Dire Distraction Read online

  “Avery, don’t let me be the cause of your losing someone else. Go on. Find her before it’s too late.”

  He hesitated a moment longer, and then with a sigh, handed his old partner the pistol. “Take as many of them with you as you can. You hear me?”

  Shrum nodded, the ghost of his old smile chasing across his face. “Always hoped I’d go like this. Beats the hell out of dying in bed.”

  “You never were one for taking the easy way out,” Avery said, checking the machine gun for ammo.

  “Avery?” Martin called, his voice barely audible now. Avery leaned closer so that he could hear. “If you can figure out who orchestrated this little showdown, I’m betting you’ll have found Evangeline’s killers.” He stopped, strangled by a cough, and then with clear determination forced himself to continue, his fading gaze locking on Avery’s. “Tell me you’ll make it so, brother. Call it a dying man’s wish.”

  Avery reached out to take Martin’s hand. They had been brothers once. And in this moment, all the things that had stood between them seemed far away. “You can count on it,” Avery whispered.

  But Martin Shrum was already dead.

  Chapter 12

  The man with the bruise, Sai, was still grasping Sydney’s arm—none too gently—as he pulled her away from the compound. Apparently, in the ensuing firefight, he’d switched teams. After leaving Shrum’s residence, Syd and her captors had been ambushed by four men with masks and Uzis, and in the ensuing battle, Edward had been killed.

  A second group of armed men, also masked, had stormed past them into the house, spraying gunfire as they moved. At first, Sydney had thought that maybe the intruders were Avery’s men. But Sai had responded to barked orders in Burmese from one of the masked men who had called him by name. The dialect was clearly Shan.

  Her best guess was an opposing drug cartel, but the weapons and the MO of the attack seemed too sophisticated to have been instigated by locals. She’d seen no sign of Avery, and based on the carnage around her, she wasn’t hopeful. Although maybe, like her, he’d been taken prisoner. It beat the alternative her mind kept trying to force on her. She simply wouldn’t believe that Avery was dead.

  It was clear that her captors were intent on getting her out of the canyon. And Sydney knew that if she was going to have any chance at all, it had to be now, before they entered the narrow confines of the passageway through the rocks. No telling what might be waiting for her on the other side.

  Although she understood most dialects of Burmese, she hadn’t actually followed much of their initial conversation, her mind locked instead on the idea of Avery still inside the house. She had managed to catch a few words, however. Shrum’s name and a mention of retribution. But the most alarming thing she’d heard was the word ambassador. If these people knew who she truly was it was not only a threat to her, but to her father as well.

  She had no doubt that her father would do whatever was necessary to gain her freedom, but that’s what scared her. Money wasn’t really an object. Her father was well-off. But if her captors were after something else—information or some kind of favor trading on his status—then her father’s reputation would be irreparably harmed. Not to mention the potential danger in the release of any classified intel.

  Her father sat on many boards and served on several key committees, including a joint task force that dealt with international terrorism. As such, he was privy to details about ongoing operations around the world. Locations, personnel, organizational affiliation. If intel of this nature fell into the wrong hands, lives would most definitely be lost.

  Until now, the only risks she had taken in joining the CIA were her own. She’d been careful to keep any connection to her father deeply buried. But if they’d linked her to her father then the game had changed exponentially.

  She’d always known it was a possibility. And for that reason, among many, many others, her father had wanted her to choose a safer occupation. But she’d rebelled. Insisting that their relationship would never be an issue. Only now, here she was, the worst of her father’s fears becoming reality. And, at least for the moment, there didn’t appear to be any way to escape. She was outgunned and outnumbered.

  Behind her, another staccato round of gunfire filled the air. And her thoughts immediately returned to Avery. She’d been charged with protecting him. Making sure this mission went as planned. And instead she’d managed to walk them straight into not one, but two ambushes. First on the boat and then here. If this really was about capturing her because of her father, Avery would be considered expendable.

