Page 41 of Silk Shadow

Trees covered the coastline like an impenetrable green wall, while waves crashed on the sandy shore, their white crests luminous in the moonlight.

"They're not giving up," muttered Viper, who was keeping a lookout.

Phoenix grimaced. "She's worth a lot of money."

"You think they were going to ransom me?" Izzy asked.

"It's one option," Phoenix said, vaguely.

"We think they were going to ransom you for the mine,” Viper added.

"Oh, God," Izzy murmured through chattering teeth. "My life in exchange for the mining rights. The board would have no choice but to agree."

Viper glanced behind them. "Either way, they’re not giving up. We're going to have to take cover in the jungle."

"The jungle?" She'd been so looking forward to a hot shower.

"That's all there is around here." Viper pointed toward the shore.

Izzy yelped and clung to the guard rope as they ramped over a giant wave and landed with a jolt. The inflatable rode the wave into shore until sand scraped the bottom of the boat.

"Let's go." Viper grabbed a small pack from the under-seat compartment and handed it to Izzy. "There are some dry clothes and shoes in there. When we get undercover, you can change."

"Oh, thank God." She couldn't picture herself running barefoot through the jungle in a cocktail dress.

Phoenix pulled out two more packs from the dry compartment beneath his seat and handed one to Viper. They leaped out of the boat.

Izzy clambered out far less elegantly, her bare feet sinking into the wet sand. The men hauled the boat up the beach to the cover of the trees and disguised it as best they could with branches and leaves. When they were done, it looked like just another tangled mesh of jungle foliage.

Izzy felt raindrops on her face and glanced upwards. "Could this day get any worse?"

Viper gestured up ahead. "Let's get under cover."

She gawked at the impenetrable green wall. "We're going in there?"

"Yep. Now would be a good time to put those shoes on."

She opened the backpack and pulled on a pair of sneakers. "You got these out of my closet?"

Viper nodded. "Thought you might need them."

She was amazed at his thoroughness, and the certainty that he’d find her. Hang on. How had they found her? She was about to ask when the hum of the approaching motorboat rose over the pitter-patter of the rain.

"Come on, we've got to move," Phoenix urged. Seconds later, they ducked into the sprawling vegetation. It instantly swallowed them up.

They surged forward, Viper in front with Phoenix right behind him. Izzy brought up the rear. She glanced nervously behind her, but the forest seemed to close around them, and she couldn't see the way back to the beach.

"How do you know we're not going round in circles?" she asked worriedly, a short while later. "Everything looks the same."

"Experience." Viper stared ahead into the darkness. "We've done a lot of jungle training over the years."

He must have fantastic night vision. She couldn't see more than two feet in front of her face. Phoenix moved effortlessly behind him, hardly making a sound in the undergrowth, while she was crashing about like a small elephant.

She could hear the rain above them, pelting down on the jungle canopy, but it was so thick where they were that only a few drips managed to break through.

"They're bound to come looking," she choked out, feeling the grueling pace in her aching calves and exhausted thighs. She'd barely slept since her capture, just a few hours here and there, terrified they'd come for her during the night. Now, as she trudged inland, she could not keep her eyes open.

"A little further," urged Viper, stopping to look back. "Then you can rest."

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