Page 5 of Last Chance

“Unfortunately, I agree with you.” Brody shook his head. “We need a likely direction to be effective. Vatos Locos could have taken the hostage anywhere within hundreds of square miles, including the interior of a sizable jungle.”

“Staring at the map of their territory isn’t doing us any good,” Logan said. “You heard the boss. Time to restock our supplies and see what we lack. We may have to procure supplies before we set off on this op.”

Sawyer’s lips curved. Procure was a fancy word for steal. He was okay with that. Whatever they needed to do to save those hostages was allowed in his book.

“We need an arsenal to take on Vatos Locos,” Max said. “I don’t think the jet has enough ammunition and weapons to win a war.”

“We’ll make do or get more,” Brody said. “Let’s get to it. We need to be ready to move out as soon as we’re wheels down.”

Over the following four hours, Zane and Simone funneled information into their email. If the information they dug up on the dark web was accurate, the team had a general location where Vatos Locos had set up their camp for holding human trafficking victims before selling them and delivering them to the buyers. Since no one had located the camp yet, it made a secure place to hold hostages.

Like Sawyer had expected, the area most likely for them to look was in the middle of a jungle. Terrific. He looked at his team leader. “We’ll have to rappel from a helicopter to save time and allow us to reach the hostages faster.”

“Although you’re right, I’m concerned the chopper noise will draw too much attention. I’ll talk to the boss and see what he can work out. We’ll take the SUVs as far as we can. I don’t want word leaking to Vatos Locos that a group of foreign mercenaries packing heavy landed at the Pozo Rico airport. Too great a chance we’ll spook the terrorists or give them an opportunity to set a trap. Neither option will help us or the hostages.”

He looked at his teammates. “Gear ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent. Back to the conference table. We have a likely target area. Let’s create a plan of attack. We have little time before we’re wheels down.”

The team sat around the table and hashed out a plan of action. Sawyer shook his head as the discussion wound down. “This isn’t good enough. We don’t have enough information.”

“We’ve gone into ops with less,” Max said.

“It will have to do.” Brody shut down the computer. “We don’t have a choice, Sawyer. Janie and the other hostages are counting on us to rescue them. If we fail, the likelihood that the women will be sold into sex trafficking is high, as is the sure bet that the men will die, especially if a ransom demand isn’t met.”

“Even if it’s met,” Logan said. “We all know how this works. Why not make money twice? Once for ransom and once for a sale. Based on the information Simone sent us a few minutes ago, none of the hijackers were wearing masks. That makes the hostages witnesses.”

“Why didn’t law enforcement stop them?” Jesse frowned. “They know who these guys are. Why didn’t they prevent them from leaving the area?”

“Fear,” Brody said. “This gang is large and holds a great deal of power, mostly through threats and intimidation. They’ve also greased the right palms to convince politicians and many law enforcement officers to look the other way. Like always, we don’t have friends in this part of the world on an official basis. Any help we might receive will be on the down low, but I wouldn’t count on anyone having our backs. We operate as though we’re on our own.”

Wonderful. The team was on its own again in hostile territory. Using the name Fortress wasn’t an option in this part of Mexico. They’d end up lost in the prison system and dead within days. “Do we have a photo of Janie Moran?” Sawyer asked. He hadn’t seen one in his email from either computer tech.

“Just came through. It should be in your email now.”

Sawyer opened the latest email and stared at the photo of the woman who was Rowan’s friend. Holy smoke. Ms. Moran was drop-dead gorgeous. He whistled. “She’s beautiful.”

“Did you look at the photos of the other hostages?” Brody asked, amusement in his voice.

Sawyer’s face burned. “I was getting to it.”

His teammates chuckled.

Whatever. A man could look, right? He ignored his teammates and returned to the email with the photos of the other hostages.

For the next few minutes, he studied the photos, memorizing each face. When he’d finished, Sawyer returned to the picture of Janie Moran. The sweetness in her eyes, the pure joy in her expression as the photo was taken caught at his heart. He couldn’t stand the thought of terrorists selling her to the highest bidder. If she survived the life for long, she’d never be the same. The joy would be snuffed out like a candle, and that would truly be a tragedy.

Ten minutes later, he was still staring at her photo when the pilot announced they were approaching the private air strip Brent had secured permission to use. After a last lingering look, Sawyer slid the phone into his pocket and buckled his seatbelt.

If all went according to plan, he’d see Janic Moran in person in a matter of hours. For her sake, he hoped their plans could be followed to the letter.

CHAPTER 3

JANIE SANK TO the floor and scooted into the corner. The sounds of women screaming and men moaning or laughing had gone on for hours. When would it stop?

Without a window, Janie did not know how much time had passed since she and the other hostages had arrived, but she thought it was late in the night. How she longed for noise-canceling headphones to block out the sounds that would plague her nightmares for years to come. She paused. If she lived that long.

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