Page 52 of Fatal Intent

“What?” He stared. “How?”

“We’ll explain later. For now, we need to get you two out of here. We’ll have company soon.”

“How do you know?” The guard sneered. “We haven’t heard a thing the whole time we’ve been in this godforsaken jungle.”

“You wouldn’t hear a heard of horses in here with all the noise you were making.” Grant glanced at Rayne. “Take the lead. Mr. White, you and Trevor follow Rayne. You do exactly what she tells you to do if you want to leave this jungle alive.”

Trevor scowled. “What are you going to do?”

“Watch our back trail and intercept unwanted visitors. Go.”

Rayne pivoted and started back the way she and Grant had come, choosing easier paths for the two men. The farther they ran, the more Gerald White complained.

Finally, she’d had enough of his bellyaching. Rayne stopped and turned on her heel to glare at the billionaire. “Mr. White, we’re doing our best to help you escape this jungle. You’re making our job harder by continually grousing and painting a target on our backs. Do us all a favor and stop talking.”

White glowered at her and opened his mouth.

She held up a finger. “Not another word.” She scowled at Trevor. “You should have insisted he shut his mouth long before now.”

Grant caught up with them. “Company is two minutes behind us.”

“How many?”

“Five.”

“Divide and conquer?”

He nodded. “It’s the fastest way.”

Rayne looked at Trevor. “Keep going. Grant and I will catch up with you in a few minutes.”

The guard clamped his hand around White’s upper arm again. “Let’s go.”

Once they were out of sight, Rayne and Grant moved to intercept the bogies on their tail.

Soon, they heard someone coming their direction. Grant signaled he would go left. Rayne would cover the right.

She veered that direction and took cover behind a stand of trees. Rayne didn’t have to wait long. The cartel soldiers hurried past her location, jogging single file.

Grant slipped out from cover and stalked the last man in line.

She fell in behind Grant. When Grant’s target lagged, the operative made his move. In utter silence, Grant caught up with the soldier and clamped a hand over his mouth as he shoved the blade of his Ka-Bar into the man’s kidney, then hauled his body to a pool of darkness where he would be out of sight.

Rayne moved into position and used the same technique on the fourth soldier. Grant caught the man before he fell and hauled him off to the side. They repeated the operation once more.

Something must have alerted the remaining two soldiers because the second one in line muttered a few words to the leader. They stopped and turned with their pistols up and aimed.

Rayne triggered the mechanism that dropped her knife onto her palm. Without thinking, she tossed the knife at the second soldier. The blade sank to the hilt into the man’s neck. He clenched his throat, sank to his knees, and toppled over.

Grant tackled the leader and took him to the ground. The soldier flipped himself over, and Grant punched him in the throat, crushing his windpipe. He stripped the man’s weapons and tossed them aside. Breathing hard, Grant stood and turned to Rayne. “You good?”

She nodded.

“Let’s get out of here. I’m starving. The sooner we board the jet, the faster we can eat.”

Rayne laughed as she fell into step behind Grant. “You’re always hungry.”

“What can I say? I’m a growing boy.”