Page 58 of Stains of Desire

She steps closer and pulls my goggles off then sets the gun on the ground. After she puts my headgear on, she picks the weapon back up, looks around, and asks, "What do you think about mango?"

I pull the last bit of fur off the squirrel, dip it in the water, and rise. I can't see very far away, since it's so dark. "If you get us a mango, I'm feeding it to you, then licking the juices off your perky tits."

Her lips twitch.

I step behind her so my body is flush to hers.

"Why are you behind me?" she asks.

"My Glock has a kickback. I plan on squeezing your ass all night, so any marks are going to come from my body, not the ground."

She snorts. "Whatever makes you happy." She plants her feet, straightens her arms, flips the safety, and shoots. Her body jolts back into my chest, but she stays pretty stable.

There's a thump on the ground, and she puts her arm in the air. "Yes!"

I lean down to her ear. "You keep getting sexier, green eyes. I'm impressed." I kiss her on the cheek and playfully swat her ass. "Go get your mango. I can't see without my goggles in this blackness."

She goes and picks it up and comes back. I find a stick, push it through the squirrel, then inch the bottom of the stick in the ground. "Can you grab the soap out of my bag?"

"Yep." She hands it to me and takes off the goggles.

I clean my hands and the knife in the river. Then we sit down near the fire. I hold the stick with the squirrel on it, pour the seasoning over the meat, and stab the end of the stick in the ground again so the meat hangs over the top of the flames.

"Did you like anything about Panama?"

Her voice lowers. "No. William kept me on a tight leash. I didn't even see a lot of it. But any free time I had I only wanted to spend with Millie anyway."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a bad topic."

"It's okay."

I hesitate but need to know. "Can you tell me more about the Global Leaders?"

She shuts her eyes.

I drag my finger over her jaw and she opens her eyes. "Is Panama an important part of their plan?"

"How did you know?"

"I don't know much about Panama, or this continent, to be honest. But I know Panama's history of drug trafficking and that it's the country connecting Central and South America. The canal is important. If the drug cartels are involved, I'm assuming it's an important territory to have control over?"

"Yes. Right now, the U.S. still dominates influence over Panama even though they gave it back at the end of 1999. When everything happens…" She shudders.

"When what happens?" I quietly ask.

"When the Global Leaders get what they want, they will have full control over the drug supply. Demand will always be there and they will never be able to supply enough. The cartel leaders make deals with the politicians so they can get their drugs across borders and solidify territories, but the ultimate plan eliminates them. When the Global Leaders have full control of the cartels, their power and money increase. Panama is integral for the flow of drugs. But the final battle will be between the U.S. President, the U.K. Prime Minister, and the head of Interpol."

Chills run through my spine. "So, Louis Couture is involved? He's a global leader?"

She nods, and my stomach pitches.

All these years the guys and I have worked under him, taking orders and never questioning anything.

"They are going to turn on each other to gain full control?"

"Yes. Whoever has control, rules everything. There will be no more free societies." Her eyes glisten. "The most powerful Global Leaders are allies right now, but once they eliminate the cartel heads and take control of the supply, there will be a war like we've never seen before."

I stare at her green eyes, trying to contemplate what she is saying. It doesn't sound possible. I want to believe the world is too complex and big. But I spent a lot of time studying military history and have been in the trenches. At any given time, evil men are trying to destroy free societies. It's a never-ending battle, but what makes me afraid is the involvement of heads of current free nations.