  The idea made her stomach clench.

  Another burst of gunfire was followed by a moment of silence, then the whine of engines overhead. As she turned to look, a huge explosion filled the air, Shrum’s house erupting in flame and smoke as aircraft above strafed the house and the grounds around it with bombs. Clearly the intent was to destroy the compound. Leave no evidence. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a niggle of memory arose. A briefing she’d read.

  Another drug lord’s compound destroyed. Only that had been somewhere in Central or South America. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Even if there was a connection, there was nothing in the knowledge to help her now. She needed to focus on finding a way to escape. Then, if Avery was still alive, she had to find him.

  “Move,” Sai said, pulling her forward, his sharp fingernails digging into her skin. Instinctively, she tried to jerk away, swinging with her free arm and using a knee to try to incapacitate the man. But he was quicker, his fist slamming into her cheek, the blow sending her reeling backward. Pain radiated across her face, black spots circling before her eyes, but she fought back, still trying to take Sai down.

  Syd lifted her arm, ready to strike again, but before she could make contact, one of the masked men grabbed her by the collar, literally lifting her feet from the ground. “Looks like we’ve got a fighter,” he said, still speaking in the Shan dialect, as she squirmed against him, trying to break free.

  “Perhaps someone needs to put her in her place.” Sai smiled, his teeth crooked and yellowed, his breath putrid as he moved closer.

  “Well, if so, it won’t be you,” her captor said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

  “But I have a debt to settle,” Sai whined, his hand rising to the purpling bruise at his temple. “The bitch owes me.”

  “Delivering the woman will make us all rich. So stay focused and put your grievances aside.”

  Syd grimaced and kicked backward, trying to hit the big man where it counted. But he only laughed again, this time dropping her in a heap on the ground and kicking her with one booted foot. Pain shot through her hip and side. But she rolled to her feet and lunged for him.

  He kicked her again, and this time the blow sent her sprawling, her face scraping against the rocky ground as she gasped for breath. The masked man jerked her to her feet again, his gun jammed into her side, his breath warm against her ear. “My exact orders were to use whatever means necessary to take you alive and deliver you in one piece. But if you keep fighting me, I might choose to interpret that order more loosely. Am I making myself clear?”

  Sydney nodded, fighting against waves of pain. The masked man pushed her forward, the rest of his people falling back into place. And it was only after they’d started moving again, the sound of explosions echoing behind them, that she realized that the last words had been spoken in perfect English. Which seemed to indicate something beyond a local cartel. Although there were certainly mercenaries from all over the place working the Golden Triangle. Martin Shrum a case in point. Still, she had the feeling it was important. Of course, for it to make a difference, she had to find a way out of here.

  Behind her, another bomb exploded, and she winced, her mind winging back to Avery again. She’d woken in his arms this morning in the cell, and the thought that it might never happen again seemed suddenly devastating. She was overreacting. Letting emotion carry her away. She was certain of it. But it didn’t
lighten the heavy feeling in her heart.

  Clenching her fists, she pulled herself away from maudlin thoughts. She didn’t know that Avery was dead. And besides, even if he were alive that didn’t give her the right to a repeat performance. Avery belonged to Evangeline. Whether the woman was dead or alive made no difference. He had already given his heart. And no amount of wishing was going to change that.

  Sydney shifted her attention to her captors, again scoping the area for a possible way out. If she could manage to get hold of one of the Uzis…yeah, and if wishes were horses then beggars would fly. The words drifted through her mind, a familiar litany. One of her father’s favorite verses. All she had to do was hold out. Opportunity always came to those with patience.

  The group of men shifted to form a column as they approached the opening to the passageway from the canyon into the jungle. As they neared the fern-laden rocks, a shadow suddenly detached itself. Great. Another masked man. This one the size of an…

  Something in the way he moved stopped Sydney in her tracks. The man swung into the light, two weapons flashing, the sound of gunfire ricocheting off the rocks and trees. Sydney’s captors dropped one by one, each bullet surgical in its precision. And suddenly she was free, standing in the little clearing, staring at the big man as he pulled off the mask, his dark brown eyes filled with concern and maybe, just maybe, something more.

