Bad Men - Piper Stone Page 0,54

scabs.

Night had fallen by the time we made it into Trujillo. At least Lindsey appeared to be sleeping. With no air conditioning in the Jeep, the heat had taken a toll on all of us. While the city was still lively, dozens of people walking the streets, Diego easily maneuvered through the back alleys, still keeping us away from possible watchful eyes. When he stopped in front of a local store, he kept the gear in drive.

“What are we doing here?” I demanded.

“Like I said,” Diego said through clenched teeth. “You’re going to have to learn to trust me. I’m going to cash in on a favor but not for free. That’s not fair. My friend lives a meager existence.”

“Fine. Do what you need to do,” I huffed, finally giving him a single nod. We needed to get the hell off the street. There were plenty of people who would sell us out for a good meal alone.

“Just stay here,” he stated without looking in my direction. “If possible, my buddy will provide us with a location to stay. As long as he still lives in the city, we’re good to go. If not, I know of a motel that should be safe for a single night. After that, I’m not sure what to tell you.”

“Who is this person?”

He hesitated; he obviously knew the man personally. I could tell by his heavy breathing. “A good man. One of the few who are left.”

Another story to tell and one we didn’t have time for.

He yanked the duffle in his direction, pulling out a wad of cash. Our resources were limited, the amount of money carefully thought out. Credit cards weren’t an option. We’d left our real identities locked in Dante’s safe in Italy, only receiving new passports and other identification but no cards, another change in protocol. There were always reasons for what Dante did, including particular instructions from the powers that be. But to leave us this unprepared wasn’t just unusual. It was life threatening, at least to less experienced operatives. We would be forced to sell or trade as necessary if we were required to stay in one location for long.

“You need all that?” I asked, keeping the weapon in my lap as I scanned the street.

“Not all of it. At minimum I can get a few provisions. Stay here,” he stated before exiting the Jeep.

I watched carefully as he entered the store, his discussion with the clerk short-lived. When a man moved from the back, I bristled. I could see little of him as he glanced over Diego’s shoulder, taking him immediately behind a curtain. The uneasiness grew tenfold.

“What is Diego doing?” Lindsey asked. I felt her hand on my shoulder, allowing tingling sensations to shift down every inch of my body.

I exhaled, studying the way he was talking to the local, including the hug the man gave Diego. “Securing us a place to stay.”

“What if they find us?”

Her question held such angst in her voice; however, I wasn’t in the mood to lie. “Then we die.”

She laughed as she rested her face against the back of the seat. “And I don’t honestly think you care. Maybe I do.”

The words were more penetrating than I would have imagined. Maybe she was right. I rubbed my fingers against the barrel of the gun, still itching to use the weapon no matter who the asshole was who got in my way. A part of me wanted to go inside, making certain Diego wasn’t betraying us. I huffed, glaring the other way.

Five minutes passed, the wait becoming tedious. The Glock remained firmly planted in my hand as I scanned the street, making certain we hadn’t been followed. There was no one suspicious that I could see, but that meant shit. If there were soldiers in the area, we wouldn’t know until too late.

Another six minutes went by and I was ready to charge inside. “You’re going to wait here and I mean it, Lindsey. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t leave me, Jack. Okay? I’m… scared.” Her words were barely whispered, driving another stake straight into my heart.

I took a deep breath, hating the way she felt. “I won’t.”

Before I had a chance to open the door, Diego returned, saying nothing until he’d started the engine. “We have accommodations and a few supplies.”

“That fucking took long enough.”

Diego threw the gear into drive. “We talked in private.”

Perhaps we’d get some additional information after all. The Serpent’s reputation was poisoned, the majority of citizens loathing