Devil's Island Read online

  Or had been before they were tortured.

  Forty minutes after they started to circumvent the Scavenger camp, they heard raised voices. Drake cursed silently and raised his gun. Dahl shimmied fast to the top of the slope.

  “It’s not for us,” he said. “It’s . . . well, shit, come and look.”

  Drake was close on his heels. He glanced over the top. Below, he counted eighteen men—almost the entire Scavenger clan. They had formed a circle and were shouting, grunting, urging each other on.

  Axes were flung to the center of the circle. Bare-chested men leapt at them, raising and brandishing them. They yelled something unintelligible. They came forward, smashing their axe-heads together with a deep clang. They shuffled and bowed as their clan mates grunted. Four stood in the center of the circle, axes whirling.

  Drake wondered how men could become so debased. The axes swung closer and closer to the men on the crosses. Those men had now come awake, eyes filled with terror as they tried to pull away.

  “Are we helping them?” Dallas asked.

  Alicia regarded him. “Shit, you sound like the Sprite. Don’t forget everyone’s an animal down there.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Ordinarily I’d say yes,” Hayden said, aware that Kinimaka would feel the same way as Dallas. “But Mai and the others, the Devil and Kovalenko, have to take priority now. We can come back to this later.”

  They lingered a little longer, wincing as the blades struck and blood ran. It was only when four more men lit torches and brought those flaming beacons into the circle, close to the bleeding men, that Molokai slithered back down the slope and decided to lead the way.

  Around.

  Drake and Dahl followed him. The sounds from the camp intensified: screaming punctuated by laughter and manic yelling. The noise the Scavengers made was savage, straight from a maniac’s nightmare.

  Ahead, the dip they were following rose to the top of another slope. There were no more dips.

  “River shouldn’t be far away,” Molokai said.

  Drake checked his watch. “Four hours gone. I hope we’re in bloody time.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Mai hurried through the tunnels as fast as she dared. Conscious of their pursuers, the hazards of the passages and potential booby traps, her attention was focused on their upward course. She left Luther to worry about slowing their followers down and watching out for Karin and Dino.

  She became aware of a change ahead as air flowed past more quickly, musty but relatively fresh. It gave her the same sense that entering a large cavern did, and she wasn’t disappointed. Their tunnel widened, the roof disappearing above. She ran into a vast cave, dissected by a large gap. Mai edged closer and grimaced, gauging it to be at least twelve feet wide.

  “I’m not jumping that,” Luther said. “I could . . . but I’m not.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Mai scanned the area. The cavern was lit by torches, revealing that the hunters wanted to see what happened in this cave. Presumably though, they didn’t want the chase to end in the first few hours. The hunt was part of their sport and had no doubt been planned down to the last detail.

  “Ideas?” Mai asked.

  A gust of wind swept the cave as she spoke, making the torch flames gutter. Darkness and then light crossed her features.

  “Can we hold them off a while?” Dino asked.

  “With these?” Luther brandished his knife.

  “We need some of their guns.”

  Mai agreed with the young man’s thought processes but couldn’t let him act on impulse. “That’ll come,” she said. “For now, we have to maintain our lead.”

  “I can jump that,” Dino speculated. Karin laid a hand on his arm.

  Mai pointed at the ceiling where it lowered as it crossed the center of the gap. “There’s that, but . . .”

  Luther whistled. “It’s risky.”

  Mai knelt and opened the backpack. “More like suicide,” she said.

  Karin dropped to her side. “You can’t be serious?”

  “I really think she is.” Dino was standing at the edge of the precipice, eyeing the ceiling. “It might even work.”

  Mai heaved out the length of rope and let it unravel onto the floor. “Now,” she said. “Who can throw a lasso?”

  She looked at Luther, who spread his arms. “Hey, just because I’m American doesn’t mean I’m a fucking cowboy.”

  Mai tied one end of the rope into a lasso and began to coil the rest around one arm. Dino stepped up. “I’ve done this before.”

