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“Not too far away. She’s very good, and she’s keeping ahead of them.

But she was wounded, and I don’t know how long she’ll be able to do it.

I’ve designated several of my men to try to keep her alive, and I’m going to be near the place where she was last seen myself soon.

She seems to have a fondness for that waterfall, because she’s been seen near there several times. ”

Dominic was remembering that day at Roxanne Falls and Celine’s expression when she had first seen them. Her luminous smile and the way she’d looked under the mist… “She does like waterfalls.”

“If you know that, maybe she’s trying to reach out to you. I could go check out the area, but I thought you’d prefer to take care of the matter yourself.” He paused. “I realize the situation is difficult for you.”

Difficult? It was a hell of a lot more than that.

“I’m already in my helicopter. Send me the directions.

” He was starting the rotors. “But I’m not selfish.

Celine is going to live, and the rest of those assholes who are hunting her are going to die.

I don’t care how it happens. But you’ll be my friend for life if you manage to point me in their direction. ”

“I believe I’ve already done it,” Caleb said.

“So come and join the party. I think it’s time we got rid of Zakira and Caldwell.

I know we agreed that the combined main attack would take place just after midnight.

But do I have permission to remove them from the picture with a few well-placed sniper attacks?

Or if you prefer, I still have all those explosives that I was keeping for a night just like tonight. ”

“Then we should definitely make use of them,” Dominic said grimly. “Be patient, Caleb. All the plans are set, and we can wait a few more hours.”

“I can, but I’m not sure about you,” Caleb said. “Are you certain that you don’t want to let me do a trial run? Aren’t you tempted when you know Celine is somewhere down there near that jungle?”

“Of course I am.” Get thee behind me, Satan. “But I’m trying to be selective and choose wisely.” He was already following Caleb’s flight plan and could see the waterfall ahead.

He could also see the men below in the jungle and hear the celebratory shots being fired from their rifles and heard their laughter and shouts as they hunted their prey.

But the prey they were hunting was Celine, Dominic thought impatiently.

Screw them. “I’ve changed my mind, we don’t have to be too selective.

We’ll see about picking and choosing later.

I’m going to land up there near the falls and hope you’re right about her reaching out.

I need to get her safely away before we blow those bastards to hell.

Go on back to your camp and check everything out to make sure it’s ready to go later.

I’ll call you if I need you at the falls. ”

He heard Caleb laughing as he began his descent.

There was no moon and it was pitch black in the woods when he landed, but he sat there a moment, his gaze searching the darkness.

Are you out there, Celine?

Be there, dammit.

I can’t take much more of this. My so-called code is going straight to hell.

Then he saw her and jumped out of the helicopter and was running toward her.

He grabbed her close and held her there for a moment before he pushed her away.

“Why do you keep doing this? It wasn’t bad enough that you managed to get yourself caught.

You had to kill one of Caldwell’s scumbags and give Zakira an excuse to make an example of you? ”

“Shh.” She put two fingers over his lips.

“Be quiet. All I want to hear from you is that you’ve found a way to get rid of Caldwell and Zakira without getting yourself killed.

They would have done all this ugliness anyway.

We both know that it was in their plan.” She moved closer to him.

“Things just… happened. Was I supposed to let Jossland beat up on Eve? And it was our chance to escape. So I did it.”

“You certainly did,” Dominic said. “I nearly went crazy when Quinn told me about all the blood in that hut.”

She frowned. “It was because it was the carotid artery. I had to make certain he’d bleed out fast.”

“I don’t need an explanation.” He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her toward the helicopter.

“All I needed to know was that it wasn’t your blood.

Now, let me tell you how we’re going to take down Caldwell and Zakira so that you won’t be tempted to go after them yourself.

Our team’s heaviest wing is in the southeast hill acreage.

Caleb has made sure that they’re scattered and won’t be found, because that’s also near where Zakira is having his damn festival.

All his thugs are there waiting eagerly.

It was the perfect place to lay the trap.

Thanks to that cell phone and radio equipment info you sent us, we’re going to be able to wage an all-out attack against them here on the mountain in about another hour.

