The two security men had their automatic rifles trained on them.
Dyle smiled. “Careful. I wouldn’t want you to fall.”
Kendra looked up. The helicopter was now overhead with its intense search beams trained directly on them. She and Waldridge looked at each other.
Frustration.
Defeat.
No place to go.
They made their way down the short incline until they found themselves face-to-face with Dyle and Jaden.
Dyle frowned and stepped toward Kendra. “First things first. Give me the tracking device.”
“Biers took it from me, remember?”
“And you took it back from him. Give it to me.”
The realization hit her. “You picked up the signal. That’s how you knew where we were. Your helicopter was steering us right to you.”
“Enough stalling. Give it to me.”
Kendra pulled the tracker from her pocket and placed it in Dyle’s extended palm. Dyle immediately dropped it on the ground and smashed it with his heel.
“It’s over,” Kendra said. “They know who you are and what you’ve done. No matter what you do to us, it’s over for you.”
Dyle raised his voice to be heard over the sound of the hovering helicopter. “You don’t think I’ve made preparations? You don’t think there are scores of countries that will deny extradition for a man of my generous nature? Particularly if they can also reap the benefit that I’ll bring with Waldridge.”
Waldridge shook his head. “You’ve already gone down that path.”
“I’ll get there yet. I just need some more time with you.”
“You’ve already lost,” Kendra said, shielding her eyes from the blowing sand. “Even if you won’t admit it.”
“Why admit what doesn’t exist? I won. You lost. Now all I have to do is rake in the pot and head for Mexico. In a few minutes, you’ll both be on that helicopter, and we’ll begin the new game.” He smiled. “But perhaps with a few of the same inducements I used-”
A series of short pops sounded above them.
“What the hell…” Dyle was gazing up at the helicopter. “What’s happening?”
More short pops sounded.
The helicopter whined. It sharply banked away from the ridge!
Kendra’s gaze flew to the helicopter as it moved erratically off the ridge. The tall wing and rear motor were wobbling, sending the helicopter spinning on a lateral trajectory toward the desert floor.
“It’s crashing,” Dyle said, stunned. “What’s Koppel doing? How could it be-” Dyle was quickly raising his walkie-talkie, but he froze as he saw the answer above them.
Kendra looked up and saw it, too.
Another helicopter, silhouetted by the first orange rays of dawn, rose from behind the ridge.
Pow-pow-pow-pow.
The same sharp pops they had heard earlier, blasted from the helicopter. As the aircraft swung around, she saw Lynch leaning out the open door, wielding an automatic rifle. But the target was not the crippled helicopter this time. He was aiming at something or someone on the ground.
A scream!
Kendra spun back around. Dyle’s two security men were down, their heads shattered by Lynch’s gunshots. Dyle and Jaden had grabbed Waldridge and were trying to take cover behind a row of boulders.
Lynch leaned back inside the helicopter as it was buffeted by the strong desert winds.
Jaden lifted his gun toward Lynch, but Waldridge leaped over and struck his arm as Lynch’s helicopter turned and descended behind the rim. “Son of a bitch!” Jaden turned and struck Waldridge with the butt of his automatic rifle.
“No!” Kendra screamed, as Waldridge slid down the embankment, unconscious.
Or dead? Pray God he wasn’t dead.
“Jaden, you fool,” Dyle shouted. “I need him. Now go down and get him. We’ve got to get out of here. Chances are he’s not alone.”
She hoped Lynch wasn’t alone. But she couldn’t let Jaden let loose any bullets at that helicopter. She took cover behind another row of boulders, reached to her waistband and pulled out the gun she’d taken from Biers.
“You go get him,” Jaden told Dyle. “I’ll join you as soon as I take care of the problem here. After all, that’s what you pay me for.”
Dyle was swearing as he started crawling down the embankment.
“Here we are, Kendra.” Jaden had ducked behind the boulder again. “What a lot of bother you’ve caused us. I don’t relish your coming along and causing me more trouble. So I think we’ll dispense with you before Dyle comes back and decides he needs you, too.”
A bullet splintered rock a foot from her head.
She fired back in the direction from where she’d judged his voice had come.
Blamm!
Kendra’s right arm throbbed, and her gun went flying.
Pain. Searing, horrible pain.
“Now we take care of unfinished business.” She could see Jaden moving toward her. “Are you ready, Kendra? You’ve had a very long grace period, but all things come to an end.”
A barrage of gunshots erupted from the top of the rim. Spitting sand only inches from Jaden.
“Dammit.” He dove back behind the rocks. “Only a minor interruption. I’ll be right with you.”
He returned the fire from the rim.
“What are you doing?” Dyle was crawling toward him from the embankment. “I told you we have to get Waldridge out of here. Now do it. I wasn’t able to get him up that embankment.”
“And I’ll take care of it,” Jaden said. “Don’t I always take care of everything for you?”
“Talk’s cheap. Get us out of here.”
“Too late,” Lynch called down from the rim. “I wanted to spend a little time with you, Dyle, but Jaden shot Kendra, and I don’t have that choice now.”
“Kill him,” Dyle shouted at Jaden. “Now.”
Jaden was already firing a round at the rim.
“I’ve got cover and a clear view,” Lynch said. “I see you, Dyle. Enjoy the next minute while I line up my shot.”
“Kill him,” Dyle screamed again. “You heard him.” He was trying to get closer to the protection of the boulder. “Take him down!”
“Time’s up,” Lynch said softly.
A bullet tore through the center of Dyle’s skull. His head jerked back, a thin ribbon of blood ran from his lips.
He slumped over, dead.
More bullets tore down from the rim, pinning Jaden behind the boulders.
Jaden returned the fire. “Well, Kendra, it appears the situation has changed. I may have to assess the situation and change with it. Would you like to take a little ride with me?”
“Screw you. You’re beaten, Jaden.”
“I’m never beaten.” He crouched low, moving slowly toward the bank of rocks where Kendra lay. “Let’s go.”
“A hostage? Seriously?”
Jaden whirled around. Lynch was standing less than ten feet away, holding his rifle in front of him.
“You should rethink that strategy,” Lynch said.
“It’s worked before.” Jaden spoke in a lazy drawl that belied the intensity in his eyes and movements.
“Not this time. Drop your gun.”
Jaden nodded up to the ridge. “I thought you were up there.”
“That’s what I wanted you to think.” Lynch shrugged. “I brought a friend.”
Jaden nodded. “You’re good.” He paused. “So… how good are you?”
“You don’t want to find out.”
Jaden gripped his rifle. “The way I see it, I have a definite advantage. I’m wearing Kevlar. You’re not.”
“That’s why I’d put a bullet in your head as I did Dyle. Drop your gun.”
“Look, you just killed my employer. Somehow I don’t think I’m getting paid for this job.”
“I think you’re right.”