  Avery.

  She’d never been happier to see anyone in her life. Emotion surged to the surface, and she found herself fighting tears. They stood for a moment, gazes locked, and then she launched herself across the distance between them, throwing herself into his arms.

  For a moment he held her, his heat soothing her like a healing balm. She cupped his face in her hands, memorizing every line and crease, the scar on his nose, the stubble of his beard, the stubborn line of his chin.

  And then their lips met, his kiss hard and possessive. And for once in her life, she simply let go, taking and giving, knowing that this was what it felt like to be alive. Truly and completely alive.

  Eventually, reality descended, and she pulled back, her eyes still devouring him. “You’re alive,” she whispered her voice hoarse with emotion. “When I saw the explosion, I was so afraid.”

  “I’m fine,” he said, his brows drawing together in a frown. “But you’re not. They’ve hurt you.” He traced the line of her bruised cheek with a gentle finger.

  “Nothing that can’t be fixed.” Her lips lifted in a smile. “And I promise you, I gave as good as I got.”

  “That I believe,” he said, answering her smile with his own.

  “What about Shrum?” she asked, his arms still warm around her waist.

  “He’s dead.”

  She nodded, not regretting the man’s loss, but remembering that he had once been Avery’s friend. “And Evangeline?” She hated that she needed to ask, but there was no other way. And she did need to know. If Evangeline was out there somewhere…

  “She was never here,” Avery said, a shadow washing across his face. “It was a setup. Someone wanted me here. To die—with Shrum.”

  As if to emphasize the last, another mortar fell, this one close to the entrance of the canyon, the rocky outcrop falling in on itself as they dove for safety, Avery’s strong body covering hers, protecting her from the worst of the blast.

  “You’re bleeding,” she said, as they rolled back to a sitting position, safe for a moment behind a stand of mangroves. The back of his shoulder was soaked with blood.

  “It’s just a graze from earlier.” He shook his head, his attention on the burning rubble and the circling planes. “Like you said, I’ll heal. Besides we’ve got bigger problems right now.” As if to underscore the thought, another bomb exploded across the way, the rest of the rock tumbling down in an avalanche of granite, vegetation, and mud.

  “The opening’s caved in,” Sydney said. “And the surrounding hills are full of snipers. Not to mention the planes.” She nodded up at the sky. “So what do you think we should do?” It seemed natural to look to him for leadership. Truth be told, she’d follow him into hell if he asked. It was no wonder he commanded such loyalty among his people.

  They were probably all a little in love with him.

  The word brought her up short, and she forced her mind back to the situation at hand.

  “Our best bet,” he was saying, “is to try to make it to the far side of the clearing. I think the bulk of the shooters are directly above us on this side. If we can make it over there, then I think we’ll be able to climb out of the canyon through that opening there.” He pointed to a tree-lined crevice between two of the rocky crests. “From here, it looks like it could be a pass. But there’s no way to know until we get there. And even if it is, I’m guessing the journey won’t be pleasant. Martin chose this place because it was inaccessible. So you can bet on there not being another easy way out.”

  “I don’t give a damn if it’s easy. I just want to get the hell out of here.”

  “That’s my girl,” Avery said, his smile sending tingles rushing through her. Although if she were honest, it could just as easily be from the hits she’d taken. “Okay,” he continued, “on my mark, we make a run for it.”

  “What about the planes? They’ve got guns as well as bombs.”

  “Then we’re just going to have to bob and weave. We can use the rubble for cover. I know it’s risky, but it’s our best shot.”

  “Let’s do it.” She crouched low, her muscles tensing as they prepared to go.

  A volley of bullets rang out from the hillside above them as a shadow detached from the rubble of a fallen wall. One of Shrum’s men making his own dash for freedom.

