Jorge nodded.
Lassiter carefully gathered Patrick in his arms and transferred him from the ground to the canvas of the stretcher.
So light, practically weightless in his arms. Patrick was over six feet and yet he was almost a skeleton. Lassiter could feel his throat tighten as he straightened Patrick on the stretcher. “You go ahead and open the back of the van, Brukman.”
“Always willing to be helpful,” Brukman murmured as he moved toward the gate. “I know you want to keep both your friend and us in full view until you have him safe. But you should trust us, Lassiter. We’ve done everything Nicos asked us to do.” He opened the gate and then slid open the rear door of the van. “There we are. Now I’ll just stand here until you get Patrick situated,” he said, then repeated as his gaze went to the trees, “in full view.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want. I don’t want any double crosses from Nicos at the last minute.” Lassiter and Jorge placed the stretcher in the van and slid the door shut. “Now we can get out of here.”
“Does that mean I can go back to bed?” Stockton asked sardonically. “Not that I needed to get up anyway. Total waste of my time.” He glanced at Brukman. “When will you come back to camp? Do you have to go with him?”
“Only as far as the airport to see that Lassiter gets Patrick on the plane and out of here. But then I’m going to go back to the hotel and get a good night’s sleep.” He grimaced. “Providing I don’t get another call from Nicos to disturb it. I’ll be back here at the camp day after tomorrow. If there are any problems, give me a call.” He got into the passenger seat of the van. “But don’t expect me back unless it’s important. I’m getting sick of the stench of this place.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t get to run away to a fancy hotel a couple times a week like you do.” He turned and walked back toward the bunkhouse. “I think maybe we may have to negotiate that when you get back.…”
Lassiter watched him for only an instant. “Very good, Brukman,” he murmured as he jumped into the driver’s seat and started the van. “Smooth. Now no one will expect you for two days and you’ll be able to be out of Colombia and on your way before Nicos suspects you’re gone.” He turned on his headlights as he rounded the curve in the road. “I wasn’t entirely sure if you’d actually go through with it.”
“Why not? You made it plain that I’d be dead meat if I didn’t.” His lips twisted. “I wanted you dead, but I wanted to live more. And I told Stockton the truth: I’m tired of the stench and living like a prisoner myself. Maybe I’ll lose myself and find another Nicos somewhere who will appreciate a man of my talents.”
“I’m sure you will. Though it might be difficult to find another man like Nicos unless I decide to send you to hell.”
Brukman stiffened and then relaxed. “You made a deal. I think you’ll keep to it. I wouldn’t, but you’re … different.”
“You mean stupid?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I think you’re looking forward to going after me and hunting me down.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.” He was suddenly glaring at him. “And I don’t like all the money you cheated me out of. I was looking forward to getting that ransom. I might decide to get back on a plane and go after you someday and not wait for you to come after me.”
“By all means. That would save me both time and money,” Lassiter said. “Bring it on, Brukman. I didn’t have enough back in that rain forest.”
Brukman met his eyes and then glanced away. “I might just do—”
The van screeched to a stop.
The headlights had picked up Mandell, who was standing in the middle of the road ahead of them.
Mandell ran down the road and climbed into the rear of the van. “Slick.” He threw his gun case on the floor beside him. “But disappointing. I didn’t get any action.” He frowned as he looked down at Patrick. “He doesn’t look good. How is he doing?”
“Exactly the way he looks,” Lassiter said grimly. “I was hoping to get him to Bogotá, but I can’t risk transporting him more than a few more miles in this condition. He’d never make it on that hellhole of a road to the helicopter pad. It’s too far and too rough. He could die before he got there.”
“Shit.”
“We have to get him a doctor right away and somewhere safe to heal. He’s burning up with fever.” He glanced at Brukman. “By the way, Brukman thought your presence in those trees might just be a huge con, Mandell.”
“And he still didn’t give me a chance to take my shot?” Mandell shook his head. “My unlucky day.”
“Where are the other men?” Lassiter asked.
“I told them to scatter and wait for orders when you pulled out with Patrick.” He was still looking down at Patrick. “There’s that old monastery that was on Zwecker’s map. San Gabriel’s. It’s about thirty miles from here. It looked like it was off the beaten trail and might be safe for a little while. We could see what kind of help we could get for Patrick there. He’d at least have a bed where we could start him on some antibiotics.”
Lassiter nodded. “We’ll do it. And get on the phone right now and get him the best medical team you can bring down here from Bogotá. Send the helicopter back there to pick them up. I want them here in hours, not days.” He glanced back at Patrick and felt his stomach clench. He looked as if he was barely breathing. “And that might still be too long.”
“He’s tough. Give him a chance and he’ll make it.” Mandell glanced at Brukman. “What do you want me to do with him?”
Lassiter shook his head. “Not anything satisfying. We’ll have to take him with us to the monastery. We have to monitor any calls between him and Nicos. I don’t believe he’s fool enough to initiate a call to him after he was involved in Patrick’s escape, but I can’t take the chance.”
Mandell shrugged as he looked at Patrick. “I’ve always liked Patrick. Perhaps Brukman will try to get away from us. I’ll be prepared.”
“No,” Brukman said. “Don’t get your hopes up. That won’t happen. Not this time.”
“Maybe you’ll change your mind.” Mandell leaned back against the front seat. “When I was scoping out the detention camp, I saw a few prisoners who looked almost in as bad shape as Patrick, Lassiter. Brukman’s work, too?”
“Probably. I’m sure he didn’t reserve his expertise for Patrick.”
“Then if he doesn’t change his mind, maybe you should.”
“Drop it. We have other things to worry about right now.” He glanced at Brukman. “However, you should know, Brukman, that if Patrick dies, all deals are null and void.” He said to Mandell, “Get on that phone. We’ve got to get that doctor down here quick.”
“Right away.” He started dialing. “Anything else?”