Page 56 of Casualties of War
“All out,” Joaquim declared. “Next wave, we drag it higher. Out, out, you bastards!”
The boat floated again as the weight was removed. Adán dared to open his eyes. There were four silhouettes of men surrounding the boat, their hands on the gunnels, as they looked over their shoulders, watching for the next wave.
They ran the boat forward as the wave lifted and pushed it forward. It was a metal hulled antique that looked like something from the sixties. The outboard motor wasa 90HP Evinrude, and new. A motor that powerful would leave an effervescent wake that would almost glow in the night waters. No wonder they had shut down when the satellite moved into range.
Adán was in the middle section of the boat, his boots pushed up against the side. Someone had bent his knees to fit him into the space.
The four hauled the boat with grunts of effort until dry sand brushedthe hull. The smell of seaweed and rotting fish was strong. The night breeze wafted it across them.
Hands worked at Adán’s ankles. The zip tie loosened.
Another hand slapped his face. It was a heavy blow.
“Get up, princess.” It was Joaquim’s voice.
Adán pushed on his still-bound hands and eased himself up into a sitting position. It was a relief to separate his legs and work his ankles.
Joaquim had a gun trained on him. Adán looked at the small black hole at the end of it, then at Joaquim. “I’m not armed,” he pointed out.
“You’re Loyalist scum,” Joaquim replied. “A gun doesn’t change that.”
True.
“Get up,” Joaquim said. “Onto the sand.”
Adán took his time, feeling the life come back to his arms and legs as he moved. When he was standing on the beach at last, he looked at Joaquimagain. The man hadn’t moved. The gun was steady.
The man was smart. He wouldn’t get bored or grow lax. He wouldn’t relax or give Adán any chance to escape or fight back.
“Lemme tell you how this will go,” Joaquim said. “These others, they think you’re a powder puff. I figure that might not be the case. You used to do your own stunts, so you know how to use your body and you know your way aroundguns.”
“Fake guns,” Adán said, his voice even. He had no problem confessing his ignorance of real military skills if it would make Joaquim think he was harmless.
Joaquim considered him. “I could be wrong but I will treat you like you’re dangerous,” he decided. “You figure out what that means. If you get it right, I don’t put a bullet in your brains coz I get twitchy.”
Adán nodded.
“Move it,”Joaquim said. “Up the beach. There’s a path up there. It’ll lead us somewhere.”
Before Adán could head in the direction the man had pointed, a soft whisper sounded, almost a whistle. Joaquim choked and reached for his neck.
The white feathered end of a big hunting arrow jutted there.
As Adán watched, blood spurted from the wound.
* * * * *
Nick waited for the non-com to finish whisperingto Duardo. Flores watched Nick with contemplative eyes, instead of listening to the non-com.
Not that he cared what Flores was doing.
He flinched as a submachine gun opened fire, his heart working hard. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how close the sandbag curtain wall was to the tents.
Duardo dismissed the non-com, who saluted and left the tent. The canvas dropped into place.
Nick turnedto face him. “What did he say?” he demanded. “Is there news?”
“Captain Rey is in surgery,” Duardo said. “He told Téra before he passed out that he thought Adán Caballero had also been taken. They’ve now confirmed that Adán is missing, which makes it likely he has been taken as…the others were.”
