Vendetta Read online

“Good.” She grinned. “Then you won’t mind if I do the jumping? I’ve always had a crush on him since he took over the team five years ago. I was just a little intimidated by all those letters after his name. But I’ve decided that no one should wait for what they want. Dedication can only go so far. If I want anything else to make my life worth living, the rest is going to be up to me.”

  “A sound decision.” And Rachel had no idea that Nancy felt that way about Phillip. But then she’d been working eighteen or twenty hours a day, and that didn’t lend to noticing much of anything else. “I’ll see you at seven.”

  She watched Nancy sit down in the chair next to Maria’s bed.

  Sleep well, but not too well. You have to come back to us, little girl.

  Ten tomorrow morning.

  And then another six hours, and she’d know one way or the other.

  She looked up at the night sky. Not that she could see that much of it through the heavy canopy of the trees of the rain forest. But there were stars up there, weren’t there? It was important to remember in the darkness there were always stars.

  Her phone rang, and she glanced down at the ID.

  Hu Chang.

  She smiled as she pressed the access. Strange that he’d called at this particular moment. He’d always been one of the stars in her darkness and there whenever she needed him. “I tried the broadleaf,” she said when she picked up the call. “I don’t know if it’s going to work, Hu Chang. I used redwood before.”

  “Neither do I. But I trust in you to choose correctly as you’ve always done. You have infallible instinct. After that, it’s up to the patient.” He paused. “But it’s weighing heavily on you if you cannot even give me the courtesy of a greeting. Did I not teach you better than that, Rachel? Perhaps you should quit playing around in those jungles and come to me for a refresher course.”

  “And perhaps you should have told me what to do with Maria instead of just listening to me go over my options,” she said tartly. “You persist in telling me that you’re the master and I’m only the humble student, yet you don’t give me—” She stopped. This would do no good. Hu Chang always did exactly what he wanted to do, and she would not have it any other way. She could almost see him before her in his black tunic, his shoulder-length hair drawn back from that intent face that had always seemed totally ageless to her. Ageless, expressionless, and yet she had felt as if she could sense everything he was thinking since the day he had taken her into his home and his laboratory when she was only fifteen. “I’m sorry, I’m a little on edge. I know I didn’t ask for help, I just used you as a sounding board.”

  “And it was my privilege. I always enjoy seeing how your mind works. And I realize you cannot talk to your learned colleagues about the intricacies of what you do. Such a pity. But then, you knew it was going to be that way. I’m such a magnificent example, am I not?”

  Magnificent was not an overstatement where Hu Chang was concerned. She might never know the full story of Hu Chang, but he’d told her once that he had grown up in Manchuria, trained by his apothecary father to be a master poisoner and later became a Doctor of Chinese Medicine. She knew that he had traveled the world, studied many cultures, and lived a life that was solely by his own rules. During the two years she’d stayed with him, she’d accepted those rules because they’d healed her. And God knows she’d needed healing after those months she’d spent in Sazkar Prison. “You warned me. I didn’t realize it was going to be this difficult.”

  “Only because you lack a basic sense of ruthlessness or what some call the killer instinct. But that can be learned.”

  “I won’t learn it. Why do you think I’m in the middle of this rain forest in Guyana?”

  “It’s been safer for you. And allowed you to keep my inimitable teachings unsullied and useful.” He paused. “Or at least it was safer. Is everything well with you?”

  “No. I don’t know if Maria is going to—”

  “I’m not speaking about Maria. Is there anything disturbing happening around you?”

  “No. The government workers have stopped spraying and pulled out of the area. They think they have the mosquito infestation under control. Though in this rain forest I don’t see how they can tell. But I guess the experts know what they’re doing.”

  “Do they? I’ve always had problems with accepting experts. My skeptical nature. When do you leave Nalez?”

  “Tomorrow. I’m only waiting for the last dose for Maria. Phillip wanted to pull out tonight.”

  “But the good doctor gave in and allowed you to have your chance with her.”