  Mai counted the minutes passing. “One chance,” she said. “Do it.”

  Dino took the rope, aimed and threw it toward the ceiling where a rock feature formed the shape of a crude hook. The rope fell short, its end slithering into the black crevice.

  Mai held out a hand. “I’ll do it.”

  “No, no, I can do it.” Dino was busy reeling in the abrasive twine and planting his feet for a second go.

  “We don’t have time for this,” Luther grated.

  Before they could stop him, Dino had coiled the rope, steadied himself and let the lasso go once again. This time the looped end fell over the hook of rock. Dino gave a cheer as he tightened it.

  “Doubt you could’ve done that, Blake.”

  Karin was busy retying the backpack. “Let’s see you jump it now, Dino.”

  Mai pushed them firmly aside. “I’ll go first, Luther last. You two kids can argue about who comes next.”

  Without waiting, and ignoring Dino’s wince of anxiety, she pulled on the rope and swung across the twelve-foot wide gap. First, she took a run up, then grabbed the rope and jumped, using momentum to swing across to the other side Once there, she landed on two feet, kept hold of the rope, then turned and swung it back across.

  “Hurry!”

  Luther was at the entrance to the cavern. “I don’t hear anything.”

  Mai estimated they’d lost three minutes. Their hunters couldn’t be too far behind, even assuming they’d lost time disarming the Claymore. Karin grabbed the returning rope, gave Dino an impish look, and followed Mai’s example. She landed safely. Mai grabbed the rope and gave it back to her.

  “Take charge of this. I’m scouting ahead.”

  Karin threw the rope back to Dino as Mai left. It was Luther’s voice that stopped her. Low pitched, so only they could hear, it was the only noise in the cave.

  “I hear them.”

  Mai paused, but what could she do? Throw rocks at them? Her skills were honed to the highest level but even she couldn’t make that work. It was then she noticed Dino and the run up he took.

  “Wait, that’s not . . . !”

  But Dino was already sprinting, conscious that they were hard-pressed. He didn’t seem to be aware that his run-up wasn’t long enough. Karin saw it and ran to the edge of the gap. Mai backed her up. Dino was already in flight, hanging on tight, face set as hard as the granite around them.

  When he let go, his feet fell short of the far surface. He let out a grunt, trying to fling his body at the edge. He didn’t make it. Karin leapt forward as Dino started to plummet down the shaft.

  “Nooo!”

  Mai felt her heart sink; her blood freeze. They’d already lost too many good people and now another. She saw Karin toppling over the edge, reaching out too far for Dino and unbalancing. Mai jumped onto the back of Karin’s legs.

  And Luther, cringing at the whole scene, knew there was a single, fleeting chance to gain the other side and escape certain death. As the empty rope swung back toward the center of the cave, the big American ran and threw himself at it, jumping out over the pitch-black crevice. His fingers and hands reached. In mid-air, he caught the rope, the momentum of his jump sending it back toward Mai. As it flew over the edge he let go, landing on his back and jarring his spine, skidding to a halt.

  He spun, stopped the end of the rope swinging back, and unhooked it from the ceiling.

  Mai held Karin down, wondering why she
couldn’t just pull her own weight back up. Then it occurred to her.

  She was hanging on to Dino!

  Mai shouted at Luther and together the two hauled Karin up and over the ledge. Dino came after. The Italian’s head was bleeding and his eyes wary due to the dent in his pride but he was otherwise unhurt.

  Karin breathed deeply. “You owe me one, mate.”

  Dino rolled and groaned. “Get me outta this cave and I’ll happily give you one.”

  Luther pulled both youngsters to their feet. “Keep it clean for now,” he said. “All that can come later.”

  Mai saw movement on the other side of the cave and ushered everyone back, toward the exit. Before their enemy appeared, they were gone, leaving no sign that they had been there or almost failed to cross.

  It was a good win, she thought.

