Vendetta Page 5

  “Forget it.” He was already calling Nate on his phone. “I realize you probably think that you can move mountains, but we have to move fast. I want to be at that plateau within the hour.”

  * * *

  They were at the plateau in just over that hour, but the helicopter wasn’t there.

  Rachel stopped short, her gaze shifting frantically to Maria on the stretcher. The plateau had little vegetation for cover, and they were very vulnerable. No place to hide Maria and Blanca if it became necessary.

  Brandon answered her before she could ask, “The helicopter will be here in a couple minutes. Don’t worry, Monty always knows what he’s doing. I told him not to take off before we had a chance to get here. Morales will see it and zero in the minute it takes off.” Even as he spoke, she saw the large gray Apache helicopter lifting in the distance and turning to head for the plateau.

  “When I first saw it, I thought it looked like the military copters I saw in Afghanistan,” she murmured. “Are you sure you’re not still in Special Forces?”

  “As I said, that was a long time ago. But I didn’t know what I’d need here in Guyana. So I brought enough manpower to make a difference.”

  “And you had to have suitable transport for them. How many men, Brandon?”

  “Twelve.”

  Her gaze flew to his face. “And you wouldn’t accept anyone who wasn’t top-notch, would you? Do you usually have your own private army on hand?”

  “No, but Nate and Monty know where to go when I need them. Nate knows everything there is to know about field operations, and Monty is practically a tech genius. But this seemed to be one of those times when I might need a little more firepower.”

  A small, tight army of highly skilled warriors. Like the teams that her father had at his command when needed. “Because you wanted to keep Huber from getting what he wanted. You definitely thought this would happen?”

  “A strong possibility.” He shook his head. “No, I was ninety-eight percent sure that I’d need those men. I just didn’t know exactly who Huber would get to use against them.” He glanced at her as the helicopter started to descend. “But I knew if you were here, that there was a chance that all hell would break loose. Venable made that clear.”

  “Yes, my father is always very clear.” Her gaze never left the helicopter. “He weighs every problem and always makes certain that he makes the correct decision for the maximum number of people.”

  He tilted his head. “Do I detect bitterness?”

  “No, I’m sure that clarity has saved lives throughout his career. I was just thinking that your military team was like the ones that my father could call on occasionally.”

  “But you don’t approve?”

  “You’re wrong. I do approve in this case. It will be a big help.” She glanced at him and braced herself. It probably wasn’t the time but she couldn’t wait any longer. “I told you that my agenda required that I take two things with me when I left here. You didn’t ask me what else I wanted besides Maria.”

  “No, I didn’t. I was a bit preoccupied with your patient,” he said dryly. “But I had no doubt that you’d collect your pound of flesh. Are you going to break it to me now?”

  She nodded. “I want you to drop Maria and Blanca off in Georgetown.” She moistened her lips. “And then I want you to go back and get Phillip Sanford. I won’t let Morales kill him.”

  His lips twisted. “You just want me to skip into Morales’ camp and pluck your learned colleague out of his hands?”

  “Yes, Nate said no one was better than you at this kind of thing. Can you do it?”

  “Probably. Morales certainly won’t expect a surprise attack after he sees us leaving in the helicopter.” He looked at her and slowly shook his head. “A pound of flesh, indeed, Rachel.”

  “Phillip’s a good man. They might kill him.”

  “Or try to use him to get you.”

  “Will you do it?”

  He was silent. “It might be to my advantage to get rid of a potential threat. But this particular agenda of yours is above and beyond.”

  The helicopter was descending, the wind was tearing at her hair, and blowing her shirt against her. “Will you do it?”

  “Anything I want?” he repeated softly. “You’ll do anything?”

  She nodded jerkily. “I told you that before.”

  “But you’ve upped the stakes.”

  “I always knew Phillip had to be part of it.”

  “You just didn’t let me know? Incredible.”

  She just looked at him.

  “I suppose you won’t insist on going along this time?”

  She drew a relieved breath. He was going to do it. “No, I have to be with Maria until I’m sure she’s out of danger.”

  “Well that’s a plus. But you don’t mind me and my men being in danger?”

  “I do mind. I hate it. But Phillip will be helpless with men like Morales. You know what you’re doing.”

  “Yes I do.” The helicopter was on the ground, and the door was opening. He motioned for the man in camouflage who jumped out to help Nate with the stretcher. “And you’ll pay me in full for that knowledge, Rachel,” he said quietly. “Count on it.”

  She stood there watching him move toward the helicopter before she could force herself to follow him.

  Think about Maria. Think about Phillip.

  And handle whatever Brandon had in store for her when they were both safe and well.

  CHAPTER

  3

  GEORGETOWN HOSPITAL GUYANA

  The ambulance pulled up at the emergency-room entrance and Rachel jumped out of the passenger seat. She ran around the vehicle to where the EMTs were unloading Maria’s stretcher. Brandon had just parked behind the ambulance and was getting out of the driver’s seat and coming toward her.

  “You didn’t have to follow us,” she said. “I can take it from here.”