  “Go,” Avery bellowed, as he pushed to his feet, exploding from behind the trees. Sydney followed behind him, running in a crouch, firing the machine gun she’d grabbed from one of her fallen captors.

  As soon as they both hit the clearing, all hell broke loose, gunfire coming from both above them and behind them. Shrum’s man was cut down before he’d even cleared what had once been the courtyard. Syd kept moving, her eyes never leaving the strong line of Avery’s shoulders as he ran ahead of her.

  Ten yards, twenty, forty. Bullets slammed into the mud at her feet with a sickening thwack, and she dove after Avery for shelter behind the shell of an outbuilding. A storage unit if she had to call it.

  They hunkered down, using the fallen masonry as a barrier.

  “I feel like a quarterback without a front line,” Sydney said, gulping in air as she tried to calm her breathing.

  “Football fan?” Avery asked with a grin, his eyes still on the open ground between them and the relative safety of the trees.

  “I’m from Texas,” she replied, working to match his bantering tone. “What did you expect? Baseball?”

  “A guy can dream.” Avery’s smile faded as a large group of heavily armed men emerged from the trees they’d been scoping. “Shit. Looks like we’ll have a welcoming party if we go that way.”

  “And it’s not any better the way we came.” Sydney nodded toward a second group also carrying machine guns, moving past the bodies at the canyon’s collapsed opening. “We’re running out of options.”

  “Well, we know that they wanted to take you alive. So maybe we should turn ourselves in.”

  “No fucking way.” Sydney shook her head. “Even if they do take me, they’ll kill you. You said it yourself. Whoever is behind this lured you in to watch you die. And in case you’ve forgotten, I’m supposed to keep you safe. So as long as I’m breathing, there’s no surrender.” She was whistling in the dark, but he smiled anyway, and her heart lightened despite the deadly seriousness of their situation.

  “Copy that,” he said, sobering. “So I’m thinking our best bet is to come out guns blazing and head for the hills—literally.”

  She nodded, knowing that there really wasn’t much chance they’d actually make it. The groups of men were pulling closer, clearly aware that they were there. And
one of the planes was circling back, the hum of the engine growing increasingly louder.

  “Avery…” she started and then stopped—words deserting her.

  “I know.” He nodded, lifting a hand to caress her cheek. Their gazes met and held for one long moment, and then he lifted his gun and pointed toward the hills. “See you on the other side.”

  His choice of words should have scared her, but instead she felt adrenaline pumping and she popped up from their cover, already firing her weapon. Bullets hailed down upon them as they sprinted across the ground. And she knew it was just a matter of seconds. No one could escape this onslaught. Especially when there was even more danger in the sky.

  The plane had moved overhead, its shadow now visible on the ground, the beating of its engine filling Sydney’s ears. Except that the thought didn’t make sense. Engines didn’t beat. She tipped her head up and recognized the rotors of a helicopter. And then an armed man seated in the open bay of the chopper waved, and the Huey dropped lower still.

  Avery appeared at her elbow, steering her forward, mouthing something about friendlies. The Huey was taking fire now, and Sydney knew they were down to seconds. Sucking in a breath, she ran for her life, bullets flying. As they reached the open bay, Avery literally pitched her up into the air. Strong arms grabbed her and hauled her aboard. Minutes later, Avery too was safely inside.

  The chopper lurched as it rose back into the air, men in both doorways shooting as the Huey gained both momentum and height. One minute it seemed that they were hovering over the burning remains of Shrum’s compound, bullets ringing off the helicopter’s fuselage, and the next they were up and away, the jungle shrinking to a solid canopy of green.

  It was clear from the back slapping and camaraderie that these people were from A-Tac. And for a moment, Sydney felt like the outsider that she was. Then Avery was there, his arm looping across her shoulders as he introduced her to his team. Nash. Drake. Tyler. Hannah. And Harrison. People who cared enough to drop straight down into the middle of a firefight no questions asked.