Page 37 of Wild Temple (Tyson Wild Thriller #84)

T here was one downside to the Temple of Wind and the constant low drone of the rushing air through the carved stones—it obscured other noises.

It made us vulnerable.

A sharp snap woke me from my slumber. I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes, thinking momentarily it was a dream. But the sound was unmistakable, and this was no dream.

Brooke stirred as I launched out of the sleeping bag. "What is it?”

I pulled on my pants, grabbed my pistol, and poked my head out of the tent.

The angry barrels of AKs greeted me.

Brooke got dressed .

Rex lay on the ground, writhing. He clutched at an abdominal wound, blood seeping through his fingers. He’d been shot by suppressed fire.

A swarm of local military had infiltrated the campsite. I didn’t figure them for special forces, but they had gotten the job done.

“Drop the weapon!”

I complied. I didn’t have a choice.

With a wave of the barrel, a soldier motioned me out of the tent.

I crawled out and stood with my hands in the air. Another soldier dragged Brooke from the tent.

My blood boiled.

By that time, they had rousted JD out of his tent as well.

Caspian emerged from the jungle with a proud smile on his face.

He didn't look at all like a criminal overlord. He was a friendly-looking guy in his mid-40s with salt-and-pepper hair, dad bod, and a day’s worth of stubble around his soft jaw.

He was decked out with jungle fatigues, a boonie hat, an AK-47, and a sidearm.

“Thought you’d pull a fast one on me, didn't you? How’d that work out for you?

" He gave me that smug look and motioned to his well-armed thugs.

“It pays to have friends in the military.”

I'm sure the only friends Caspian had were the ones that he paid.

The soldiers flex-cuffed us. These wouldn’t be easy to get out of, but at least our hands weren’t behind our backs .

In my slumber, I thought I heard the patter of distant rotor blades overhead, but it didn’t register. Caspian’s mercenaries must have inserted via helicopter northwest of our position.

Caspian’s eyes flicked to Rex, who groaned in agony on the ground.

"I'm disappointed in you. Then again, you never were the brightest bulb in the box.

Did you really think you could doublecross me?

" Caspian’s eyes flicked back to me. “It's good to finally meet.

I'm Caspian. I always like to put a face to a name. You must be Tyson?”

"Where's Hannah?”

Caspian laughed. “You clearly had no intention of honoring our agreement. Why should I?"

"We can give you the map, you can give us Hannah, and everybody goes home happy.”

"Oh, you’re going to give me the map, alright, but I'm not sure that everybody's going to go home happy. The only person's happiness that I can guarantee is my own." Caspian took a deep breath. "Now, give me the map, and I promise to make your deaths quick and painless.”

"You’re never going to get the map," Brooke said.

Caspian’s jovial demeanor faded. "Yes, I am.

" The scumbag snapped his fingers, and a soldier emerged from the jungle in the distance.

He dragged Hannah along. She was bound at the wrist and gagged.

Tears streamed from her eyes, and her hair was a tousled mess.

She was thin and pale and probably hadn't been eating.

I'm sure they'd kept her doped up, but it was starting to wear off now.

Her skin would be crawling before long .

Caspian said to the soldier, "If they don't hand over the map, shoot her."

The soldier drew his pistol and put it to Hannah's head.

That smug smile returned. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Where's the map?"

Brooke swallowed hard, her eyes round with fear. “It doesn’t exist anymore.”

Caspian‘s eyes narrowed at her. “That’s too bad. Your friend was so pretty. Now she has to die.” Caspian shouted to the soldier, “Kill her!”

Brooke’s eyes bugged out of their sockets. “No! Please!”

Caspian signaled the soldier to hold up. “Are you ready to stop playing games?”

“If you want to find Pura Jiva, I’m the only one who can take you there. And I won’t do it if you kill Hannah or anyone else,” she said through tears, rage consuming her face.

Caspian lifted an impressed brow. “Well, look who’s got spunk!”

He told the soldiers to frisk us, then search the tent for the map.

“You’ll never find it.”

“Why is that, my dear?”

“Because I ate it,” she said with a sneer.

A scowl tensed Caspian’s face. “If that’s the case, you have made a grave mistake.” He leaned close and spoke in a low, measured tone that was more ominous than a growl. “What makes you think I won’t cut it out of your belly?”