“You’re welcome, Catherine.” He moved a step closer to her. “I don’t think you can use this now.” He took the scarlet chiffon hat from the table where she’d tossed it and smiled down at it. “Too bad. I liked the way you smiled when you saw yourself in the mirror.”
She made a face. “Because I looked ridiculous.”
He shook his head as he headed for the door. “No, because it was something we were sharing. You taught me that sharing is good, Catherine.”
She watched the door shut behind him. My God, she loved him. He had been damaged and suffered horribly from those nine years of captivity, but somehow he’d had the will to survive with a strength that often surprised her.
And exasperated her.
And scared the hell out of her.
KADMUS VILLAGE, TIBET
“Stop nagging me. I am hurrying, Les.” Erin Sullivan stopped packing to frown over her shoulder at Les Caudell, the CIA agent whose helicopter had suddenly appeared fifteen minutes ago on the plateau above the village. “You can’t just show up and expect me to drop everything and go with you. I had to explain to the elders and priests of the village that I wasn’t abandoning them. They went through a hell of a time living under the heel of that monster Kadmus, who took over their mountain.”
“So did you,” Caudell said grimly. “Torture. Captivity. God knows what else. I’d say the villagers got off lucky in comparison.” He grabbed her duffel. “And Venable does expect you to drop everything. I have my orders.”
“Venable doesn’t give me orders. He’s your boss, not mine.” But Caudell’s urgency had impressed her in spite of her words. She had known Caudell for years while she was a freelance reporter traveling from village to village in these mountains. Everyone in those villages knew that Caudell worked for the CIA and was keeping an eye on the Tibetan-Chinese conflict. But he had never been obtrusive or involved any of the villagers in U.S. political shenanigans. He had watched and waited and reported. She had never been able to do the same, she thought ruefully. She had become involved with the people and the mystical traditions of this austere land. There was such need and yet strength in these simple villagers. She couldn’t see how anyone could turn away from that need. Still, she had grown to like Caudell over those years of contact. “And it’s not as if there’s any real threat to me any longer. I don’t understand it.”
“Okay, you don’t want to listen to Venable. But Hu Chang was supposed to call you. Did he?”
“Yes, he said I had to go to Chen Lu’s. Something about Catherine Ling’s being in trouble.” She followed Caudell out of the hut. “But it’s all wrong. I should be going to Catherine, not Chen Lu. I tried to tell him that, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“You can call him from Chen Lu’s palace and make him pay attention. Right now, I have to get you off this mountain.” He was striding toward the helicopter a few yards away. “And if it will make you move any faster, it was Catherine Ling who said she wanted you under Chen Lu’s protection.” He opened the door of the helicopter. “Now will you—” He stopped as he saw a young priest in a yellow robe approaching Erin. “Oh, shit.”
“It’s just Kerak Li,” Erin said. “He works with me at the orphanage. I didn’t get a chance to speak to him. It will only take a moment.”
“One minute,” Caudell said.
Or as long as it took, Erin thought. She smiled at the young priest, and said in Chinese, “You’ll have to take over for me for a little while. I’ve been called away.” She bowed ceremoniously. “I know you’ll be able to—”
Kerak Li’s head exploded!
“My God!” Caudell pulled Erin to the ground and covered her with his body.
She couldn’t breathe.
Shock. Horror. Sickness.
Another shot.
“Get off me,” Erin pushed Caudell away. “Get under cover, Les. Get to the helicopter and—”
She saw blood blossom on the shoulder of his brown jacket.
“No.”
She was on her feet, pulling him up and half dragging him the few feet to the helicopter.
A bullet burned by her cheek as it buried in the open door of the aircraft.
She pushed Les inside the cockpit and dove into the backseat.
Pain.
Her calf …
She struggled to shut the door. “Les, are you able to fly this thing? If not, can you tell me how to do it?”
He was already starting the rotors. “If the bastard doesn’t shoot the gas tank … I’ll drop off the mountain and worry about altitude later.” The helicopter was plunging erratically even as he spoke.
Another shot.
“The shooter’s on that cliff to the north,” Les said. “We’ll go south. Did he shoot you?”
“Just my calf.”
“Bleeding?”
“A little.” Actually, quite a bit. She was getting dizzy. Fight it. She couldn’t let herself go unconscious. Les might need her.
And that shooter was still firing.
Stay conscious.
Help Les.
Oh, God, they both needed help.
The helicopter was plunging toward the rocks in the valley below.
She couldn’t count on staying conscious.
They were going to die.
Unless she could get the help to stay alive.
Unless he could help her.
“Cameron!”
*
“Erin Sullivan has reached Hong Kong,” Hu Chang told Catherine. “But she’s not at Chen Lu’s palace yet. Venable is having her and Les Caudell taken there now.” He paused. “There were problems.”
“Problems?” Her gaze flew to his across the library. “What do you mean problems?”
“It seems that she was already targeted by the time Caudell got to her. There was a sniper.”
Catherine’s heart leaped. “Erin?”
“Leg wound. Caudell has a shattered collarbone. Unfortunately, a village priest was killed.”
“My God.”
“But Erin and Caudell are alive and will remain alive,” he said. “They’ll be safe with Chen Lu.”
“Maybe.” She felt sick. “I need to talk to Erin.”
“I’ll let her know that is your wish. Right now, it would not be wise.”
“Because she’s already been shot, dammit.”