“Fifteen minutes.”
“See if we can get it down to ten.”
* * *
“Four minutes, Cameron,” Tashdon said. “I told you I’d be right on time, sir.”
“Kadmus will be able to hear your approach in another two minutes. You’re going to be busy. You brought a copilot?”
“Ralph Martin. I’ve used him before.”
“No mistakes. They’re going to be throwing big stuff at you, but you just obey instructions.” He paused. “All instructions.”
Silence. “I don’t like it, sir.”
“You don’t have to like it. Just do it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Cameron broke away.
He didn’t have to glance up the trail to know that Hu Chang would be bringing Erin, Catherine, and Luke down to the plateau within a few minutes. They should be rounding the curve at the same time as the helicopter landed.
He reached into his backpack and brought out his case containing the dissembled parts of his Springfield. A minute later, he had assembled it. The he grabbed his AK-47 and started climbing up the rocks and boulders bordering the trail.
Two minutes.
* * *
“There’s the helicopter,” Erin said over her shoulder as she moved around the curve. “He should be landing any—Oh, shit.”
Catherine could see what she meant. Kadmus’s caravan of jeeps and trucks was barreling up the hill toward the plateau. They should reach it in minutes. She caught a glimpse of a missile being loaded. “Stop. Luke, come back and—”
“Move, Catherine!”
Cameron. Where the hell—
A bullet exploded from the boulders above the plateau!
She saw the driver of the third jeep in the caravan careen off the road and over the edge of the cliff.
“Run.” She streaked down the hill toward the plateau.
Another three shots.
The tires on Kadmus’s jeep blew an instant later. Brasden and Kadmus jumped from the vehicle to the road.
The helicopter touched down.
“Hu Chang?” she gasped.
“Here.” He had already passed her and grabbed Erin. “Cameron said two minutes. Get on board.”
The door of the helicopter opened, and a man in uniform was lifting Erin on board.
Another shot from the rocks, and the driver of the fourth jeep in the caravan slumped over the steering wheel. But the other soldiers were pouring out of the vehicles and tearing up the road toward the plateau on foot.
“Get that son of a bitching sniper.” Brasden’s harsh voice. “And I want that missile loaded and off now.”
“Catherine.” Luke was suddenly beside her, taking her arm and jerking her toward the helicopter. “Get on board. Hurry.”
But Cameron was alone up there with all those soldiers crawling over the rocks like scorpions. And the missile had to be disabled. She had only her Luger, but she could go down and get the rifle from that disabled jeep and—
“You get on board,” she told Luke. “I’ll be right—”
But Luke was not leaving her, and she had to get him on board and out of here. She turned and dashed toward the helicopter at a dead run. The next instant, they both dove into the copter.
“Lift off, Tashdon,” Hu Chang ordered the uniformed pilot who had opened the door. “Now.”
“Not yet.” Catherine got to her feet. “That missile. Cameron needs help.” She headed for the door. “Get everyone out of here, Hu Chang. I’ll go take care of that missile and make sure they don’t get—”
“No. Take off, Martin.” The pilot, Tashdon, was behind her, tone regretful. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Cameron gave very definite orders.”
Pain.
Darkness.
* * *
The copter moved jerkily off the plateau.
Good, he’d managed to distract Kadmus’s troops and given them the time they needed, Cameron thought. Now to get rid of those missiles.
He aimed carefully.
The first shot took out the soldier loading the missile.
The second shot took out the other soldier.
The third shot hit the gas tank.
The jeep and missiles exploded!
No more missiles.
He glanced at the helicopter. It was still within range of a good shot. More distraction needed. He took his AK-47 and sprayed the oncoming soldiers who had reached the lower boulders below him.
Then he started moving higher on the rocks, deliberately showing himself.
Shouts.
Bullets.
But they were both in his direction, not the helicopter.
Another glance showed the helicopter out of range.
He ducked back behind the boulders and kept on climbing.
* * *
“Kill that son of a bitch!” Kadmus shouted.
He could feel the heat of the flames from the exploded missile singeing his back as he ran toward the plateau.
Gone.
Erin Sullivan whisked away from him by Catherine Ling. Rage was tearing through him. He had been so close, and she had still managed to make a fool of him.
No, it hadn’t been Ling by herself. The man who’d done this damage was still on the mountain. He’d caught a glimpse of him only minutes ago. He’d squeeze his throat until—
Control the anger.
This could be the man he’d been searching for. It’s what he’d been suspecting, and the way he’d decimated his men added credence to the suspicions. Now he had to capture him to confirm it.
“Find him,” he called to Brasden. “But keep him alive. Do you hear me? I need him.”
“I hear you.” Brasden was starting up the boulders. “And if I can’t get my hands on him right away, I may still get him. I took a photo with my phone when we got a glimpse of him a minute ago.”
Clever. He wouldn’t have thought Brasden would be that clever. “Don’t rely on a damn photo. Get him now.”
“I’m not relying on anything. You’ve always told me to have a backup plan. The photo is my backup plan.” He stared grimly down at Kadmus. “And I got a photo of the helicopter as it took off. Complete with registration numbers. It could help. Could you have done better?” He turned away and started climbing.
Arrogance, Kadmus thought, trying to stifle his rage.
And he would punish that arrogance as Brasden deserved.
As soon as he could do without the asshole during these next crucial days.
Use him, then kill him.
* * *
“Don’t touch him, Luke.”
Hu Chang’s voice, Catherine realized hazily.
“I said, get away from him,” Hu Chang ordered.
Get away from whom? she wondered. It didn’t matter. Hu Chang sounded … stern. She had to open her eyes and make sure Luke was all right. “Luke…”
Luke was not all right.
His eyes were blazing with pure, searing anger. His entire being appeared to be sending off sparks. His lips were pulled back from his teeth. “Let me go.”
Then she saw that Hu Chang was standing in front of him, blocking his way.
And the pilot Hu Chang had called Tashdon was lying on the floor of the copter.
“Luke!” She scrambled to sit up. “What’s happening, Hu Chang?”
“Ask your son,” he said dryly. “Luke, get away from Tashdon and go see if your mother needs water or an aspirin. That’s the only help she needs from you right now.”
Luke hesitated, and the stormy expression gradually abated. He crossed the copter and fell to his knees beside her. “Is Hu Chang right?” he asked jerkily. “Do you need something? Water?”
“I need to know what happened.” She lifted her hand to her temple. The helicopter. They were on the helicopter. They must have gotten away from the mountain. The last thing she remembered was trying to jump out to get to those missiles. They’d been all over Cameron, and he’d—