  “And you will,” Brandon said dryly. “I apparently have something else to do today. I just wanted to deliver you and Maria and make certain that you know that you don’t leave the hospital until I get back here.”

  “I don’t intend to leave Maria’s side for the next four hours,” she said as she watched Blanca hurrying after the stretcher as it was wheeled through the doors.

  “You don’t leave here until I get back,” he repeated. “I’ve had Nate call a couple of his contacts here, and there will be someone on guard since I can’t spare either him or Monty. I don’t believe Huber will know you’re here, but you can never tell about the bastard. I’m not going to have you snatched away from me while I go and retrieve this doctor you have at the top of your agenda at the moment.”

  “I’m not planning on going anywhere. Anything that needs doing will have to be done by phone. I need to call One World headquarters and tell them about Nancy and Bill if they don’t know already.” Everything had been moving so quickly since she’d seen that helicopter blown out of the night sky that it seemed impossible that everyone in the world wouldn’t know what had happened at Nalez. Yet it was only the middle of the afternoon, and in the chaos that always followed terrorist events, nothing might be clear to anyone. “Will you call me when you get Phillip away from them?”

  “Probably not. I don’t want anyone to know where you are in case Morales is tech savvy enough to trace my calls.”

  “I don’t think he would be. You’re very careful.”

  “I’ve been stung.” He turned to leave. “Good luck with the little girl. She seems to be on the mend … except for her exceptional bad judgment pertaining to me.”

  Before she could reply, he was back in the rental car and driving past the ambulance toward the street.

  He hadn’t given her the opportunity to wish him good luck, she thought, even though she was the one who had sent him into harm’s way. But he probably thought he didn’t need luck as long as he had that cool competence evident in every motion.

  But she would have liked to have said … some
thing.

  Maria.

  He was dealing with Phillip Sanford, but she still had Maria to worry about. She turned and strode through the emergency-room entrance to see to what room Maria had been assigned.

  7:40 P.M.

  “The fever’s almost gone, Blanca. Temperature close to normal.” Rachel turned away from Maria, a brilliant smile lighting her face. “She’s not entirely out of the woods. We’re running blood tests and checking the exact status of the virus in her—” She broke off as Blanca launched herself into her arms and enveloped her in a tremendous bear hug that took her breath away.

  “She’s going to get well.” Blanca’s face was glowing as she released Rachel and whirled toward Maria. “You’re being careful not to promise me anything— But she’s going to get well, isn’t she?”

  To hell with not raising hopes. “I think the chances are excellent that Maria will be out of this hospital in a week or so.”

  Blanca’s eyes were shining with joy. “I prayed and prayed, and you did it.”

  “No, you did it, remember?” She gently grasped her shoulders. Gratitude could be very dangerous particularly in these first exuberant moments. “I just used the usual medicines recommended by the CDC. You were afraid they weren’t working, and without telling me, you gave Maria an herbal medicine passed down through your family by your great-grandmother.”

  “I’ll remember.” Blanca went back into her arms. “I promised you. And if someone asks me if I have any more, I give them that little wooden pot with the green stuff you gave me. Right?”

  “Right.” And the CDC might well ask her. They were desperate for a cure for Taran, and they were not averse to looking at any source to find it. They’d examine and test it exhaustively, and in a year, they might start using it themselves when there was another outbreak. “And that way Maria might help other children. But only if it comes through you, Blanca.”

  “Crazy…” Blanca smiled. “But then, so is a tiny mosquito that can kill my little girl.” She stepped back and turned back to Maria. “Will they let me stay with her tonight?”

  “Yes, and I’ll look in now and then to make sure that she’s still doing fine. I’ll be in the doctor’s lounge down the hall if you need me.”

  “Thank you.” Blanca had already sat back down and was reaching for Maria’s hand. “A thousand thanks, Dr. Rachel. God must have sent you…”

  “I don’t know about that, but I’m sure he did send that medicine to Maria if it cured her.” She headed for the door. “I’ll have a nurse bring you something to eat…”

  She stopped outside the door and drew a deep breath of relief and gratitude. She’d had no choice but to try that formula when nothing else was working, but it could have been a disaster. She’d tried other variations on yellow fever before, but this was an entirely new virus. But it had done what was needed and dealt with the virus while lowering the fever.

  And Maria Perez was on her way back now.

  But what about Phillip Sanford?

  She was afraid to think about him right now. It was probably too early to expect anything from Jude Brandon. It might be hours before she heard if Brandon had been able to get Phillip away from Morales’ men. But there was no way she would not be on edge for every one of those hours.

  She had reached the lounge, and she sat down and retrieved her phone. But she had made a promise, and now she needed to keep it.

  Hu Chang answered the phone after three rings. “I understand the rumbles turned into something more substantial. Catherine was very concerned when she heard that the One World camp had been targeted. You might have phoned and let me know that you were all right.”

  “I was a little busy. And I was sure that after everything blew up, Catherine would pull every string until she knew more than I did about what was going on.”

  “Yes, but there’s nothing like firsthand information. Such as if you’d survived. A small bit of knowledge, but I find it remarkably important in the scheme of things.” His tone was silky soft, but that still did not hide the sharpness. “Since one of the pieces of information Catherine gathered was that you were being specifically targeted.”

