He laughed again and settled back, as the helicopter took on added speed and left the environs of Mariba.
Eight
Jeffrey Brenden landed the helicopter in the glade in the rain forest with the consummate artistry of a butterfly settling on the petal of a fragile orchid. "There we go," he said with satisfaction. "Now could you do better, Julio?"
Julio shook his head. "No one could do better," he said with affection. He opened the door of the helicopter and stepped out onto the ground. "But don't get too cocky. We have a few more challenges to meet before you go home to Mariana."
"What challenges?" Serena asked warily. She had just been congratulating herself that the danger was almost past, and now Julio was speaking as if everything were only beginning. She jumped down beside him, closely followed by Gideon and Dane. "Haven't we had enough challenges for one day?"
Julio grinned. "Don't worry. You and Gideon and Dane are out of it from now on. Jeffrey is going to fly the three of you back to Santa Isabella in the Cessna. I'm taking the helicopter back to Mariba to join my men. Things are probably just beginning to liven up there about now." He glanced at his watch. "I have a rendezvous in forty-five minutes, so if you'll hop into the Cessna, Jeffrey will-'"
"I'm going back with you," Dane interjected swiftly.
"No!" Serena's reaction was immediate and violent. "This is an uprising, not one of your parties, Dane. Do you think men as desperate as Mendino will be shooting blanks?"
"I'm going," Dane said stubbornly. "We left Ross back there, and it's only right I go back and help out."
"Very noble." Julio's gaze was shrewd as it searched Dane's face. "And besides, you didn't get in on the real action and you're jealous as hell."
Dane smiled. "Right."
Julio turned to Serena. "The only way you're going to keep him from going with me is to knock him out and hog-tie him." His smile was faintly regretful. "I should know. I went through the same kind of madness when I was a youngster. Only I didn't have to go looking for trouble. It always found me."
"But Dane's not like you," Serena protested.
Gideon took a step nearer and touched her arm. "Isn't he? Just look at them, Serena. They're cut from the same cloth."
Gideon was right, she realized gloomily. Gazing at them now was like looking at Siamese twins.
Dane and Julio's expressions, their attitudes, the way they perceived life as a glorious game, were exactly the same. Julio might be older and more experienced, but he had the same daredevil eccentricity she recognized as her brother's dominant trait.
"I'll take care of him," Julio promised. "And I'll bring him back to you in one piece."
"No one has to look out for me," Dane said with indignation. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be the one to have to take care of you."
"Maybe," Julio answered.
The two men exchanged smiles of perfect understanding.
Serena experienced a sudden twinge of sadness as if she'd lost something that would never be recovered. After all their years together, Dane wasn't going to need her very much longer. He would move on to other companions, and form other attachments as he grew older. It was entirely natural and right that this should be true, but the realization still brought with it a touch of melancholy. This adventure might be the last she would share with her brother.
Gideon's arm slid around her waist. "He'll be safe, love. You can trust Julio."
"I know." She also knew she had to let him go, cut the loving strings that had been as much for her own benefit as Dane's. She had never found it easy to let go of anyone she loved, and she loved Dane very much. She smiled with an effort. "Just promise me you'll stay off scaffolds."
Dane's smile illuminated his face. "That was an exception. I told you I don't do windows." He turned back toward the helicopter with barely leashed eagerness. "Come on, Julio, we'll be late for the rendezvous."
Julio's lips twitched. "Yes, sir."
Jeffrey Brenden came around the helicopter. "Be careful." He clapped Julio on the shoulder. "Luck doesn't last forever."
"I haven't noticed any signs of your luck fading away," Julio drawled.
"Because I had more than luck," Jeffrey said gruffly. "I had friends."
"And so do I." Julio's expression softened. "So do I, Jeffrey."
There was a silence more intimate than a handshake between them before Jeffrey turned jerkily away. "I'll go check out the Cessna. See you on Santa Isabella." He walked quickly toward the plane on the far side of the glade.
"You'll be back on Santa Isabella within the hour," Julio told Gideon. "And with any luck Dane and I will join you at the hotel for a midnight supper. Okay?"
"Okay," Gideon said with deliberate lightness. "I'll order a feast fit for Wellington's return from Waterloo. See that you're not late; I have a very temperamental chef."
"I'll instruct the junta it's essential they topple from power right on schedule. We wouldn't want to disrupt your plans." Julio turned toward Dane and jerked his thumb in the direction of the helicopter. "Hop into the passenger seat, Dane. Time's wasting."
"I know," Dane retorted caustically as he opened the door. "I've been waiting for you to realize that. You're the one who's been holding up the works. I haven't heard so many touching farewells since I saw The Wizard of Oz. Take off your ruby slippers and let's get moving, Dorothy."
Julio's dark eyes were suddenly dancing. "Something tells me I may regret taking you with me. You don't have a fitting appreciation for the traditions. Heroic good-byes are de rigueur before engagements of this nature."
"Well, they seemed a little silly to me. It's not as if anything's going to happen to either of us."
"Ah, the immortality of youth." Julio shook his head with a sigh. "I can remember when I felt like that."
"Get into the helicopter," Dane said with a grin. "You're aging before my eyes and, if you get much more ancient, I don't know if I'm going to trust you to fly this thing. I hope you realize I don't appreciate your avuncular attitude. You're acting more like my father than-" He broke off, his expression sobering. "Oh damn, I forgot!" He turned away from the helicopter, his gaze on Serena. "With everything that's been happening, I forgot to tell you. Mendino contacted my father before Gideon arranged for the hostage switch."
Serena's breath stopped in her throat. "What?"
Dane's expression was troubled. "Lord, I'm sorry, Serena. I meant to tell you, but everything happened so fast. Mendino evidently thought he'd parlay his bets, so he hit my father with a ransom threat too. He told me my father was flying into Mariba this afternoon to discuss terms for my release."
Serena moistened her lips. "I see." She could feel Gideon's gaze on her face, but she didn't look at him. It wasn't over for her, either, then. Dane had his battle and she was going to have her own confrontation.
"I'll handle it," Dane said quickly. "You don't even have to see him. I'll just show him that his son and heir is no longer a prisoner and the Marlbrent line is in no immediately danger of being stomped into oblivion. That's all he wants to know anyway. You go on back to Santa Isabella."
She shook her head. "No, I'll do it." She turned to Julio. "Can you arrange for one of your men to pick him up at the airport and bring him here?" No, that wouldn't do, not- here in the rain forest. She wanted to get Gideon away as quickly as possible. "That fishing village that you mentioned. Is there a place we can meet there?"
Julio nodded. "It shouldn't be a problem. This end of the island is practically uninhabited, and I have a friend who has a small cottage on the beach that should be safe." His lips curled. "Manuel won't be using it today. He's Consuela's brother, and you can bet he's going to want to be in on the kill in Mariba. Jeffrey can show you where the cottage is."
"Serena, I don't want you to-" Dane stopped. "Dammit, you swore you'd never see him again. I know what he did to you, and there's no reason why you should have to face him."