  She stiffened. “And what’s wrong with that? It’s a life, Hu Chang.”

  “And he’s a doctor who would embrace any means of saving life … even if it came with a price?”

  “Yes.” She should have known that Hu Chang would have perceived that about Phillip when she had only just realized it. “But doctors like him shouldn’t have to make that choice. He’s very visible, someone would find out what he’d done, and he’d be destroyed.”

  “Better that you take the risk?”

  “Why not? I’m very low on the totem pole. A dedicated physician with a hobby. Anyway, Phillip will cooperate.”

  “I’m sure he will. Nothing’s wrong with his wish to give you what you want. Don’t we all, Rachel? He probably senses that vulnerable quality behind the strong surface and wants to protect you.”

  “I’m not vulnerable. You never found me vulnerable, Hu Chang. You never took excuses, and you made me work all the hours of the day.”

  “Well, most of them. And perhaps that was my way of ridding you of that vulnerability. Or perhaps it was purely for my own pleasure to see how far I could push you before you broke.” He added softly, “And you never broke, Rachel. That’s why when you left me, I knew that you were ready to face anything without me.”

  “Ready, but maybe not willing. It took me a while to get used to all the rules I ran into at the university. I missed you.”

  “And so you should. I’m totally unique and without peer.”

  “And so modest.” She went back to that odd word he’d used. “Disturbing? Why should you wonder if there was anything disturbing around me?”

  “I do not wonder. It was Catherine Ling who called me and asked where you were in Guyana. She’s the one who asked me if there was anything disturbing happening in your area.”

  “Catherine?” That was a complete surprise. She had not seen Catherine Ling for over a year. Catherine was a CIA agent who had been given her orders by Rachel’s father, Carl Venable, ever since she’d been recruited as a teenager in Hong Kong. When Rachel was living with Hu Chang, Catherine had moved in and out of her life because she was Hu Chang’s closest friend. Somehow during that time, she had also become Rachel’s very close friend. “I didn’t think she even knew where I was.”

  “You’re her friend. Since you persist in traveling to hot spots with hardly more than a stethoscope for protection, Catherine keeps track of you. She doesn’t have that many friends, and she doesn’t like the idea of losing one.” He paused. “Just because you distanced yourself from her when you broke with your father doesn’t mean that she would allow anything to happen to you.”

  No, both Catherine and Hu Chang had always given her comfort and support during that painful period of separation. She had known they’d always be there for her. “I didn’t deliberately distance—It just happened. She works with my father. It was … awkward.”

  “She didn’t find it so. She respects Venable. She cares for you. She doesn’t take sides.”

  “And did he tell her to keep an eye on me?”

  “You’d have to ask Catherine. I believe she would have done it regardless. Now, may I tell you what she wished me to convey to you?”

  “Disturbance. What kind of disturbance that doesn’t concern these damn mosquitoes?”

  “She said there were rumbles that a revolutionary guerilla militant group had crossed the Venezuela border into Guya
na. Not a pleasant group. In Venezuela they’ve acted with true terrorist behavior, savage attacks on villages, robberies, rapes, killings.”

  “That’s all these poor people need. Then why doesn’t she notify the Guyana military?”

  “It’s only rumbles. They’re still in Venezuela as far as anyone knows. The government’s not going to pay attention until there’s an actual sighting or attack. But Catherine would like to urge you to be careful and absent yourself with all due speed.”

  “I’ll tell Phillip to call our headquarters in Georgetown and tell them what she said. They’ll contact the military and see if they think we have a problem here.”

  “And if they do?”

  “Then Phillip will start packing and get everyone out.”

  “Except you.”

  “I’ll make my way to the coast later. I don’t want to move Maria that far until she’s a little stronger. And that means I have to be here tomorrow to administer that final dose after ten in the morning. I’ll stay in the village with Maria’s mother, Blanca. There are only a few families left in the village anyway. They’ve all scattered and gone to other villages to get out of the infestation area.” She was thinking, trying to find the best solution. “I’ll go warn her now that we’re going to shift Maria to the village and that she might have to find a place to hide her in the rain forest if it becomes necessary.”