  But it had been too damn close.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Mai knew this was the time to push hard, to take risks that would later prove valuable. It was likely that Valance and his mercs had brought along a device to make their own gap crossing far easier and quicker, but it would still slow them down. She took the flashlight and a torch and ran, illuminating the way ahead as best she could. Luther was at her shoulder, checking to left and right for cross passages. The tunnel walls curved around them, ragged rock that, if you let it, might drive you insane with claustrophobia. She had no real idea how far down they were—but it had to be a fair way.

  Just the thought of all that mountain mass crushing down on her brought shivers.

  She shrugged it off, not given to panic. She’d encountered far worse in her missions; to be totally honest she’d encountered worse during the odd night out with Alicia Myles. There were incalculable terrors abroad in the world today, chasing down the innocent purely because they were the weaker prey.

  The air smelled dank down here. She was reminded that they were inside a volcano whenever a sulfur stench rose. Once, she heard an ominous rumble. Through it all, Luther was at her back.

  “We can’t keep this up for hours,” Karin said.

  “I know. But if we can create a good lead and find a defendable cave, then we can rest for a bit.”

  Luther grunted his agreement, liking her plan. The trouble was, thirty minutes later they were still running, following a right-hard curve. It was Luther that saw something and Mai that ended up face down on the floor.

  Luther tackled her about the waist, bringing his full weight to bear. Mai landed head first, striking her forehead on the rock floor, crying out in shock and pain.

  “Jesus,” Dino said from behind. “This really isn’t the time.”

  Mai raised her head, anger rushing through her, but came face to face with a black tripwire. Pulled taut, it stretched across the passage less than an inch in front of her nose.

  “Don’t worry,” Luther growled. “I can smell those bastards like bacon at a veggie market.”

  Mai let out a breath. “Do they make your mouth water too?”

  Luther pulled her up, smiling. “Every time.”

  Karin was studying the contraption. “The wire leads up the wall . . . there.”

  Carefully, they stepped over the booby trap and gazed at the ceiling where a simple counterbalance mechanism met a wide plank of wood.

  “Trip the wire and the plank comes down,” Luther stared. “And those spikes give you free air conditioning. Easy.”

  “I wish we could use it for our friends back there,” Mai said.

  Luther pursed his lips. “Maybe we can rig it differently.”

  Three minutes later, the big American had moved the wire from ankle height to chest height. It was rudimentary but still stood a fair chance of working since their pursuers should be staring at the floor.

  Luther wiped sweat from his face. “Quick prayer to the god of booby traps, folks. Here’s to big fortune with boobies.”

  “You religious?” Karin asked.

  “Only when I need to be, Blake.”

  Dino was already bowing his head, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Mai broke it up and urged them on. They passed another lava tube, this one glowing so hot the reflection hurt their eyes. They paused to drink water and eat an energy bar. Mai leaned with her back to the side of the tunnel, Luther beside her. As she ate, a faint scream echoed along the tunnel. Luther slammed the rock with satisfaction.

  “It worked.”

  “Nice.” Mai nodded. “But that puts them only ten minutes behind us. Let’s go.”

  “How long have we been running?” Karin asked as they moved off.

  “Not long. A couple of hours.”

  “You know we can’t keep this up forever. We’re gonna have to make a stand.”

  “Yeah, Karin,” Mai muttered. “I know that very well.”

  * * *

  Karin fought off the aches and pains and pushed on. It was true Mai had extended the gap since they started running, but what if there was no defensible cave? They would eventually become exhausted. Every twenty steps one of them knocked a knee or barked a shin or slammed a shoulder into some rocky outcropping. There were tiny pits in the floor—ankle breakers. Stepping into one of those would shine an entirely different light on the chase.

  And factor in the detail that Valance and his mercenaries gave them a head start, knowing how good Mai and Luther were. It didn’t bode well. She used her torch to check for pitfalls, but it was inadequate. Her best bet was to follow Luther closely, use him as a shield against whatever dangers lay ahead.

