CHAPTER 70
The plans for the assault on the compound lay on the kitchen table. They would go in just before dawn. Henry was busy explaining the plan to Jordan, who had just returned from the other house. The police were still investigating, and they weren’t buying Jordan’s story completely. But Jordan had been able to prove that he’d just flown in, and they’d been unable to hold him.
Jake tried to focus on the conversation, but Laney’s face and then Tom’s kept flashing through his mind, distracting him.
Henry put his hand on Jake’s shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Henry didn’t say anything, just waited.
Jake sighed. “What do you want me to say, Henry? We’re going to go rescue the men from the compound and by doing so, sign Laney’s death warrant. So, yeah, I’m great.”
“I know it's an impossible choice. If we go in, we're signing her death warrant. If we don't, we're signing the death warrant of every man in that place. Tell me what you want me to do, Jake, and I’ll do it. If you don’t want us to go in, we won’t.”
Jake raked a hand through his hair. “How can I say that? Tom’s in there and I’ve seen what those men are going through. How can I say that saving them is wrong? I just don’t understand why Laney has to pay the price for their lives.”
Jake’s cell phone rang and he looked down. Yoni. He’d gone to scout out the compound one last time to make sure there’d been no changes in security. “Yeah?”
“She’s here, Jake,” Yoni said.
“What?”
“Laney. She’s at the compound.”
“Are you sure?” Jake asked, not daring to hope.
“I’m sure. I got a good look at her when they escorted the prisoners to the sleeping quarters.”
“Does she look okay?”
“No noticeable injuries,” Yoni said, his tone upbeat.
“Thank God.” Jake released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
“‘Thank God’? I think that Padre has been a good influence on you.”
“What about security? Any changes?”
“Yeah. They’ve beefed it up. There’s an extra patrol truck on the fence and more guards at the enclosure. We’re going to need more men.”
“Okay. We’ll figure it out.” Jake hung up.
He turned to find Henry grinning at him. “So, now it looks like we’re saving everybody?”
Jake returned the grin “Yup."
Then the grin slid from his face. “But they’ve beefed up security. Yoni thinks we need more men.”
“We can’t get them in until tomorrow, at the earliest.”
“Why do we need more men?” Jordan asked.
“They’ve increased security at the site,” Jake replied, staring at the map.
With a smile, Jordan pointed to the sleeping enclosure on the compound map. “I think we have more than enough men. We just need to get them weapons.”