Against the Edge (The Raines of Wind Can - By Kat Martin Page 0,82
trouble was, if the swamp didn’t kill him, Mace Bragg would.
* * *
Ben and Ty spent the morning and early afternoon going over the maps and details of the mission, Ty memorizing the route so he could find his way out if something happened. Ben had drawn diagrams of the compound, the layout, the perimeter fencing. They’d discussed the guards, the shift changes, the way the bayou wove around the camp on one side.
The narrow channel was the way in, and the only way out. The biggest problem was finding a way to get to Sam. Since he didn’t seem to be part of a regular routine, they would have to play it by ear.
Brodie swallowed the bite he had taken of the ham sandwich Claire had made for lunch. “Sam doesn’t know you, right? How are you going to convince him to leave with you?”
That was the reason they were going in before dark. Ben was hoping he wouldn’t have to go into the cabin to bring Sam out. He didn’t know how many people would be sleeping in there with him, how many he would have to deal with. Better to get the boy in the boat of his own free will and get the hell out of Dodge.
“Talk to him if I can. Claire says he knows his father was in the military. He was proud of that. Claire thinks he’ll be more than ready to leave. I’m hoping once he knows who I am, he’ll come without making trouble.”
“And if he won’t?”
“Knockout drops. I’ve got a mild dose of chloral hydrate on a rag in a plastic bag. All I have to do is get close enough.”
Once they reached the target, he’d approach the compound by water. His snorkel was in his gear bag. Ty would serve as lookout and provide cover if needed, hopefully without actually having to kill anyone. Not that he would mind personally popping Duke Hutchins or Troy Bragg.
Satisfied with the plan they’d come up with, after lunch Ty took his weapons and returned to his cabin. Wanting to be in top form for the mission, both of them slept for a couple of hours. Claire curled up next to Ben on the bed, but Ben didn’t think she ever fell asleep.
The day was creeping toward time for the evening rendezvous at sixteen hundred—4:00 p.m. With the small outboard and difficult terrain, it would take at least an hour to reach the compound, longer coming out in the dark.
Ty rapped lightly, then opened the cabin door. Dressed in dark green camos and heavy military boots, a KA-BAR knife strapped to his thigh, he carried a canvas bag that held his weapons and gear.
He didn’t look too young or too pretty anymore. He looked like a marine, a hard, determined man capable of getting the job done. Ben stepped back, inviting him inside. “You always fly with your gear?”
“After I talked to Sol, I paid a late-night visit to an army surplus on my way out of town. I took what I needed, left the money on the counter.”
Ready to go himself, Ben set the sat phone on Vibrate and stuffed it into his camouflage cargo pants. He turned to Claire, who stood silently, her face pale and her hands trembling slightly.
Ty spoke to her softly. “It’s gonna be okay, Claire. Neither of us is new to this game.”
There was something in his voice. Ben took another hard look at him. His eyes were dead calm, and a there was a clarity of purpose Ben recognized in himself whenever he went on a mission.
He turned back to Claire. “If we aren’t back by twenty-four hundred—”
“He means midnight,” Ty said.
“If we aren’t back by then, get in the car and drive to Egansville. Go to the sheriff. Tell him what’s going on.”
Her lips trembled. “You’ll be back.”
“Damned straight we will.” Pulling her into his arms, he bent his head and gave her a quick, hard kiss. “See you later, angel.” He grabbed his gear bag. “Let’s go,” he said to Ty and headed for the door.
Twenty-Four
The RV park and the rest of the cabins at Uncle Buster’s were mostly empty. Only a lone fisherman stood on the distant shore along the lake. Making their way to the dock in front of the cabin, Ben dumped his gear in the aluminum boat, Ty jumped in, Ben tossed him his bag, then pushed away from the dock and jumped into the stern to handle the small