Page 48 of Silk Shadow

Viper!

He emerged from the undergrowth, his hands up. He was holding a rifle, which they quickly took from him.

"You are her man?" the interpreter said.

He glanced at Izzy and nodded.

Her man.

She liked the sound of that.

"Why are you here?"

"We're lost," he said, echoing her words. He must have heard her speaking to them, which meant he'd been there all the time. "We came ashore and got lost in the jungle."

They laughed again. The leader pointed to the gun, prompting the interpreter to ask, "Where you get the weapon?"

"Off a dead guy back there." He gestured behind him into the jungle. "I don't know who he is. I found him and took his rifle for protection."

Izzy knew that wasn't true.

And where was Phoenix? Was he dead or also hiding, watching them?

The interpreter relayed this to his boss, who barked a command and two of the men disappeared into the dark foliage. A short time later, they came back dragging a body with them.

She gasped. The man was missing half of his head.

"You did this?" The interpreter glanced from the corpse to Viper and back again.

He shook his head. "No, sir. It wasn't me."

"Who then?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

Izzy stared at him. Had he done that?

She wasn't sorry the kidnapper was dead, but to die like that, in such a brutal fashion. She shivered. Was there ever an easy way to die? The gun was still pressed against her forehead. At least this would be quick, like that poor guy lying on the ground.

The men were studying Viper, trying to figure him out.

Despite the situation, he was surprisingly calm. His shoulders were relaxed, his face expressionless, except for his eyes, which were watchful and focused on the leader. He stood with his legs slightly apart, his tall frame steady and unwavering, his hands still above his head. He towered above all of them, and was almost double the breadth, but he was unarmed, and there was only one of him.

Versus twelve of them.

And Phoenix—if he was still alive.

Tears ran down her face. What hope did they have?

The muzzle dug into her head, halting her tears. She gasped, terrified he was going to pull the trigger.

"We don't believe you," said the interpreter. "Tell us what you are doing here. Who are you working for?"

She heard a roll of thunder in the distance. The storm was fast approaching.

"Nobody. I'm not working for anyone."

The man pulled harder on her hair. She cried out.

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