Ryan’s various injuries to Wyatt’s bullet wound to her bleeding blisters. Though she’d applied antiseptic and bandaged all of them, some microscopic parasite might still find its way inside to do irreparable damage.

  Thankfully, she didn’t have to worry. Wyatt guided them downstream until they came across a thick log that stretched the width of the waterway. From the smoothness of the bark, it’d been used often in the past. If she hadn’t given up on optimism fifteen minutes ago, she might take it as a sign that a village was not too far away.

  Wyatt went first and easily balanced on the tree trunk until he reached the other side. Amelia wasn’t feeling as daring, especially after she made the mistake of looking down at the raging water, the banks swollen and overflowing from last night’s torrential downpour. She sat on the log and eased across on her bottom. Still not completely steady on his feet, Ryan followed her lead. He was probably only doing it to make her feel better, but she didn’t care. It was safer this way, even if it was slow going. Eventually they made it all the way across. Her heart hammered in her chest when she realized Wyatt wasn’t waiting for them on the other side. It might’ve taken them a while, but he wouldn’t have gone on without them. She’d been concentrating on not falling off the log and hadn’t paid attention to what he was doing.

  “Where—”

  She gasped when leaves rattled and then Wyatt appeared. Her relieved sigh was audible. He looked at her funny. She forced a smile to let him know all was well. She hadn’t really thought he’d abandon them.

  “I found a surprise spot to hunker down for the night.”

  “But it’s still daylight,” she argued. “We might come to the hospital soon.” That log had to mean something. She was past exhausted, but she wanted to find the flash drive and get out of this country. It was true that once the sun started to go down, the darkness descended rapidly in the jungle. It was bad enough in the daylight but throw in night with deadly animals and it wasn’t a fun time.

  “Trust me,” Wyatt cajoled.

  She did, completely, so she followed him. He led them to a giant rock mountain and then moved aside a crudely constructed door made of woven twigs and branches.

  “I checked it out. It’s deeper than the last one, with passages leading further inside. I thought with the door, there might be a tribe or something living here but I didn’t come across any in my cursory search. It keeps animals out, too.”

  After they filed inside, Ryan tugged the cover back over the opening. Wyatt flashed his light around the space. It was larger than the last one.

  “What is that light?” Ryan asked.

  “That’s the surprise.” Wyatt guided them down a corridor that opened into a large room filled with turquoise water. Steam rose invitingly. Fire flickered from two large kerosene lanterns, lighting the space.

  “It’s a hot spring,” Ryan said in awe. He was already kicking off his shoes and slipping the pack off his back. He dipped a toe in the water. “Oh, yeah, that feels amazing.”

  “Were these lit when you arrived?” She indicated the lamps.

  “Yeah, so obviously we’re not the only ones who know about this place.”

  “What if someone comes?”

  “We won’t stay in the water long.”

  She and Wyatt followed Ryan, stripping down to their underwear. She smiled as Wyatt blocked any view Ryan might’ve had of her body as she slid into the steamy water. With a moan, she submerged to her shoulders. It felt incredible on her travel-weary muscles. The warm water soothed their aches and pains. She’d pay big bucks to experience this at a spa.

  She hadn’t felt this good since she visited a community college that taught massage. The students needed hours, so the massages were cheap and they lasted sixty minutes. She felt that way now, her muscles turning into limp noodles. She felt so relaxed, she didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she felt Wyatt lifting her from the water.

  “I can walk,” she protested weakly.

  “I know you can, but I like carrying you,” he whispered seductively.

  “Where are we going?”

  “I found a ledge several levels above the water. It offers a view of the hot springs and it’s high enough to discourage any wandering animals who might break through the door.”

  He placed her on a blanket that was already spread out with Ryan sound asleep on one side. The hot water had to feel therapeutic on his battered body.

  Once Wyatt was settled next to her, he snapped off his light, plunging them into darkness. She feared the pangs of claustrophobia that plagued her in the hidden room of the church might resurface, but they didn’t come. Maybe it was the glow of the lanterns below or maybe it was the feeling of utter relaxation. She snuggled against Wyatt’s side and promptly fell asleep.

  #

  Amelia woke with a start when something gently shook her arm. “Shh, get dressed and don’t make a sound.”

  Instantly awake, she tugged on her pants and stepped into her boots. Wyatt was quickly lacing his boots. Ryan was already dressed, and the men had the packs ready to go. She froze when voices echoed through the chamber and grew louder. Whoever it was didn’t even attempt to be quiet. Until they knew if the intruders were friend or foe, they couldn’t go down, so Wyatt led them up another level of rock until they could touch the ceiling.

  They rested on their stomachs and waited. A group of men appeared, stripping out of their clothes to soak naked in the hot spring. She held back a gasp. She recognized three of the men from the prison, including one who brought her food the first time. They were joking around and splashing each other like a bunch of fifth graders. That seemed about right since most of them looked about that age. A couple were older, maybe late twenties or early thirties. But for the most part, they were just kids. How sad to realize their lives revolved around crime. Kidnapping. Drugs. Rape. Unless they managed to get out of the life, they’d probably all die young.

