Captive, p.28
Captive, page 28
Caleb grinned. “Hey, so do I.” He took the binoculars and handed them to Rodland. “Take a look and admire the laird, a man who has even greater timing than I do. Then do you think you can get this train back to the yard double quick so that we can help them out a little?”
“I don’t think they’re going to need it,” Rodland said as he gazed through the binoculars. “They’ve got Bohdan’s guys on the run and most of them are disappearing into the forest.” He handed the binoculars back to Caleb. “Even Bohdan himself. But I’ll get you back to help do a final cleanup.” He started punching the buttons on his computer. “I don’t know about double quick, but it will be—”
Caleb stiffened. “Even Bohdan himself?” he repeated. “You saw Bohdan at the rail yard just now?” He raised the binoculars to his eyes again. “It is him.” He began to curse softly.
Rodland nodded. “I thought it was him. He was on the run heading for the forest with his entourage. I know he got out of that mobile command center he always uses. That old Russian-made Ranzhir is hard to miss.”
“Yes, it is,” Caleb said. “Which means you should put on some speed getting us back to that station so I can see if he’s still there, or if I have to chase him down.”
“Chiswick didn’t mention to me Bohdan was on-site,” Jane said quickly. “Only that he had orders from him to get the two of us.” She felt a chill as she gazed at that expression she knew so well. Caleb was in hunt mode. “Why not let MacDuff and his marines go after him?”
“Because it’s my job. I should have gotten him when I took down the general.” He was staring straight ahead. “And I won’t let anyone else be butchered by him when I’ve got a chance to stop it from happening. And you know he’ll never stop now that he’s zeroed in on us.”
Of course she knew it. Nothing could be plainer after what they’d gone through tonight. “That doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. I told you I wouldn’t let you do that again.”
Just then a helicopter roared overhead. Then another. On the road behind them another half a dozen military vehicles suddenly appeared. “More firepower,” Jane said. “Call them and let them go with you, dammit.”
“No time. He’s on the run. He’s slipped through MI6’s fingers half a dozen times before this. He’ll disappear as he’s done before,” Caleb said. “And he could do it. The bastard has contacts all over the world. Stop here, Rodland.”
“That’ll take a while,” Rodland said. “But I’ve slowed down enough for you to be able to jump off. Just give me another couple of minutes.”
“Good enough.” Caleb crouched, preparing for the leap.
“I’m coming with you,” Jane said desperately.
“No, you’re not. For every reason we’ve discussed. And we both know there’s no way you’re going to jump from a moving train right now.”
“Don’t you dare do this.”
“I can’t not do it. He’s hurt too many people. Not this time, Jane. It will be okay. I promise.” Caleb’s face was sober as he leaped from the train. He rolled as he hit the ground.
Jane’s hands clenched at her sides. “Caleb!”
* * *
Caleb ran back toward the forest trying to duplicate the path he’d seen Bohdan and his men taking.
Move fast.
Be silent.
But it was almost dawn. Careful. Darkness would have been his friend. But there were no friends in this forest. He had to worry about not only Bohdan but also any of the other mercenaries in Bohdan’s army trying desperately to get away from those marines.
Track swiftly, accurately, just as he’d always done.
If he’d seen correctly, Bohdan had run in a cluster with two of his men. They had scattered in panic as MacDuff’s marines had attacked. His men had likely been wearing the boots that all of his soldiers wore; Bohdan favored black athletic shoes. Easy enough to track.
Move faster.
Keep a sharp eye out.
It didn’t take long for him to find Bohdan’s footprints in the woods. The two other sets of prints had peeled away from their dear leader’s after only a few hundred yards, indicating a possible lack of physical conditioning on Bohdan’s part. His men obviously had no intention of giving Bohdan backup in this dire situation.
Forget them. Bohdan was the only one of importance.
And he was close. He could hear him, sense him, feel the flow of the blood in his veins.
Perhaps only a few yards ahead of him.
But Bohdan had stopped running.
What are you up to? A trap? I’m tired of dealing with you, too. Let’s see if we can play that game and get this over with.
Listen…
Footsteps in the brush.
He was moving back toward Caleb.
No doubt he had a gun, but would he use it?
Not right away. His hatred of Caleb was too intense. He’d want to let loose some of that poison before he put him down.
And Caleb was feeling some of that same hatred after what Bohdan had done these past days. All the agony he’d put Jane and MacDuff and all the other people who lived here in these Highlands through. He wanted to hurt the son of a bitch.
Come on. Start it. Come a little closer.
Come on!
And here he was. He sensed him even before he saw him.
“Stop there, Caleb.” Bohdan stepped from the shadows, holding a gun in front of him. “I really want to savor this moment.”
Caleb froze. “Enjoy it. You’ve obviously got me. I’m clearly helpless.”
“Are you? I can’t take the chance. I’ve been hearing wild stories about you. Throw aside your gun.”
Caleb had already decided he wasn’t going to need the weapon. “Sure.” He tossed aside the Glock. “I know when I’m beaten. What do you want from me? Can we make a deal?”
