Malcolm glanced around as he pulled the car to a halt. He had driven it as deeply into the forest as he could. The trees had
grown too narrow for further travel. “This is our stop, my treasure,” he said softly. “I never thought I’d be this close to finding her again. It seems like a dream. I’m almost positive that something is about to go terribly wrong.”
“Don’t be so gloomy,” Victoria said with a thin smile on her lips. “We’ve survived so far, haven’t we? How could things possibly get worse than that plane crash? At least we’re together this time.”
“You have no idea how hard it’s been,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve only been part of this search for a few weeks, but for me, it’s been years…”
“Then you should consider me your lucky charm,” Victoria said teasingly, reaching out to squeeze his hand. “Come on, champ. Chin up! We’re at the cusp of victory. Let’s go find your daughter and get past all this nonsense. Then we can finally go home.”
“Together, I hope,” Malcolm said with a smile.
Victoria lowered her eyes to conceal her emotion. “Let’s talk about that when all this is over,” she said in her businesslike way.
Malcolm nodded in agreement, but he knew that he wouldn’t take no for answer. After all they had been through together, he knew that he trusted Victoria with his life, more than any woman he had ever known. He would never consider letting her go. All they needed to do was retrieve Claire and make it home in one piece, and he would finally have a family again. There was just one thing standing in the way: Brantford Cunningham and his deadly lust for power.
Stepping out of the car, he felt his shoes pressing into the earth. It was damp and muddy. A storm must have passed through the area recently. The soft mud would make them easier to track, but Malcolm didn’t intend on escaping the same way he entered. This deep into the jungle, he was sure that Elizabeth traveled to and from by helicopter. That would be their exit.
“Not sure how long it is from here, but we’re close. Let me give Dominic a call,” Malcolm said softly. “He should have a satellite pointed right at us by now.”
Victoria lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “It’s nice to know we have some big toys on our side.”
“Hopefully they will be big enough,” Malcolm said with a frown. “As much as I hate this, Victoria, we’re going to need to split up. You have to be my backup in case something goes wrong.”
Her face clearly betrayed her feelings on the matter but she tried to resist the urge to argue with him. He moved over to her and put a hand on her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“It’ll be okay,” he said reassuringly. “You’re the toughest person I know.”
“Me?” she said lightly. “I was worried about you. There’s a reason men have lower life expectancies than women. They do stupid shit.”
Malcolm chuckled as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Lately, I have only been doing very smart things,” he told her with a twinkle in his eye as he dialed Dominic. “That includes you.”
Victoria grumbled with annoyance as she crossed her arms and waited for Malcolm to finish his phone call. He sent her a charming smile as he put the phone to his ear.
It rang only once before his friend picked up.
“Malcolm,” Dominic said frantically. “It’s good to hear from you. It’s a god damn mess here in Chicago.”
“What’s wrong?” Malcolm asked in concern.
“Fucking federal agents stormed the office and seized everything!” Dominic exclaimed. “Company assets have been frozen and everyone in the upper chain of command has been arrested. Jesus, Malcolm. I managed to escape the office just before they arrived. I’m running interference for you but you need to do whatever you’re going to do quickly.”
“Do you have the satellite on us?” Malcolm asked in worry.
“Yes. You’re lucky that my contact is a woman and she owes me a favor,” Dominic said smugly. “I’m looking at you right now. Brantford’s compound is three miles north west of your location.”
“Thanks, brother. What about our contractors? Did you manage to pay them before everything was frozen?” Malcolm added.
“No.”
“Fuck!” Malcolm whispered in aggravation. “What are we up against?”
“Brantford’s purchased himself an army, brother. You’re up against impossible odds. It’s going to be like storming a military base.” Dominic paused for a heavy moment. “I know you never listen to me, Mal, but I highly recommend that you back out of this now. We need to regroup. You can’t go in there without an army of your own.”
Malcolm laughed. “You know me better than that. That only gets me excited.”
“Okay…” Dominic said tensely. “Just try not to get shot in your pretty face. You’re going to start running into armed guards within a mile. Not to mention that the thermal images are showing more than a dozen armed men inside the compound. Claire and Elizabeth are isolated in the south of the building. So they’ll be out of the lines of fire.”
Malcolm whistled at the odds. “I’m glad she’s out of harm’s way. Thanks for letting me know, but we’ll manage somehow. I’m going to give Victoria my phone-please keep her updated.”
“You’re splitting up?” Dominic asked in concern. “Is that wise?”
“I think it is. I can move fast on my own and sneak past the guards. Victoria can do the same and we can meet at the helipad once the fireworks start,” Malcolm explained.
Dominic hesitated. “That’s a risky plan, Malcolm. The helipad is behind the compound. But you’re in luck, and there is a nice bird parked on it.”
