Page 51 of Hunter's Mission

“If you tell me why you’re in this hellhole, it may give me an idea of who the assholes are that we’re up against.”

“I don’t know who they are. I promise.” Her voice strained. “They have nothing to do with my research.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I just know. Trust me, it’s not my research.”

“Trust you?” I snapped. “Layla, you don’t even trust me enough to tell me about your sister.”

She clamped her teeth together hard and her jaw trembled. Her eyes flared with so many emotions I couldn’t read any one of them.

“Forget it.” I stomped away, and I couldn’t give a shit whether or not she was behind me.

A short time later, I reached a section of the riverbank where the water was barely one foot lower than the land. The river was about eighty feet wide, and the distant shore was a blur of bushes.

I pulled out my GPS and frowned. “For fuck’s sake!”

“What’s wrong?” Layla wiped sweat off her forehead with her shirt.

“We have to cross the fucking river.”

“What? Why?”

“Your fucking lab is that way.” I pointed west.

She slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh no. Are you serious?”

“Of course, I’m fucking serious.” I turned to her. “I hope you can swim.”

CHAPTER 11

LAYLA

“Are you nuts?”I swept my gaze to the Amazon River. “You can’t swim across that.”

“We have no choice. Can you swim?”

“It’s not about swimming, Hunter. It’s about the caimans, piranhas, and anacondas that live in that river.”

He scowled at me. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m deadly serious. We might make it across, but I, for one, am not risking being eaten by a croc or strangled by a snake.”

“Son of a bitch!” He squeezed his head so hard it was a wonder his skull didn’t crack.

This section of the river was wide and slow-moving, creating the perfect environment for the deadly animals to thrive. But narrow sections of the river were equally deadly because millions of gallons of water forced through its banks created rapids and waterfalls.

Pacing back and forward, Hunter studied his GPS again. “We’re fucked, Layla.”

“Is there any way to contact the rescue helicopter?”

“Nope.”

“What about flares or something?”

“What about them?” If looks could kill, he just took off my head.

“Nothing. Sorry, I’m trying to be helpful.”

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