  Another man stepped into the room, this one commanding authority. It seemed as if the particles in the air shifted. She couldn’t stifle the gasp this time. His head whipped to them.

  “Go,” Wyatt urged, lifting her up and hauling her to her feet.

  The man began shouting orders. Water splashed as the others hurried from the hot springs. A bullet pinged off the rocks beside them, sending pebbles splintering. She covered her head as Wyatt hustled her in front of him and returned fire to keep the men at bay. The cave split into two tunnels. Ryan blindly chose one and they followed him, not knowing if they were heading to a dead end or not. They came to another fork and he chose the path that veered to the left. A ray of moonlight beamed down like a lighthouse beacon. The small opening was about six feet off the ground. Without warning, Wyatt hefted her up and she grabbed the sides to lever herself out. She’d just rolled out of the way when he appeared beside her and then turned to help Ryan out.

  Before they could take off, Ryan pointed to a large boulder. “That should give us more time to escape.”

  With the three of them leaning their backs against the rock and usin
g their thigh muscles, they were able to roll it until it covered the opening.

  With no time to waste, they took off across the top of the mountain, looking for a way back to the ground. After the twists and turns inside the cave, Amelia had no idea if they were going in the right direction. The thought of heading back the way they’d came was enough to bring her to her knees. Wyatt didn’t give her a chance to worry. He grabbed her hand and led them along what looked like a narrow goat path down the mountain.

  #

  Gustavo let out a harsh curse that echoed off the walls of the cavern. The prisoners had been within reach, but they’d managed to escape. They hadn’t been eaten by a jungle cat or squeezed to death by a boa constrictor or captured and roasted on a spit by spear-wielding natives. No, they were alive and well and they’d outmaneuvered him again.

  As soon as he spotted them high up on a ledge, he ordered his men to grab them, but they’d all stripped naked to soak in the hot springs. They flapped and flailed in the water, tripping over themselves and each other to get out and do his bidding. They looked like a bumbling bunch of inept idiots. They reminded him of an old silent film from America he watched on his satellite television one night. Keystone Cops, he thought they were called.

  Once they were out of the water, they didn’t fare any better. Their wet feet slid on the smooth stone surface of the cave, more than one falling on his ass attempting to climb the levels to reach the landing where the prisoners had disappeared. He ordered the men to check each tunnel, but there was no sign of them. He’d lost one man when he went charging down a corridor, only to come upon an opening in the floor. Before he could stop, he’d plunged to the rocky bottom several stories below. His scream ended abruptly when he hit the ground. There was no saving him.

  Gustavo hoped the same had happened to the prisoners, but he hadn’t come across their broken bodies. They’d foiled him again.

  He’d brought his men to the hot springs, knowing they would enjoy a break while soaking in the soothing waters. How had the prisoners known about the hidden springs? Maybe one of the villagers told them about it. He debated sending men back to see if they had returned to their huts but decided to keep them with him since they were so close to their goal.

  Now that he found the prisoners, he wasn’t letting up until he captured them again. He thought they might try to go back to the hospital where the woman worked, but if so, they were taking the long way. They could’ve been there a day ago. Maybe they didn’t know which way to go.

  His men were getting restless. He’d overheard one of them say something about a waste of time when they could be out trolling for more victims to kidnap for ransom. The men each got a small percentage of the ransom money. Some took the cash and hit Meseta or one of the larger cities, spending it on alcohol, gambling and whores.

  Maybe they were right, but this had become personal to him. He would find the three and make them pay for the trouble they were putting him through. And he’d make sure his men were on board with his plans or they’d be taking a permanent rest right alongside their dead bodies.

  Chapter Nineteen

  That had been close. Wyatt hadn’t wanted to fall sleep inside the cave, but his body had finally had enough. It only took a few minutes in the warm soothing water before he’d crashed. He’d managed to rouse himself to find a place for them to spend the night where they’d be safe, and he was glad he did. If they’d been inside the springs when the gang appeared, wrinkly, shriveled skin would’ve been the least of their worries. They’d most likely be dead.

  Once they retreated to the ledge, he should’ve insisted that they dress in case they needed to make a quick getaway. But they’d been damp from the water and he truly thought they’d be safe. After finding the lanterns blazing inside the cave, he’d known others might show up since it appeared that the springs were a destination for locals. But really, what were the odds that the gang hunting them would show up? They had to be astronomical. Yet they had.

  At first, he thought he’d been dreaming when he heard the voices. The group hadn’t tried to be quiet, talking loudly and laughing boisterously. When he realized it was real, they’d barely had enough time to get dressed and slink out of sight. He’d meant to scope out the rest of the cave for an alternate exit. It was a rule of his to never sleep anywhere with only one, yet he’d broken it three times already. The night they escaped the cell and took shelter in the small cave was the first. He hadn’t slept as much as he’d passed out, the toll on his body had been too much. They didn’t have a choice in the hidden room in Father Juan’s church. Only one entry. This last one was on him. At least Ryan had picked the right tunnel both times and they were able to escape.