  “May I point out your team isn’t going to appreciate your staying behind.”

  “Maybe I won’t have to do it. No actual intel, it’s just rumbles. I have to hang up now, Hu Chang. I need to get moving.”

  “Because you believe that rumbles sometime become roars. Catherine thought that you would not ignore her warning.”

  “Catherine realizes that I know bad things happen. So do you, Hu Chang.” She hesitated, then asked the question, “Did the warning come from her or from my father?”

  “From Catherine. She’s not been in communication with Venable for the last two months.” He added quietly, “You know I would not deceive you. I’m aware that you have no trust in him.”

  “Let’s just say that my trust is limited to the given situation. I also know that he can make black seem white if he chooses. He’s done it before.”

  “Have you ever known me to be color-blind?”

  “No.”

  “Neither is Catherine. Trust her.”

  “I do. I just had to be certain. I’ll call and tell you if the Maria formula works.” She pressed the disconnect.

  She drew a deep breath and looked back up at the sky. She would give herself just a moment, then start to do what had to be done.

  Rumbles? Conversations that could be rumors or just gossip that swept through the CIA community. It seemed unlikely to touch her in this place. A poor village in the middle of the rain forest? She heard only the night sounds of that rain forest right now telling her it could be all bullshit. But she knew what evil and pain was out there. All the violence and trickery and greed and death. And wherever that evil and death lived so did her father, Carl Venable. She could imagine him spinning his web of intrigue, plots, and lies. If not this time, then another.

  But she was not her father. She would not let herself live in his world.

  She took out her phone. First, talk to Phillip Sanford, then go to the village and prepare Maria’s mother. It would all work out. She would make sure that it did. Death was always just around the corner, but so was life.

  And after all, it might only be rumbles …

  GEORGETOWN, GUYANA 1:45 A.M.

  “Liberation Unity,” Nate Scott said to Jude Brandon as he came back from the cockpit of the Apache helicopter. “I think Venable might have gotten it right when he told you that Huber would already be on his way to hunt down his daughter. Liberation is headed by Fidel Morales. It’s a small, but vicious terrorist group that has affiliations with Max Huber’s Red Star organization. And there was a sighting at a crossing at the northern border two hours ago. No reports of any attacks. They just disappeared into the rain forest heading southwest.”

  “And Nalez is in the southwest corner of Guyana,” Brandon said grimly. “And why ignore all the rich, juicy targets in the north to head for the rain forest where the villages barely manage to survive?”

  “And where there’s been a medical alert issued,” Nate added as he dropped into a seat beside Brandon. “Like I said, Venable might have gotten it right. This may not be Huber’s central organization, but he’s pulling the strings.”

  “Right.” Huber’s Red Star terrorist organization had cells that reached worldwide and used their power to not only cause political disruption and terror but acquire wealth wherever they had the opportunity. That power and wealth made them very attractive to lesser terrorist groups who were more than happy to perform favors. “The minute he located One World Medical, he scouted around until he found a group he could use and sent them across the border on a mission. We’re sure Rachel Venable is still in Nalez?”

  “According to the report from their headquarters, she was still there yesterday when their team transferred thirty-two patients to the hospital outside Georgetown.” He looked down at the report he’d brought from the cockpit. “The entire team is still in Nalez. Dr. Phillip Sanford, Nurse Practitioner Nancy Kavitz, Dr. William Pallis…” He looked up. “So do we go and get her?”

  “Why else are we here? Venable gave her name to his informant, and she’s the only one he’s going to contact. We need that information. We go into Nalez, scoop her up and get out. Did you get that dossier on her?”

