Prism - By Rachel Moschell Page 0,32

hauling something between them.

Something that had the shape of a human.

Frowning sharply, Alejo opened his mouth just as they dropped their burden to the dewy grass. The person rolled over, moaning, and a head with long tresses turned to one side, revealing a white face streaked with blood.

Alejo swore, immediately understanding what was going on. He glared at all of them, including Gabriel. “What were you thinking, bringing her here? She survived?”

“Yeah, she was on the bus,” Gabriel explained, happiness slightly subdued. Alejo noticed Gabriel was carrying a purple backpack that obviously didn’t belong to him, which he carelessly slung to the ground.

The girl moaned again and then her eyes slit open. She thrashed one way and then the other, then flew up to a sitting position with a loud gasp and yelled, “Noah!”

Noah? Not a Bolivian name.

“She’s American,” Christian grinned, crooked teeth visible in the darkness. “Passport in her bag.” Alejo’s heart took a nose dive. Not one of Salazar’s staff.

How many others?

“Yeah, this is cool, huh?” William continued the jittery prattling from Alejo’s left. “We just thought you might want to share in the spoils of victory.” A few lewd comments rumbled from around the circle of men, and the American girl looked up sharply, terrified.

“I w-w-was in a bus accident,” she managed to say, in perfect Spanish. “Where am I? My friend was also on the bus—did you see anyone else?” She looked around frantically, trying to get up but obviously lightheaded.

“You weren’t in no bus accident, sweetheart,” William drawled, reaching out to touch her dark hair. “Your bus has been bombed…”

“Basta!” Alejo snapped, pushing William back hard. “Enough.”

“Bombed?” the girl’s voice faltered. Alejo clenched his fist and fought the urge to knock William out. They should have left any survivors on the road, so they could get to help. Now, instead, the girl was here, in the hands of some very unsafe men, himself included.

Alejo’s plans hadn’t included this possibility. How could anyone have survived the explosion? This girl didn’t even seem to be burned.

Stalin, long hair fuzzy around his very sleepy face, had by now joined the rest of the guys, who stood leering and making savage jokes. He rubbed his eyes, then slowly grinned, offering a hand to help the girl up from the dirt. “Come on,” he said, helping her stand up by his side. “You guys shouldn’t talk that way around a lady. It’s not her fault she ended up here with all of us. Wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Oh, cut it out, Stalin!” Christian grinned. “Always such a gentleman. She’s going to die anyway. She’s a witness. We thought we might as well bring her up to join us for the party in honor of our last night in Coroico.”

Alejo’s mind seemed full of sludge. There weren’t supposed to be other people on the bus. Only Salazar and his staff.

But you didn’t know that for sure, did you? an accusing voice bit back at him. There could have been children on that bus. Your own family could have been on there.

Acid scalded Alejo’s stomach and he took a deep breath. The girl was on the point of tears, looking all around, trying to find something. Or someone.

Alejo’s mind cleared and he decided what he was going to do. Marching over towards Stalin, Alejo motioned for him to move out of the way. He looped an arm under the girl’s arms and dragged her smoothly to her feet, anchoring her back against his chest. Her weight sagged against him, so weak she could barely protest. With his free hand, Alejo forced the girl’s face to tip backwards so he could see her. He could feel her lower jaw trembling in his palm, and large honey-colored eyes with thick lashes met his, runny with tears.

Alejo allowed himself to grin wolfishly. Then he glared at the guys who were still leering at their prisoner. “If anyone’s having any fun here tonight, it’s me. Sadly for all of you, I am in charge, and unless you want to have your salaries cut off by the Khan himself I need all of you to get your rears back to your tents and sleep—now. We’ll start tomorrow at six. Last session before it’s over.”

Alejo felt the girl’s rapid breathing as he set his jaw and pulled her back tighter against his chest. A chorus of complaints arose around him, which he ignored, turning towards Gabriel with a wink. “Good work everyone. Especially you, Gabo.”

Gabriel was staring at Alejo