  The last thing he wanted to do was traipse through the forest in the middle of the night. They all needed to rest. And bloody hell, they should’ve come across some form of civilization by now. Santigo wasn’t that big. It felt like they’d traversed the entire continent.

  His mind went again to the gang arriving at the cave the very night they were there. Obviously, it was known to locals as a place to go for the healing waters. That would explain the kerosene lanterns and the door to keep out animals. Whatever, it was purely bad luck.

  He knew it was the group who kidnapped them. He’d recognized a couple of the men. Amelia had, too, but her reaction when she spotted the last man inside was interesting and he wanted to know why. “Let’s take five.”

  They found a downed tree to rest on while he dug a bottle of water from the rapidly dwindling supply in his pack and passed it around.

  “I recognized a couple of the men who kidnapped us, but not the last one.”

  Amelia wiped a hand across her mouth. “I did. He was the drug dealer Donald Bainbridge met at the airport.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive. Donald paid him cash and the man loaded up the plane with drugs.”

  That meant his suspicions were correct. If the group hunting them had a connection to Donald Bainbridge, they were after Amelia, either to find out what she knew or to silence her. But if they wanted to keep her quiet, they’d have killed her when they murdered the others at the hospital. Donald had to know Amelia had proof of his crimes.

  Amelia came to the same conclusion. “Donald knows I witnessed the exchange. He paid the men to grab me.”

  “Then why did they abduct Wyatt and me?” Ryan asked.

  “Father Juan said they kidnap foreigners for the ransom money, so that’s probably why.”

  If they were right and they were after Amelia, that meant he and Ryan were expendable. They’d probably try to take them out first to get to Amelia.

  They could try, but they’d have to go through his dead body.

  #

  Amelia wasn’t sure she was still moving. One foot in front of the other. That’s how she’d managed the last few hours. The sun had risen, and the jungle animals were out and about, but she was still shaken after seeing Donald’s drug buddy.

  Knowing the connection, she was positive they were after her. Donald knew she’d witnessed the exchange. Someone had tipped him off, most likely Marin. If he knew she had evidence, he’d do anything to get it back, including killing Ieshia and Jody. She had no doubt he planned to kill her, too once he got what he wanted.

  The scent of burning wood reached her nostrils and she lifted her head. Wyatt noticed, too and he stopped. A thick black cloud surrounded the jungle in front of them. Were they walking into a forest fire?

  “Stay here,” Wyatt said as he took off.

  Amelia glanced at Ryan and he nodded. No way would they be left behind. They jogged to catch up with him. He heard their footsteps and stopped, a frown marring his face. “I said…never mind.” He turned back around and headed towards the smoke, which had thickened considerably. Pushing through the foliage, they spotted a village in the middle of a clearing. Fire consumed one of the huts, flames shooting through the windows.

  Wyatt grabbed her before she dashed towards the
inferno.

  “Someone might need help, Wyatt. We have to look for survivors.”

  He clutched her upper arms. “Amelia, listen to me. There’s a good chance the gang after us started this. We can’t go running in without recon. They might be lying in wait.”

  She frowned, wanting to argue, but she knew he was right, as always. She looked back at the building. There were no people in sight. “Do you think it will set the entire forest on fire?”

  “No,” Ryan said. “The flames are already dying down.”

  He was right. The structure was mostly gone, and the flames were slowly fading out.

  “Do not move.”

  Amelia froze at the voice behind them. While they’d been glued to the fire, someone had snuck up behind them. She glanced at Wyatt out of the corner of her eye. His jaw was clenched tight. She was deathly afraid when she turned around, she’d see the men who kidnapped her. Would they kill them right here or take them somewhere else? Back to the cell?

  “Turn around,” a voice said. “Slowly. Hands up.”

  Closing her eyes, she slowly turned. When she opened them, it was to see a spear inches from her chest. A quick glance told her that both Wyatt and Ryan had one aimed at them, too. Her knees wobbled from the knowledge that it wasn’t the kidnappers, but a group of men, most likely from the village.

  “We come in peace,” Wyatt told the men in Spanish. “We don’t wish any harm on you.”

  An elderly man lurched forward, hunched over a cane. He wore a rough-hewn shirt and loose pants on a wiry frame and his gray hair was sparse. “Who are you?”

  “My name’s Wyatt and I’m a security specialist from the United States. Ryan is a soldier from Canada, and this is Dr. Amelia Howell. She’s here with Doctors International providing medical care to the people of Santigo.”

  “Why are you here? In our village? Especially so soon after the others?”

  “We were abducted,” Wyatt explained. “But we were able to escape. We’re trying to find our way back.”