Bad Men - Piper Stone Page 0,16

noise was deafening in the early morning light. Immediately, Diego and Jack shifted into action, one of them yanking me off the bed. Every part of me was shaking as I tried to focus in the darkness.

“Stay quiet and keep right here,” Diego whispered in my ear, immediately snapping off the lantern.

Huddling against the bed, the sliver of the awakening sun allowed me to see their silhouettes, both men with their rifles in their hands. There was another device, some kind of infrared system.

“They’re crawling all over us. Six hundred meters away,” Jack huffed as he glared at some device.

“How the fuck did they find us so fast?” Diego snarled.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jack snarled back. “I’m calling it in. Get the package.”

The package.

As Diego yanked me to my feet, he pressed his finger over his lips before moving me toward the door.

“We’ve been compromised. I need an extended service now.” Jack wasted no time after barking into the same console I’d seen earlier before opening the door, snapping his head outside then motioning for both of us to follow. Diego kept his hold on my arm as we raced through the trees, headed in the opposite direction of where the soldiers were coming from.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

The gunfire seemed to explode all around us, ricocheting off several of the trees.

“Fuck. Fuck!” Jack hissed. “How the fuck could this happen? We’re cut off from the river.”

Boom! Pop! Pop!

Diego took aim, firing off several rounds into the darkness.

I could hear the screams in Portuguese from the soldiers as they raced through the jungle. It seemed like the deeper we went, the closer they got.

I was attempting to pay close attention to the surroundings, trying to remain quiet even though my senses were on high alert. I honestly expected we’d be surrounded at any minute even though we zigged and zagged through the rough terrain.

The gunfire continued, both men returning fire on several occasions.

Then there was quiet for a few minutes, Diego shoving me against a tree. “Do not move.”

They shifted away but only for a few seconds before yanking me forward again.

“Run,” Jack instructed.

I didn’t hesitate, fighting my way through dense underbrush as the two men guided and pushed, keeping me going even though exhaustion had already settled in.

Time seemed to pass slowly but adrenaline ripped through every muscle, keeping me going.

We’d covered hundreds of yards, fighting every step of the way. Vines bit at my arms, fallen limbs hindering our progression, yet Jack pushed hard. I could feel the flow of adrenaline cresting in his body, the way he stormed through the dense jungle on a mission. When gunfire sounded off in the distance, he yanked me behind him, forcing me into the biting foliage without hesitation.

Jack stopped short, taking several ragged breaths. “Fuckers.”

“They’re getting closer,” Diego whispered as he crouched nearby. “This is ridiculous.”

Jack hissed, the tension evident by the way he held the rifle in his hand, snarling as he heard the squawk of whatever piece of equipment was positioned in the duffle he carried. He yanked the console into his hand, the light of the unit allowing me to catch a glimpse of his aggravated expression.

“Com one. Our situation is dire. We need a new location now,” Jack said quietly, his mouth pressed closely to the console firmly planted in his hand.

The squawking continued, enough so that Diego hissed, cursing under his breath. “The fucker. I thought he had a location prepared in case an ambush happened.”

“Give it time,” Jack snapped, although his anger ramped higher. Several seconds passed, another round of gunfire sounding closer.

“Coordinates listed. Temporary site only. Do not trust anyone. There will be a car waiting, but you must get there by the time listed.” The voice from the console was harsh, the accent one I couldn’t recognize.

Jack snorted as he stared at the screen, slapping the console back into his bag. “This is gonna be a pain in the ass, but we have no other choice.” He turned toward me, yanking my arm. “You will listen to me, princess, if you want to get out of here alive. Do not fuck with us. We have one chance or we’re all going to be fed to the gators. Get moving.”

The fear in his tone alone was enough of a reminder that I had no other choices. As we moved further into the darkness of the jungle, images of my past floated into my mind. I had no doubt that this was a mission where one or