Lightning Game (GhostWalkers #17) -Christine Feehan Page 0,129

weapons.”

Sean winced, but he lifted his hand in the air and signed to his men in every direction to lower their weapons.

Rubin waited for confirmation that Sean’s men were obedient to the command before he rose, stretching as he did so, taking his time, presenting a target, putting his body in front of Jonquille’s as a shield. He was very careful to leave his brother a good line on the major. Jonquille started to stand.

Wait. I’ll let you know when I think it’s safe enough to get up.

You’re making yourself a target. She wasn’t in the least happy with him.

She didn’t sound angry like his brother, or feel angry, but she was upset and for some unaccountable reason, his heart clenched and then ached. He didn’t like that she was upset. He’d never cared much when others were distressed when he knew he was doing the right thing. He figured they’d have to get over it eventually. His woman was concerned for his safety, the same as his brother.

Get used to it, Jonquille. Rubin’s an ass. He’s one of the most talented men on the planet, but he’s a total ass. Think twice about looking at him with adoring eyes. He’s going to make your life hell, Diego weighed in.

Sean stood up as well, and one by one his men came out from behind the trees they were secreted in. Only when Diego signaled it appeared all were accounted for did Rubin extend his hand to Jonquille.

Are you telling us you wouldn’t protect your lady, Diego?

Get out of there. Tell Sean to get his men out of the open. I’ve got this gut thing going on. Don’t much like it. Thought it was Sean and his men. Now I’m not so sure. Might be that plane coming in. There was no more joking in Diego’s voice. He was all business.

“Sean, get your men back under cover. Might be nothing, but when Diego says he’s got a gut feeling something’s not right, we act on it. Nine times out of ten, he’s dead-on.”

Rubin tightened his fingers around Jonquille’s hand. He had no intention of being separated from her again. “Let’s get to the meadow and see if the pilot will bring that plane in. It’s up to you to talk him into it, Sean. He’s going to be leery. Chandler’s spy, Barry, hasn’t been talking to him for a while now.”

“Yeah, I got that.” Sean was still bitter over the traitor in his unit.

The three of them jogged from out in the open to the relative cover of the woods. Rubin and Sean blended immediately. Jonquille stood out like a sore thumb. She began to pull a gray, black and olive green hoodie from her pocket. It was folded into a very small square, almost the size of a handkerchief, but when she opened it, it fell nearly to her knees. The minute she put it on, it adhered to her body, pressing any clothing she had on under it tight so it was like another layer of skin. She instantly blended as well.

Sean spoke into his radio and it took only a couple of minutes after the three of them making it to the edge of the meadow for two of Sean’s men to join them. Sean immediately contacted the plane.

There was a short silence and the pilot answered, his tone wary, obviously expecting Barry to be contacting him.

Sean didn’t reply immediately, then he snapped out a command. “This is Major Sean O’Connell. Identify yourself.”

The pilot replied reluctantly, admitting who he was, and he wasn’t Sean’s pilot. “Lieutenant Owen Abbey.”

“Swamp Man was supposed to be flying that plane. What happened to him?”

“I explained this to Barry …”

“He’s dead. The entire ground crew is dead. They were attacked, and all machines needed to effectively build a decent landing strip were destroyed. I needed Swamp Man, he can land in anything. You didn’t tell me where he is.” Sean’s implication was that this pilot couldn’t land the plane.

“He was sick and I offered to collect the package for him. He gave me the instructions.”

“We have the package, but the landing will be rough.”

“Give me a minute.”

Sean glanced back at Rubin. “I’ll bet any amount of money he’s consulting with Chandler, asking him what to do.”

They waited in the shadows of the tree. Diego was up in the branches of the trees above their heads. If the plane circled around and looked as if it was in any way threatening, he would shoot