Into the Mist

Chapter Eighteen

They packed up, did a massive weapons check, got their technology in order and headed out, Gabe driving Ian and Braden in one four-wheel drive vehicle and Eli and Tyana in the other.

They set their rendezvous point at a hole-in-the-wall airstrip where they’d take a chopper, courtesy of Manuel Diego who ran a dubious charter service. They’d land in Puerto Santa Cruz and hop a boat to the Falkland Islands. Once there, they’d hole up in a safe house, plot their next move and wait for the jet.

Eli looked over at Tyana as they bounced and swayed along the shitty, narrow roads leading beyond the village at the base of the mountain.

“You go rogue on Falcon?”

She frowned and looked down. Her fingers curled into tight balls, and she avoided making eye contact with him.

“Jonah and I didn’t see eye to eye on what needed to be done to help Damiano.”

“So in other words, when he finds you, he’s going to be one pissed-off man. With you and with me. Only he won’t kill you. He won’t have any compunction about killing me.”

“Probably not,” she admitted.

“I love how you show me affection, sugar. Glad I don’t mind walking on the wild side, because fucking you is a serious risk to my health.”

She turned then, her eyes flashing as she glared holes through him.

He chuckled. “Now that’s what I prefer to see. All spit and vinegar. I prefer you pissed off to this meek and docile chick who’s been posing as you for the last twenty-four hours.”

“Asshole,” she muttered.

“So what was your back-up plan?” he asked. He was genuinely curious, because she seemed too smart to put all her eggs in one basket.

“Back up to what?”

“Back up to me not providing the answers you needed for Damiano. You risk pissing off Esteban by double-crossing him. So if you get here and find I can’t help you, what then?”

“I go after him,” she said simply.

“Just like that?”

She nodded. “Just like that. He’s made threats against D. As long as he lives and has the agenda of getting rid of the shifters, he’s a danger to Damiano.”

Eli shook his head. She was dead serious. No false bravado. Just calm and matter-of-fact, like she was talking about the weather or getting her nails done. The bad thing was, he totally believed her.

It made him damn uneasy. He didn’t like the idea of her going after Esteban by herself. Hell, the thought of her going in with him and the others made him uneasy enough.

“I think I have a pretty good idea of how Jonah feels,” Eli muttered.

She cocked an eyebrow and pinned him with a probing stare. “Tell me you’re not getting soft on me, Eli. I gave you more credit than for you to get all manly-man on me and bust out with the protect the poor girly-girl mantra.”

“You’re hell on a man’s ego, girl. Don’t you understand us Neanderthal types love to swoop in and save the day? Carry the damsel in distress off and fuck her senseless while she swoons in gratitude?”

She cracked a grin. “You don’t want them swooning because of your sexual prowess?”

“Well, that too.”

“Sorry, but I’ve had to learn the hard way that the only person I can rely on is me. It saves a lot of grief.”

She meant that as well. So serious. So young. Hell, she couldn’t be much more than twenty-four? Maybe twenty-five?

“Someone sure did a number on you, sugar.”

Her face darkened, and her lips pressed tightly together. Then she thrust her chin upward and stared challengingly at him. “I don’t see you relying on other people. You’re the typical loner. You have leader written all over you. Capable. Driven. Look out for your team, but you don’t really rely on them. You expect them to rely on you. Am I right?”

Her assessment made him squirm. He glared back at her. “How about we stop with the armchair psychology.”

She grinned innocently. “I will if you will.”

“Deal.”

He reached over, an unconscious gesture that he gave no prior thought to, and took her hand in his. She seemed as surprised as he felt by the tender action. He almost drew away, but she curled her fingers around his and relaxed.

“Eli, you there?”

The radio crackled as Gabe’s voice echoed through the receiver.

Eli was forced to release her hand as he picked up the radio and held it to his mouth. “Yeah, go ahead.”

“Problem, man. We need to reroute. The chopper is out.”

“What the fuck is wrong with the chopper?”

There was a long pause. “Nothing’s wrong with the chopper. It’s Manuel. He’s dead. Or at least I assume that’s who I saw being toted out in a body bag. The place is swarming with the authorities.”

Shit. “Okay then, Plan B. Haul your ass out of there and be careful. When all fails, do the one stupid thing your enemy wouldn’t expect.”

“Buenos Aires?”

“Yeah, we’ll take the jet out of there.”

“All right. I’ll see you there in a few days, then. You and Tyana be careful.”

He tossed the radio down and looked over at Tyana. “You up for a road trip, sugar?”