Lightning Game (GhostWalkers #17) -Christine Feehan Page 0,110

into the air from several locations.

While they waited for the information, Rubin composed a short sequence of notes to Jonquille to let her know he was aware of the code. He wanted her to know they were close. Waiting. She wasn’t alone.

He had to be careful. If any of the others shared the pathway because they shared her genetic makeup and he touched them, they couldn’t realize someone was communicating with Jonquille. She’d been very cautious. He had to be equally cautious. He followed the psychic footprints leading to her, sending little flicks and strikes very gently and softly, a melody of lightning using one of the actual refrains from the song she loved. He waited, knowing he was right but still worried that his woman was out there with a number of men and perhaps helpless.

A few flicks answered him. The relief was tremendous. He had already composed the next line. You right. He chose actual lyrics so he could use the notes, flicking them with ease. When he needed to, he would compose a detailed message, using the sequence, but for now, he’d find out if she was being treated humanely.

She let a few moments go by while his heart thudded in reaction to the wait. Yes. Delaying them.

She was giving them time to set up to find a way to retrieve her. He took his time trying to figure out the best thing to ask next. Gunthrie’s? They had talked at length about Luther Gunthrie at the Sawyers’. Would the squirrel men risk talking in front of her? Or, like those she feared would be able to hear them speaking telepathically to her, could she hear them?

The little flicks came after what seemed forever. Time seemed to be rushing past. He had no idea how close the elite soldiers were, but if they didn’t take out the ground crew, they would be overwhelmed with sheer numbers. It would be impossible to get Jonquille back. Heard kill old man twice coming from someone there. The leader here objected. The one there said it was done.

For some reason hearing that, even though he already knew it, sent a spark of anger through Rubin all over again. These soldiers had no idea Luther was anything but a gentle old man protecting his home and his still. The orders were very clear to hunt him down and kill him. That was why there was so much activity. They wanted him found and out of the way. And the team leader here had lied to the one in the field. Luther wasn’t dead. The ground crew was still hunting him. Why did that man want him killed?

Arrival?

Just before dark.

She answered that immediately and then fell silent. He had the feeling she wouldn’t respond again. It made sense that the soldiers would bring in a plane just before dark. They would want to ensure it would be when few travelers would be on the road. The plane would be small and would fly only Jonquille and a couple of the elite soldiers out with her. The others would go by road. They wouldn’t want to be seen. Once the plane was in the air, they would wait for nightfall and they would leave, taking their equipment with them. Luther would be dead, but what was the death of one old man? If they buried him deep, they would expect that no one would look too hard for him.

Squirrel man is in the tree above the falls. He’s sitting up there with a pair of binoculars, directing his crew. He’s talking to someone though. Do you want me to figure out what he’s saying? I can read lips.

Yes.

Diego was silent a moment. Some kind of double cross going on here, Rubin. This man is saying the major doesn’t suspect anything. They’ll get the package on the plane and once it’s in the air, they’ll kill all the soldiers. His men will surround them and kill them. They won’t be expecting it, so they won’t have a chance to fight back.

He was silent again, watching the leader as he listened to whomever was on the other end of the phone. He’s talking to someone higher up. Said the major trusts him implicitly. Now that that pilot has been taken prisoner, replaced with their pilot, she’ll be going to this person’s laboratory. A lot of laughter. The person on the phone will get information from pilot. Has chemicals and his men can practice techniques on extracting