“Excellent,” Malcolm said, pleased with the news. “I’ll get in and find Claire quickly, then make my escape.”
“You’re the boss, Mal,” Dominic said anxiously. “Just stay alive. I’m really bad at writing eulogies, and worse at delivering them.”
Malcolm chuckled. “I’ll do my best. No promises.”
“My eyes are on you,” Dominic replied. “Stay safe out there.”
Malcolm thanked his friend again and clicked the end button. He walked over to Victoria who had been patiently waiting for him. He was glad to see that she had been getting their supplies ready and packing them into small bags while he spoke to Dominic.
“Take this,” he said as he handed her the phone. “Call Dominic if you need anything.”
She took the phone hesitantly. “Please be careful, Malcolm,” she said softly.
Malcolm smiled confidently and leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. “You too.” He reached down to grab a pack of supplies and slug it over his shoulder. “I’m off.”
She nodded softly and Malcolm could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. He brushed them off with his fingertips and gazed into her eyes for a moment. It took all of his resolve to gather enough strength to turn and walk away. He didn’t look back. He knew that if he did, he wouldn’t have the will to do what needed to be done.
MALCOLM LAY HIDDEN in the bushes. He could feel the wet mud soaking through his clothes, but he remained deathly still. A heavily-armed man stood only a few feet away from where Malcolm was hidden. He needed to wait until the moment was right before ambushing the man. A mistake would cost him his life, and he couldn’t die. Not here. Not when he was so close.
The soldier turned around, displaying his ammunition-covered back to Malcolm. Like a striking cobra, Malcolm shot forward and snatched the knife strapped to the man’s hip. The knife was released from its sheath with a steely ring before Malcolm plunged the blade into the man’s kidney. He reached around to cover the man’s mouth, muffling any screaming. The man died quickly, releasing one last bloodcurdling gasp before he fell limply to the ground. Malcolm twisted the knife sharply and left the man where his body fell.
He resumed moving quickly through the jungle. Each step, each breath, was meant for only one singular purpose. Survive. He kept his mind focused on the task, his eyes constantly glancing around to spot trouble.
Seeing none, Malcolm briskly navigated himself toward the compound.
He wasn’t far away. Only a few hundred yards later, the building finally came into view. Malcolm stopped for a moment, gazing upon the structure. It was a large, three-tiered house with armed men at each balcony overlooking the forest. Around the house was a clear patch of land, and Malcolm noticed a swing set in the yard. Bitterness formed in his stomach. He recalled promising Claire to build her a swing set once they were able to afford a house with enough land. Another thing Elizabeth and Brantford had stolen from him.
He pushed the thoughts aside and walked around, trying to find a weakness in the defenses. There wasn’t anything. Men covered all the entrances and exits of the building and there was no chance of sneaking past them in the wide open spaces-not in broad daylight. There was nothing to do, except wait. Sooner or later, one of the guards was going to make a mistake.
There was a momentary glint in the sky. Malcolm’s mind didn’t have time to react before his body ducked without knowing why. A bullet screamed over his head, causing the tree behind him to explode in a mess of bark and wood. He cursed under his breath as he began to run, keeping his head low to avoid giving the sniper a clear shot.
A high pitched whistle caught his attention but he dared not look in that direction. A flash of light followed by intense heat and concussive force blasted Malcolm off his feet. His bones screamed in agony. The explosion was so powerful it felt as if every bone in his body was shattered simultaneously. He blinked several times but was finding it difficult to distinguish objects. Everything was a mess of blurry light, but he could hear footsteps approaching him rapidly.
He cursed himself for being stupid enough to let a sniper spot him.
Voices began shouting at him as he regained his senses. He could make out various shapes of the soldiers as they got closer. There was still a loud ringing in his ears that made it difficult to understand the chaotic sentences being yelled in his direction. What had the explosion been? A grenade?
Malcolm had no clue.
A large soldier aggressively approached Malcolm, with his lips curled into a sneer and gun pointed directly at Malcolm’s head. “Stand up,” he said gruffly. “Now.”
“I don’t suppose I can convince you to put the gun down?” Malcolm asked, stalling for time to allow his senses to recover. “I’d hate to bleed all over your well-groomed lawn.”
“I don’t think the grass will mind,” the man said with a sick smile painted on his face, “but don’t worry. I have orders to keep you mostly healthy until the boss arrives. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”
It didn’t surprise Malcolm that Brantford’s men were just as twisted as he was. “Not sure I care for your idea of fun,” Malcolm said dryly. He was starting to be able to see that he was surrounded by a group of six men. All of them were armed to the teeth with knives, body armor, and belts of spare bullets draped over their shoulders. Several menacing-looking guns were strapped onto various body parts. Each one of these men was nothing short of a human tank and Malcolm saw no way to escape in his current dazed condition.