We’ll have separate strikes from the bridge path and the jungle maze route.

I already have Caleb here in the hills, and Rashid will have his team guarding anything that’s left of that heliport. I made sure it wasn’t much.”

“It sounds like mass destruction.” Celine was frowning. “I know it’s necessary, but what about the women captives that are probably there? I think Kontara would say they’ve already suffered enough.”

Dominic was silent and then reluctantly nodded.

“She would. We’ve been keeping an eye on the women’s tent here in the hills.

As far as Kontara can make out, our priest is keeping his soldiers and Caldwell’s men busy preparing the ornate stands and sacrificial altar to make the festival ceremony something to remember. ”

She shivered. “You don’t have to tell me anything more about those particular plans. I can imagine what they are.”

“So could I,” Dominic said grimly. “When I knew you were running all over these hills and could be caught at any moment, the only good thing was that I knew that I’d blow this mountain to smithereens before I’d ever let you or any of those other women end up in front of that ceremonial slaughterhouse. ”

Celine smiled. “Then that’s truly a good thing, isn’t it? You seem to have everything all planned.”

“I’ve been a little irritated with the way they’ve treated you, so I thought I’d let them know it. Poof. Goodbye one and all. Join in at any point you like, Celine. As long as you don’t move more than a few feet away from me.”

“I think I could adjust to that.” She gave a low whistle as she thought about the scope of the plan. “Formidable. No wonder Catherine said she was glad you’d decided to take Caldwell down.” She added ruefully, “I want Caldwell gone, but I can wait for a while. Jossland was enough for right now.”

“Everything that’s been going on was probably a little too much for you right now.

” He leaned forward and gently kissed her.

“You’re a damn good fighter, but you’re basically a healer and not a killer.

So if you don’t mind, I’ll take over getting rid of the terrible twins who have been plaguing us. ”

She shook her head. “That’s not what I’d call watching your back. We should do it together.”

“I was afraid that would be your reaction. But we’re running out of time.

” He started pulling her toward the helicopter.

“And now we’ve got to get you away from this damn mountain.

Caleb told me that his men had sighted you several times in this area, and I don’t want you falling into Zakira’s hands before I get the chance to show you that it’s okay to occasionally take turns. ”

“I like this mountain.” She was getting into the helicopter. “It’s beautiful, and it probably saved my life when I was on the run.”

“Well, I’d prefer you rely on me to do that from now on. If you’ll allow me the privilege. I promise that you can trust me more than those caves or that spectacular waterfall.”

“I know I can,” she said quietly. “Trust is important. And I hope you’ll trust me, too. I realize sometimes I’m a little impulsive, but I’ll always be there to watch your back.” She paused. “And I want to be the one to do it.”

He reached over and touched her cheek. “Then you’ve got the job. And may heaven help you.” He started the rotors. “Because I don’t know anyone else who would want to—”

Splat!

A bullet shattered the window in front of them!

“Down!” Dominic shouted as he pushed her to the floor.

More bullets!

Celine heard shouts from the soldiers who were coming up the hill and firing at the helicopter.

“Out!” Dominic was already out of the helicopter himself and dragging her with him until she managed to get on her feet and was running with him toward the woods.

“Keep low and head for the deep woods.” He took her arm and half pulled her along the path.

“I’m right beside you. I promise it’s going to be okay.

I was expecting this, so I set up a few surprises for them to protect you. ”

“No festival to make Zakira and Caldwell happy?” She tried to keep her voice from shaking.

“How disappointing for them.” She could hear the soldiers shouting in the jungle behind them, and her grasp instinctively tightened on Dominic’s.

“But it serves them right, doesn’t it? I was getting a little tired of that nonsense. ”

“Just keep running. We have to make it past that line of trees for this to work.”

“For what to work?

“We set up a perimeter to slow them down if they tried to launch an attack on our base camp.”

“You have troops here?”

“Not exactly. Run faster.”

More shots rang out behind them, and they could hear excited shouts from Caldwell’s men.

“They’ve spotted us!” Celine said.

“Good.”

A bullet whizzed by them. “Good?”

He led her around a small gully. “Yes. We need them to follow us for another few seconds.”