“A deal? After how you’ve humiliated me?” Bohdan was almost hissing. “Do you know what I’m going to do to you when I get you out of this forest?”
“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.” He took another step forward, and now he was in range to do anything he wanted with the bastard. “Do you want me to beg and plead?”
“It wouldn’t do you any good,” he snarled. He motioned with the gun. “Your tracking skills are supposed to be legendary, yet I managed to take you down, didn’t I? I knew I couldn’t outrun you. So I came out here and waited. You didn’t disappoint.”
“Make the deal. It’s over,” Caleb said. “A detachment of Royal Marines will be swarming all over these woods no matter what you do to me.”
Bohdan smiled. “You think I’m not ready for every contingency? I didn’t get where I am by being ill prepared. I will walk out of these woods, trust me. And when I do there will be a helicopter to pick me up. So get in front of me because I’m going to take you with me. I’m going to need something to amuse me once I’m away from here.”
“I guess I don’t have a choice.” Caleb took another step forward. “You’re obviously the better man.”
“Don’t come any closer.” Bohdan was suddenly tense. “You’re saying the right words, but I don’t think I like the way you’re saying them.” He was raising his gun. “Maybe I’ll have to give up my plans to—”
BLAMM!
The shot rang out from behind Caleb, the bullet tearing through Bohdan’s upper arm! He howled in pain as the gun flew from his hand.
Caleb whirled to see where the shot had come from.
It was Jane, and she was standing there, panting, out of breath, her eyes glittering wildly in her pale face. But she was still holding her long carbine gun absolutely steady. “Stop this, Caleb. I know what you intended to do, but I’ve had enough of it.”
“Bitch!” Bohdan scrambled to pick up the gun he’d dropped. “Do you think I won’t kill you? I’ll get you, too.”
Caleb had no time to do anything but remove the immediate problem. He dove for Bohdan’s gun and was there only a second before Bohdan’s hand closed on it. “Never again, bastard.” Caleb pointed the gun directly at Bohdan’s chest and pulled the trigger. He stopped him with a single shot in the heart.
“Is he dead?” Jane asked.
“Absolutely.” Caleb was on his feet and running toward her. “Are you okay? What the hell are you doing here? I told you that—”
“You told me a lot of things. But there was no reason for me to listen to you.” She turned and headed out of the forest. “And I refuse to do it right now. Did you think I wouldn’t find a way to follow you?”
“I was hoping to God that you wouldn’t. How did you do it?”
“I waited until the train turned the curve to go into the rail yard; that slowed it down even more. It had almost stopped, but I decided the little girl might need a cushion.”
“A cushion? There were no cushions.”
“I improvised. She had to be protected. So I pointed my gun at Rodland and told him to jump off the train and cushion me as I made the jump myself. It worked very well. Practically no jarring.”
He blinked. “You used Rodland as a cushion?”
“Why are you surprised? He wasn’t about to argue with me. He knew I was dead serious.”
“I imagine he did. You had a gun in your hand.”
She shrugged. “We both knew I probably wouldn’t use it, but it gave him an excuse when he realized he’d have to face you for helping me.”
He shook his head. “‘Probably’ was the key word in that sentence.”
“Yes, it was.” She looked directly into his eyes. “Because he also knew I had to keep my daughter safe, and there was no question in my mind that I had to get to you.”
He was suddenly jarred out of his stunned incredulity. He started to laugh. “I would have liked to have seen Rodland scrambling to get back on that train to stop it after you were safely on the ground.”
“He made it. I looked back just before I entered the forest. Besides, that was his problem. He had his computer to help him, and I had other things to do. I’ve spent the last quarter of an hour running through this blasted forest worrying about what you might do when you caught up with Bohdan.” She was looking straight ahead now, and her pace increased. “I’m out of breath, and upset, and I have my baby to take care of. So I’m getting out of here, away from all the monsters. You can come with me if you like.”
“I like.” His concerned gaze was on her face. “You didn’t have to worry about me. I knew what I was doing.”
“I know you did. You always do. But there was too much ugliness and bitterness this time. You wanted to hurt him.” She still wasn’t looking at him. “Some of it was because of me. Would he have deserved it? Of course. But I’m never sure what using that blood talent might do to you. I couldn’t bear it if destroying him hurt you, too.” The sun was beginning to rise as they came out of the woods and her gaze was once more searching his face for answers as she turned toward him. “I knew I couldn’t let it happen this time. It didn’t matter how you felt about it. I can’t let it matter if you’re angry or not. I have to take care of you.”
“Do you?” He reached out and touched her lips. “I believe I said something of that nature to you recently.”
“That was different.”
“It always is, but it just means adjustments and understanding. But then I’m different and you’re probably right.”
“I was right this time.” She was looking around the forest. “I don’t hear gunfire any longer. I want to rest. Do you think we’re safe here?”
“Considering all the men and weaponry MacDuff showed up with, those mercenaries would be crazy not to be on the run. But I’ve been keeping an eye out just in case.”
