Page 97 of Depths of Destruction

Stay calm.

It's not the first time I've had a gun to my head. And today isn't the day for it to be the last.

Darien took my woman.

I'm going to kill him.

And these bastards, too.

"You killed our guys?" the man says.

Killed his...?

He's part of Gómez's crew.

Darien's involved with the Colombian cartel and not the Belizean one?

"What's wrong? Your tongue not working? Maybe we should make sure it never does again." He pulls out a pocketknife and presses the cold blade to my cheek.

The men speak in Spanish, and I vow after this is over, I'm learning it. I don't know a word of what they're saying.

Time to make your move.

They're mid-sentence when two quick bangs fill the air and blood splatters on my face. Both of them drop to the floor next to me.

I turn in stunned silence. Dirk is in the doorway with his gun drawn. "Sorry to get blood on your face."

I let out a sigh of relief. "I gotta go. He took Naomi."

"Who?"

"Her ex, who's involved with the Colombian cartel."

Dirk raises his eyebrows.

Zoe walks in, looks wide-eyed at the dead bodies and my face, and swallows hard.

"Crap. Zoe, I told you to stay outside," Dirk says.

She turns green, and I point to the bathroom.

Zoe runs to it with her hand covering her mouth.

"That woman does not listen." Dirk grabs a blanket off the couch. "Wipe your face before you go."

I take it and do as he says.

"Besides having a gun to your head, you okay?"

"Yes. Tell Tinker I'll come back for the passports. Bermuda is the destination."

"Got it."

"Sorry to leave you with cleanup duty."

Dirk smirks. "You owe me."

"Big-time, bro." I sling my backpack over my shoulder and fist bump him on the way out. I open the garage, hotwire the car again, and take off.