“Stop sputtering and let me talk,” Nicos said coldly. “Salva is telling me that you may still prove useful to me, but you’ll have to prove it. I’m remembering how you lied to me and let Lassiter have everything his own way.”
“Everything isn’t his own way. I was telling the truth about Patrick being near death. It’s Patrick who’s trapping Lassiter down here and it’s you who caused that to happen. You gave me the orders and I carried them out. Now we just have to spring the trap.” Brukman paused. “But we have to hurry, because when Patrick is able to be moved, they’ll be out of here.” He went on quickly, “Or they would have been if I hadn’t taken Margaret Douglas. He went to a lot of trouble to take her away from you. It’s possible he cares about her. He might even be fucking her. You could use her to negotiate.” He added quickly, “Only a suggestion, sir. Remember those nights when we used to talk about her? I’d be happy to go in that direction. Whatever you decide is fine with me. I took her as a gift to you, an apology. A gesture of good faith to let you know that I’m worth keeping on your payroll.”
“And alive?” Nicos added drily. “She’s a very persuasive gift, if you’re not lying. I want to speak to her. Are you there, Margaret?”
“I’m here. Are you really going to let this weasel back into the fold? He’s lied to you before.”
“But he’s not lying now. I recognize that sweet, barbed voice of yours. And I believe I might enjoy Brukman’s presence for the foreseeable future. He has such talent, and he’s going to be very busy once Salva and I get down there. I’ll see you soon, Margaret.”
“You see? I didn’t lie to you,” Brukman said. “She’ll be down here waiting for you. How do you want to handle it?”
“Salva said you’re out in the rain forest. You’re right: She’ll be waiting for me, but I want her in the proper place. Take her to the detention camp.”
Margaret felt a chill go through her. That place of death and torture that had been a nightmare of despair for Patrick.
“You’re not talking, Margaret,” Nicos said mockingly. “Evidently, you were sympathetic about Patrick’s time there. Don’t you want to taste it for yourself?”
“You’ll do what you want. But it wouldn’t be smart to surrender what I can give you in pure economic terms just to experience a little sick excitement.”
“It wouldn’t be little,” he said softly. “Not at all. And I’m beginning to think it will be worth it to show Lassiter that he can’t have it his way.” He raised his voice. “Brukman, our information is that Lassiter’s security team has ten or twelve men at any given time and that they’re all top-notch. Are they all down there?”
“I can’t give you exact numbers, but that sounds right. And they’re not all top-notch, at least not better than I am. I took one out to escape.”
“However, we have to assume they’re very good, and Mandell is supposed to be extraordinary. But we have twenty-two guards at the detention camp and we can call on more help from our military friends who have been paid so well to protect us.” Nicos’s voice became suddenly harsh. “How Lassiter was able to walk into that camp and take Patrick is beyond my comprehension. You were totally to blame. If you’re going to make amends, you’d better show me you’re not the fool you appear to be. First, call Stockton at the camp and have him raid that monastery and get Patrick back. And I want Lassiter, Brukman. I don’t care how many men Stockton loses; I want Lassiter.”
“He wasn’t at the monastery when I left. He drove off yesterday afternoon in one of the monastery’s old trucks.”
Nicos muttered a curse. “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know. It’s not as if anyone would answer my questions. Everything I learned was from watching and listening. He might be back by now. Or chasing after me, if he’s found out I took the woman.” He looked at Margaret. “I could ask her a few questions. It would be my pleasure.”
“No, I’ve been looking forward to being the one to teach Margaret everything she needs to know. You’d take the edge off. As long as I have her, Lassiter will come to me. Just get her to the camp and wait for further orders.” He hung up.
Brukman smiled as he got to his feet. “It seems that Nicos doesn’t wish to share. But he’ll change his mind once he gets involved in the process. He knows I’m an expert.”
“And he also thinks you’re a fool.” She was relieved that Brukman had no knowledge of Lassiter’s mission when he’d left the monastery. She had no idea if it had been successful, but it was a dim light at the end of a dark tunnel. “Do you actually think you’re going to buy your way back into his good graces?”
“I have a good chance, if I work it right. And I’ll work it right.” He pulled her to her feet. “Now I’ll call Stockton and give him Nicos’s orders. And then we’ll go visit my home away from home. I didn’t find it pleasant, and I’m afraid you’ll find it even less so.”
*
Smoke.
Lassiter was fifty miles from the monastery when he saw the gray plumes of smoke rising in the distance. Dawn was breaking and he could make out the heavy gray mist that was hanging over the trees and shrubs of the rain forest.
Shit.
He braked and reached for his phone. It rang before he could punch in the number.
Mandell.
“What the hell is happening?” Lassiter asked. “I see smoke up ahead.”
“How about worst-case scenario?” Mandell said grimly. “I’m still on the trail, tracking Brukman and Margaret, but I see the smoke, too. And fifteen minutes ago I got a call from the two men I have staking out the detention camp. The gates opened and a truckload of men poured out of the camp and headed in the direction of the monastery. I’ve been on the phone ever since, giving orders for evacuation. I don’t know how many they were able to get out yet. They didn’t have much time.”
“Patrick?”
“Cambry took care of getting him and the doctor away when you told me to do it hours ago. He’s safe.”
“Thank God.”
“And we tried to persuade the monks to go then, too. Some of them took off, but there were several still there when I left to go after Margaret. I only hope they were able to get out before Brukman’s men from the detention camp got there.” He paused. “I told my men at the monastery to get them out and then take off themselves. I took half my guys with me and it would have been a suicide mission to try to fight against those odds.”
“You were right.” Lassiter’s gaze went back to the smoke, which seemed to be thickening with every minute that passed. “They have to be burning the monastery.”
“That’s my take on it, though I haven’t been able to reach any of my men yet.” He paused. “But right before I got word about the trucks leaving the detention camp, we ran across Brukman’s and Margaret’s tracks. Brukman had stopped trying to hide them; he was only interested in moving fast.”