All things considered though? Asher had heard Cullen’s singing voice—chances were that he’d won plenty of karaoke contests. But seriously, an alligator?
Asher looked down at the luminous dial of his watch. Oh-one-hundred hours, and they were supposed to meet their transport at oh-four-hundred on the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela. Kane’s face was illuminated by his tablet; for once he looked satisfied by what he was seeing. That was a nice change. Maybe that meant they’d get more info when they touched down in the middle of El Avila National Park.
Hopefully, things were looking up for the group of humanitarians they were going into rescue. When Asher had first heard about the group, he’d been dubious about their motives. Bankers and accountants going into Venezuela to halt the mass exodus of people from the country and maybe, possibly, help them get back on track? Yeah, sure, next he’d hear about purple pigs flying.
But these people from the International Money Fund and the World Bank were the real deal. They had financial aid workers dedicated to lifting up the forgotten and suffering people around the world. These humanitarian money-types were the people that Ash and his team were going to save.
“Does he ever quit talking?” Ezio Stark asked quietly as he tilted his head toward Cullen.
Asher choked back a laugh as he looked at the new guy’s subtle grin. “When the mission calls for it, he can zip it. Unfortunately, Nic Hale kept switching Cullen’s channels and then lost the remote. Now, nobody can find the off button.”
Cullen looked over at the two of them, then scratched his nose with his middle finger. This time, Asher laughed out loud and so did Ezio. Asher looked to his left and saw Leo put his book away. He was practically vibrating with energy. The man was always jazzed for a mission.
The plane touched down smooth as glass. The pilot on this assignment was damn good. Setting this tube down like a hummingbird on some drug runner’s dirt runway in the middle of a jungle was slick.
Ash heard a click as Leo unbuckled his belt. Yep, the mission was starting. Asher reached for his belt.
Screeeeech….
The grating sound of bending metal sliced through his eardrums as the explosion sounded.
Leo pitched forward, landing hard in the center of the floor, before sliding and hitting Raiden’s legs on the other side of the transport plane. Both men grunted.
“What the fuck?” Cullen yelled.
“Shit!”
“Goddammit,” Kane sounded pissed. Something must have happened to Kane’s computer.
“RPG?” Ezio gave a good guess.
“Landmine.” Lieutenant Max Hogan’s voice cut through the pandemonium.
Asher knew that the fuel wasn’t stored over the wheels so they should be safe. He watched as Raiden jerked out of his straps and held onto Leo while Nic Hale held onto Raiden. Hopefully, Leo would be all right until the airplane came to a stop.
The big bird continued to skid forward on its nose, and Ash prayed they wouldn’t hit another landmine because this time it would hit right under the cockpit.
His prayers weren’t answered.
A second violent explosion burst out from the front of the plane, the fiery percussion hurtling through to the back.
Asher’s head slammed against the metal wall behind him as the plane tipped onto its wing. He must have blacked out, because the next thing he knew, he smelled smoke, and Kane was unbuckling his belt and yanking him up into a standing position.
“You with me, Thorne?” he yelled into his face.
“Am now,” he slurred. He needed to get it together. Now!
Ash looked around and spotted a backpack. Didn’t matter if it was his or not, he grabbed it and staggered after Kane towards the breeze of the exit. Smoke roiled around him. He saw flames licking up from underneath the door of the cockpit.
“Pilots?” He croaked out the question, as he crouched and jumped to the dirt of the runway. He grunted in pain. God, that hurt. He looked around to do a headcount.
“Where’s Max and Cullen? Are they going after the pilots?”
“They’re going to give it a shot.” Kane thrust his computer tablet at Raiden and grabbed Asher’s arm. Kane forced him at least fifty meters away from the plane to where Leo was propped up under a tree.
“I’m fine,” Asher heard Leo bitching. Nic had his hand pushing down on Leo’s shoulder.
“You’re not fine until Kane says you are,” the young SEAL ground out impatiently.
“Well, I’d be better if you wouldn’t press on the shoulder that Ezio just jammed back into place.” Leo’s sarcasm was clear.
“Fuck, Man. I’m sorry.” Nic immediately pulled his hands away from Leo’s body.
Leo gave a hoarse laugh like he’d pulled a big joke. Well, he couldn’t be too wounded.
“I’d say that’s one patient you don’t have to worry about.” Asher gave Kane a rough grin, trying to ignore the pain in his head.
“I’ll have to console myself with you. You don’t look so hot.” Kane was clearly troubled.
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” he said as he looked over Kane’s shoulder at the flames.
Kane turned his head too, and they both saw two figures running away from the plane.
“It’s going to blow. Clear out. Now!” Max roared. He and Cullen were running full tilt toward them.
“Get back,” Max yelled at them as he pointed behind them toward the forest. “Further back.”
Once again, Kane grabbed at Asher.
“Help Leo,” Asher ordered as he shrugged off Kane’s hand. He would have helped Leo himself, but he wasn’t in any shape to. He staggered toward a thick tree that was two meters in front of him and hunkered down behind it. He waited there for what seemed like hours—or was it just a millisecond?
A massive explosion reverberated throughout the forest, followed