  She didn’t know how Catherine had managed to squeeze that intel out of the chaos, but she could tell that Hu Chang was more than annoyed that she hadn’t contacted him. “I’m still alive and at a hospital in Georgetown. But Bill Pallis and Nancy Kavitz are dead, and Phillip Sanford is being held prisoner. As I said, I was busy.”

  Silence. “I regret to hear that your friends are dead. You’re at a hospital? How have you been injured?”

  “Not me. I had to come with Maria to have the final tests.” She paused. “The potion worked, Hu Chang. She’s going to live. I promised I’d let you know.”

  “I’m glad you regarded something as important enough to call,” he said dryly. “Not that I don’t agree that’s a great victory for the child … and for you. You protected yourself?”

  “Native medicine passed on by family. Most of the time I wouldn’t have had to do that, I’d just send in an anonymous formula and hope someone at the CDC would do something with it. But Taran is high-profile and dangerous right now. I wanted the CDC to take a close look at it.” She leaned back wearily in the chair. “Anyway, Maria is safe now. That’s the only good thing that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours.”

  “Happy news indeed. And now shall we get back to tidings not at all happy. Are you going to tell me why you were targeted?”

  “Max Huber.”

  Silence. “Unfortunate. He sent Morales’ group after you?”

  “That’s what I was told by Jude Brandon.”

  “Brandon?” he murmured. “I’ve heard of him.”

  “And he’s heard of you,” she said. “But I’m more interested in what you know about him.”

  “Later. Why did Huber send Morales after you?”

  “I think that we can both guess why. He wants me dead. I committed the ultimate sin as far as he’s concerned. You told me once that he’d find out what I’d done. It was only a matter of time.”

  “Venable had over four years to find a way to dispense with Huber so that there would be no danger of him finding out you were involved. I was hoping that Venable would be able to protect you.”

  “Well, Max Huber is still alive, and his organization appears to be flourishing. But somehow he must have found out what I did to him four years ago.” She was trying to think how that had occurred. “Four years, Hu Chang. And my father swore that no one knew I was involved. Yet all of a sudden, I’m responsible for the deaths of two of my team who only wished to help people and save lives. They wouldn’t have died if Huber hadn’t sent Morales after me.” She added, “My father would call that collateral damage, but they were good lives wasted, and they were my friends.”

  “Venable is not as harsh as you make him out to be,” he said quietly. “He’s a hard man, doing a hard job, but he has his moments of softness.”

  “Which exist only as long as they don’t interfere with the greater public good.” She said wearily, “But maybe he did try to warn me or get me away from Huber. He sent Jude Brandon, who managed to take me out of Nalez and bring me here to Georgetown. But it’s not going to be a free gift. Brandon made that clear.”

  “Then may I suggest you have your father pay him. You were only an instrument in the Huber matter.”

  “I wasn’t an instrument, I was a fool. And fools have to pay for their mistakes. You taught me that, Hu Chang.”

  “True. But I find I’m not willing for you to pay for this particular mistake. Nor do I think it’s wise to make you have to hide away from that unpleasant barbarian. So I believe I might have to make the effort to set things right.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “I’ll take care of it. You don’t step in and try to take charge. I just have to figure out what to do.”

  “I never try. I always accomplish.” He paused. “But I will allow you to go your way for the time being. What do you need f
rom me?”

  “Jude Brandon. All I know is that he knows my father, they both hate Max Huber, and he was once in Special Forces.”

  “He knows why Huber wants you?”

  “I don’t believe he does. He just knows I might be of value to him. Maybe my father didn’t trust him enough to confide in him.”

  “Quite possible. Your father doesn’t trust many people. But he trusted him enough to send him to take you away from Huber. That has some significance.”

  “I don’t want analysis, I want fact and background.”

  “I’m getting there, Rachel. Our paths crossed, but we did not have any explosive interaction, so I had no reason to delve deep. I know he owns shipyards in Hong Kong and several other cities around the world. The businesses are legitimate, but the money that built them probably was not. His father was well-known as a skilled smuggler and master thief during most of his long career on the high seas. I understand before Brandon came back from the service, his father had purchased the first shipyard and needed his help in keeping it safe from the Chinese triads who were trying to move in on the business. Brandon did the task so splendidly that his reputation attracted my attention. He’s very formidable, Rachel.”

  “I know that. Did he attract my father’s attention as well?”

  “I have no idea. As I said, he did not get in my way, and I had no reason for close observation. As far as I know, he had no dealings with Huber or any other terrorist that would have aroused Venable’s interest. It could be true that they were allies against Huber.”

  “And that’s all you know?”

  “At present. Now that I know you’re interested, I will endeavor to learn more. In the meantime, Catherine asked me to bring you to her. Even before she knew about Huber, she didn’t like what was going on. She said that she’s uneasy. She would have gone down there herself, but she was called to a top CIA meeting in San Francisco by Operative Officer in Charge Claire Warren.”

  “They think Huber may be planning something?”