Tate, Brent, and Gavin followed in a loose cluster behind them, doing their best to try and push the pace as hard as they could. That explained why Landon hadn’t let Tate take the lead. The guy was so worried about Declan and Kendra, he wasn’t exactly thinking straight. Angelo couldn’t fault the guy. If he were in Tate’s place, he probably wouldn’t be firing on all cylinders right now either.
Angelo glanced over his shoulder, checking on Derek and Butler off to either side, then back at Tanner and Clayne, pulling trail position about twenty yards behind them. Even as he watched, Tanner disappeared into the jungle, moving so quickly it was hard to track him. He and Clayne had been disappearing on and off like that for the last hour, constantly checking along their flanks to make sure they didn’t get caught by surprise from that direction.
Angelo swore as the gathering gloom started to darken the jungle. The light would be completely gone in thirty minutes. It had taken them a hell of a lot longer than expected to get to the original landing zone that Tate and the others had been evacuated from.
Last night, Landon had fought to get them military air support, but even with John and the DCO’s considerable pull, they hadn’t been able to swing it. The political powers that be—both in Costa Rica and the United States—had every military and federal asset in the country on full lockdown until somebody could figure out exactly what had happened in the jungle. The fact that there was a good chance there were still more than half a dozen Americans and Costa Ricans out there somewhere in need of rescue didn’t appear to be on anyone’s list of concerns. Angelo ground his jaw. Typical politicians.
It had been well past midday before John had finally come through and secured them helicopter transport to where they needed to be, in the form of three old tourist choppers that looked as if their best days were long since passed. Even though John had already paid a king’s ransom for a quick one-way trip to the landing zone coordinates, they’d still had to pass a hat around to collect money to pay the pilots. After hearing rumors around the camp about monsters in the jungle with fangs and claws and glowing red eyes, the pilots had given the money to the helicopter mechanics with instructions to make sure their families got it if they didn’t come back. Angelo suspected the mechanics would probably pocket the money if that happened, but he didn’t say anything. Not that he had the chance. When they’d reached the landing zone, the pilots had practically torn the rotors off their birds trying to get off the ground and back home. Catching sight of the smoldering remains of the U.S. military chopper out in the jungle as they’d come in probably had something to do with that.
“We’re here,” Landon called from ahead, jerking Angelo out of his thoughts and bringing all of them up short.
This was the part Angelo had been dreading—checking the helicopter for remains. He wanted to believe Declan and Kendra were still alive, but one look at the smashed Seahawk told him otherwise. The bird had come down hard, then partially burned. Not many people could survive that.
The three bodies on the ground only confirmed his worst fears. Angelo was too far away to make out who they were, but beside him, Derek went pale.
“It might not be them,” Angelo told him. “There were other people on that chopper with Kendra and Declan.”
Derek nodded but didn’t say anything. He made no move to check, though.
Giving Derek a nod, Angelo walked over to the bodies. Tate fell into step beside him while Landon climbed into the helicopter. Two of the dead men wore marine uniforms, so it was obvious who they were. A rain slicker had been draped over the third, and Angelo held his breath as he crouched down and moved it aside.
“He was DEA,” Tate said, his face a mix a relief and sorrow as he gazed down at the dead man.
Angelo knew how he felt. Covering the man with the slicker again, he stood up. A few feet away, Derek breathed a sigh of relief.
Landon came out of the helicopter shaking his head. “No one in there.”
“That’s good,” Tate said. “That means two other people made it out with Declan and Kendra, along with the crew from the chopper.”