“Good. Nothing gets past you. Then keep on doing it.” She gave a sigh and dropped down on the ground to sit beneath the trees. “I thought you’d be more angry. Are you giving in too easily about all this?”
He shook his head. “Not if it means I can keep you away from the monsters, or thinking I’m one. It’s worth it to me to have you ordering me about occasionally. Now can we discuss something besides Bohdan or me?”
“Such as?”
“Are you really all right?” Caleb fell to his knees beside her. “I didn’t like how short of breath you were.”
“It happens when you’re chasing two idiots through a damn forest.” She took a deep breath as she threw the carbine gun aside and then launched herself into his arms. “Now be quiet and just hold me. I’m fine, but I don’t believe our daughter approved of that last few yards I bolted when I went after you.”
“Or maybe she didn’t think that cushion you used was to her liking.” He pushed her back to look down into her face. “I repeat, are you all right? Should I get you to a doctor?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I felt fine after that jump. Yes, of course I fully intend to have a checkup after we get out of here. That’s the responsible thing to do. It’s time I’m under a doctor’s care. I would have done it even if nothing had happened during the last twenty-four hours. But it’s not because I think anything is wrong.” She paused. “I just felt a…flutter. She might have moved a tiny bit. It’s a little unusual this early, but she evidently has her own set of rules, and I must have violated one of them.” She touched her abdomen. “I like it that she has a mind of her own.”
“And I like the idea of you taking it easy until you know what those rules are.” He stood up and pulled her to her feet. “That means embracing civilization. Let’s head back to the Run so that I can return this treasure chest I borrowed from MacDuff before he sends Scotland Yard after me.”
“He wouldn’t do that. He’ll be grateful that you took down Bohdan.” She glanced at MacDuff; he was a little distance away giving orders to his marines, who were still rounding up the last of the soldiers streaming out of the forest. “Besides, he appears to be having too good a time to let it bother him.” She paused. “It’s over, isn’t it? We don’t have to worry about them any longer. No one is going to come after you?”
“Not anyone from the Congo at least.”
“That’s enough for right now. We can discuss anything else later.” She began walking toward the Range Rover. “There’s still so much to do for MacDuff and his people. I’ll have to see how I can help.”
“Later,” Caleb said quietly. “I can see you’re revving up to mount a vigorous campaign to save the world, but that’s not first on our agenda.”
“Of course it is. We owe MacDuff for all the damage done to his property. We not only need to help with the repairs, but I told you what I’d discovered about what lies beneath that MacClaren painting. There’s a good chance that if we follow those instructions, we’ll be able to give MacDuff the real treasure that would pay for those castle repairs a hundred times over.”
“Later,” Caleb repeated. “I see where you’re going and that was my first reaction, too. But I decided it’s the wrong time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We’ve just blown Bohdan and his soldiers to hell and back. To do it, we’ve spun that tall tale about the fake treasure, and that story is going to not only be told but retold by every crook and con man in the business. Plus on the other side, it will be bragged about by MI6 agents who helped take down Bohdan’s forces. It might have been the big lie, but it will be absolutely notorious for months. Which means that these Highlands are going to get plenty of visitors who want to see if that bogus story might actually be true. At least until word finally gets around that it’s completely bullshit. We need to wait to go looking in the correct direction for the treasure until we’re not stumbling over all the treasure hunter wannabes.”
She could understand the logic of what he was saying, but she was disappointed. “And when will that be?”
He shrugged. “If we’re lucky, a few months. It will start when MacDuff returns the treasure he lent me to the bank. Which will be today. Then we wait and see.”
“I want to tell MacDuff right away.”
“I know you do. But you know MacDuff will be curious and want to go hunting for it. That’s his nature. And it’s not as if he doesn’t have money to burn to keep on with the repairs.” His voice lowered persuasively. “Look, I’ll send Rodland to take care of MacDuff’s Run for the next few weeks or months. Whichever you prefer. He’ll do a superb job and keep us informed about all of MacDuff’s decisions.”
“Maybe. But that’s not what I want to do. And you’re being entirely too controlling.”
“On the contrary. I’m not being controlling at all. This is exactly what you want to do.” He added coaxingly, “You told me you wanted to go home. It’s what I promised you. I offered you a trip on Bezos’s spaceship, but you said the lake cottage would be fine.” He added gently, “You wanted to go home to Eve and Joe. I believe you still have a need for family. Perhaps more than ever now. You’ve not even told Eve that you’re going to have a child. You should do that, Jane. It will give her the opportunity to anticipate and think about what’s to come.”
“Yes, it would.” And the idea of being together with Eve and sharing that news was bringing that same wonderful anticipation to Jane. “You’d come with me?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” He smiled. “It will be an experience.”
“Better than that. You’ll be able to test the waters of how it feels to be a member of a real family. I want that for you, Caleb.”
“Then I want it, too.” He opened the door of the Range Rover and watched her get in the passenger seat. “Why don’t you call her now on the way to the Run? It seems like a good time.”
Jane looked out the window as he started the car. A good time? Smoke. Small fires burning in the forest. Soldiers being taken into custody by MI6. Violence and terror.