  Dino was loping along at the rear, panting but not complaining. Several times she’d caught his eye and received that cheeky little grin. Down here, it irritated her. Didn’t he realize the danger they were in? Was he really that young and stupid?

  Then why was she attracted to him?

  It wasn’t chemistry. They were opposites, she thought. Rivals even. Dino competed with her every step of the way. They clashed. Fought like siblings. The only thing she could put her finger on was their time together. It had fuelled a kind of twisted allure. She couldn’t get it out of her head.

  Dino? Never!

  He was immature, too young for her. Hey, you have needs. Just use him for a while. But that would just change their dynamic and, much as she complained, she thought they made a good team.

  Back on the container, as they sailed ever nearer Devil’s Island, two men had started to mess with her. They’d made sure Luther and Mai were properly secured over the other side of the container and then approached, leering, their eyes revealing their intentions. Karin had never seen them before that day, and it wasn’t meal time, so she’d assumed they’d sneaked in, intent on hateful deeds.

  The first, a ginger-bearded giant with tiny eyes, grabbed her ankles and pulled her toward them. Karin’s chains tightened around her wrists and neck, forcing her arms over her head and her face upward. She struggled, tried to scream, but the manacle around her neck prevented all sound. It was all she could do to breathe. Luther and Mai were struggling with their bonds on the opposite side of the container.

  The second man, a whip-thin individual with a creepy smile, just stared at them. Ginger Beard hissed in his direction.

  “Grab her leg, Gipper. She’s a fighter.”

  Both men struggled. Even as she choked Karin fought them, striking a chin or a cheekbone with her shins and boots. Mai and Luther shouted death threats and fought their bonds, but it was Dino that saved her. The Italian started with an attack, as she would expect. His flying feet caught both men off guard, drawing blood. They jumped on him and punched his stomach hard again and again, draining all the air from him until he could do nothing but lay there gasping.

  Then they returned to her.

  “Same thing?” Gipper asked in an oily voice.

  “Works for me.”

  They fell upon her, one to each side, but Dino recovered faster than they anticipated. Instead of attacking, he must have fought every instinct and shouted for help. Screaming. Banging on the container’s
sides and bellowing for the guards. He smashed his head against the steel before thinking to use the chains.

  Within minutes their normal captors arrived, annoyed, to see what the hell was going on. Ginger Beard and Gipper were kicked across the floor, never to be seen again.

  Karin wouldn’t forget the sight of Dino, mad with rage at the treatment she was getting, selflessly fighting for her, ready to receive bone-breaking retaliation or worse, just to save her.

  Now, he tapped her on the shoulder. “Love those two,” he said, nodding at Mai and Luther. “Legends.”

  She gritted her teeth, annoyed but knowing what he meant. “Just stay quiet,” she said. “And try to keep up.”

  “With you? Not a problem.”

  “When we get out of here,” she said. “I’m gonna challenge you to a combat and endurance test. We’ll see who comes first.”

  Dino went wide-eyed. “Is that your way of asking me to . . . you know . . .”

  Karin ground her teeth together in anger, but couldn’t stop the grin from forming. “Dino, you’re a bloody idiot.”

  “I know.”

  The tunnel sloped upward for a while before angling to the left, which became a long loop. The sounds of pursuit fell away. Someone had died back there, she was sure of it, and it had slowed their pursuers down.

  Score one to the good guys. But that still left thirteen armed mercs and four gun-toting civilians at their backs, not to mention a ticking time bomb. It didn’t look good.

  Karin continued to trust Mai and follow in her footsteps.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Drake forced down lurid visions of what the Scavengers were doing to their prisoners and even to themselves. The verdant valley slopes ran gently toward the wide, fast-flowing river. Dahl was ahead, staying low, scanning their surrounds. Everyone else was prone, leaving nothing to chance.

  The Swede turned to wave at them.

  “Use the comms,” Drake whispered. “It’s easier.”