  “As up-to-date as I could get on short notice.” Nate indicated the folder he was carrying. “Here’s the report that Monty got from his contact in Georgetown about her before we took off. It seems fairly complete. But you may be familiar with most of it if Venable told you to—”

  “I don’t know much of anything,” Brandon said flatly. “I didn’t want to know. I wanted to deal with Carl Venable, not his daughter. If Venable couldn’t keep himself alive, I don’t know how I’m supposed to keep her alive until we get Huber.” He took the report and glanced at the first page. The woman’s photo jumped out at him. Tall, slim, graceful in tan khakis and white shirt. Red hair just brushing her shoulders, green-gray eyes staring boldly, inquiringly, out of the photo. Not beautiful, but definitely arresting.

  “Nice looking,” Nate said. “Red hair like her father.” He was still reading his report. “Twenty-nine. She had two brothers, James, who was killed in Afghanistan, and her younger brother, Kevin. Her mother and her brother Kevin died when their car was attacked by the Taliban outside Kabul. Venable was stationed there for five years and his wife, Judith, finally insisted on his arranging for the family to have safe quarters in Kabul so they could join him during that last year. Obviously a bad decision. Rachel was also in that car, but she survived and was taken prisoner. She was held hostage for five months while they bargained for her release with Venable, who the State Department had put in charge of negotiations. There was difficulty about prisoner-exchange terms. She was only fifteen at the time.” He looked down the report. “She was finally released to an intermediary party who had influence with the Afghanistan government … a physician named Hu Chang. But instead of returning to her father, she stayed with Hu Chang for the next two years before she entered medical school.” He looked up at him. “Have you ever heard of this Hu Chang?”

  “Oh, I’ve heard quite a bit about him,” Brandon said dryly. “He’s fairly notorious in many circles. But nothing in connection with Rachel Venable. Anything else?”

  “Brilliance. Dedication. Humanitarian selflessness in her professional life. No money. No important contacts. Why should Huber want to go after her?”

  “The same reason he went after Venable. Actually, according to what her father said, he has an even better reason to kill her. That’s one of the reasons why Venable made sure I’d go after her.” He looked down at the photo again. “Our Rachel Venable is not what she seems…”


  NALEZ 3:35 A.M.

  “Where the hell are you?” Phillip Sanford’s voice was clipped when Rachel answered his call. “We have to get out of here. Our helicopter should be arriving in another fifteen minutes. I told you an hour ago that I’d gotten that call from Guyana military that there was a report of a village being burned to the ground not fifty miles from here. You said you were on your way back from Blanca’s village after settling Maria.”

  “I lied,” she said calmly. “I knew you’d come after me if you thought you had the time. Now you don’t have the time. I’ll see you in Georgetown in the next day or so.” She could hear Phillip cursing. “I’ll be hiding out in the rain forest with Maria and her mother. They know that forest like the back of their hand. I’ll be fine with them. When that helicopter comes, get everyone out of here, Phillip.”

  “We could wait if you tell me you’re on your way.”

  “I’m not on my way. And you’re too responsible to wait on one person when you have to take care of the entire team. See you later, Phillip.” She hung up and took a deep breath. He was angry, and she’d be lucky if he didn’t kick her off the team. If he did, then she’d just have to accept it. Maybe it would be okay, she hadn’t deliberately endangered anyone but herself. But discipline was important when you dealt with conditions like the team faced on a regular basis.

  But so was a little girl’s life.

  She turned to Maria’s mother, Blanca Perez. “Were you able to arrange to have Maria’s stretcher carried into the rain forest? It looks like we’re going to have to move fast now.”

  Blanca nodded. “My uncle and his friend. They’ll take us to a cave where I played as a child, then leave us and go east toward Surinam.” Her eyes were wide with fear. “It might be bad? Why would anyone want to hurt us? We have nothing.”

  “I don’t know why. Some people are evil and don’t want anyone to be happy.” She looked down at the stretcher. Maria’s cheeks were too flushed. Was her temperature down even a little? “But then you have a treasure like your daughter. It makes up for it, doesn’t it?”