A sudden impact at the back of his neck sent him to his knees. Malcolm fought to stay conscious, but the pain made the task difficult. He tilted his head to observe the man out of the corner of his eye.
“You’re not so tough, are you?” the man taunted as he placed his boot on Malcolm’s back.
“Normally, I like it a little rougher,” Malcolm quipped, “but you have talent.”
The guard moved to assail Malcolm with his gun once again, but Malcolm moved faster. He swiveled and snatched the assault rifle away in an instant, snapping his leg upward to kick the soldier in the chest. The man was knocked off his feet as Malcolm unloaded several rounds at the group of soldiers. They scrambled out of the way, searching for cover.
Malcolm rolled back into the bushes, firing shots at Brantford’s men in short controlled bursts. Quickly, the men regained their composure and began to shoot back at Malcolm.
Bullets buzzed by his ears, missing him by only fractions of an inch each time. Think Malcolm! There has got to be a better way of dealing with them. Escape is not an option.
He retreated swiftly into the forest where there was more cover in the trees. It bought him enough time to breathe as he kept his head low. The soldiers were still firing blindly, hoping to hit their target. Some even came close, but Malcolm stayed hidden.
“Spread out! Find him!” the big soldier said in fury as he rose to his feet.
Malcolm’s thoughts drifted to Victoria. Surely she would have been alarmed by all the gunshots. He just hoped she was smart enough to use the distraction to sneak into the house. He didn’t mind being the bait as long as it meant Claire was taken away from this place. It made his paternal instinct boil to think that Claire had spent even a second near these men. They seemed like little more than dumb thugs, and he hated to think that one of them could harm her. He cringed to imagine that she might overhear their callous speech and adapt their ruthless ways; the idea of these men poisoning his daughter by proximity was more than he could bear.
The guards had split up, and what had been an overwhelming force became manageable pockets of conflict. Malcolm would make sure each of them paid dearly for even breathing the same air as Claire. A pair of them were approaching his hiding place in the grass. He waited patiently, slowly placing his assault rifle down on the ground.
He didn’t need to use a gun.
In an instant, Malcolm rose to his feet and glided between the guards like water. He deftly stole one of their knives and slashed the other’s throat in the same motion. The living guard’s eyes went wide in shock. He tried to point his gun at Malcolm and pull the trigger, but the elusive shadow was already out of his path. With bloodlust in Malcolm’s veins, he quickly plunged the knife to the hilt into its owner’s chest.
Before the bodies hit the ground, Malcolm was already hidden in the grass again. He slowly made his way over to an approaching group of three men, including the one who had hit him. They were shouting for reinforcements and briskly jogging over to their fallen comrades.
“He’s like a fucking ghost, man,” one of them said fearfully.
“You shut your pussy mouth,” the large man grunted in rage. “If the boss didn’t give us orders to leave his ugly skull in one piece, he’d be food for the worms.”
The soldier shrank back and snapped his jaw shut.
Malcolm watched the exchange from the shadows and a slow grin crept up his cheeks.
He had a new escape plan now.
As he approached the group of three men, he stepped on a twig intentionally. The snapping noise alerted the three men and they turned on Malcolm quickly as he pounced like a great cat.
Even with the split second notice, Malcolm was still able to send a guard to his knees with a quick strike to the soldier’s neck. The other two guards jumped on him, forcing their weight onto Malcolm in order to subdue him. In the chaos, he forced himself to struggle but not snake his way out of their grasp. Finally, the feel of cold steel clasped around his wrist.
“Should have known better than to come alone, pretty boy,” the large guard said mockingly. “The boss said we should expect you to be an easy catch. He said you were nothing more than a stray dog who needed to be put down. I’m glad to be the one who proves him right.”
“Maybe he’ll give you a treat,” Malcolm said mockingly. “Good boys deserve treats.” He released a chuckle as he was hauled to his feet.
A heavy fist connected with his face; the sharp pain of a breaking nose clouded his mind. It became difficult to breathe and even more difficult to restrain himself. Blood dripped down his throat and he felt another strike to his jaw. The blow sent him to his knees and he began to heave with the effort to keep oxygen in his body.
“Stop!” one of the men said, pulling the large guard off of Malcolm. “The boss said not to hurt him too badly. Mr. Cunningham wants the pleasure.”
The large man shoved off his comrade and shot Malcolm a look of disgust. “Lucky punk,” he muttered.
Malcolm felt himself being lifted off the ground. He released a sharp exhale through his nose and felt the blood shoot out of the cavity in a crimson spray. It eased his ability to breathe, but only slightly.
“Move,” the big soldier said as he shoved Malcolm again.