have shot them,” she said indignantly. At least she hoped not. She’d been reaching for her pistol when he grabbed her.
The man supporting what looked like a teen saw them and hobbled faster. In moments, they were gone in the trees.
Rex came into the small clearing. “I found a few blood drops, so I think he took a round. You want me to chase him down?” He inclined his head toward Jess. “Good shooting.”
Harry grunted. “No. We can’t afford to let him ambush one of us alone. Help me close this off. We’ll post a guard and make sure the new people know about it. I don’t want that asshole slipping in there to blow anything up. Pardon the language.”
She smiled. “I said something like that a few minutes ago. How long before the ringing stops? That gun is loud.”
Jess cocked her head. She heard something in the distance. It was the distinctive sound of a helicopter. “We have more company.”
The two men rolled the rock back over the opening. “Rex, stay here.”
He led her back to the clearing. A helicopter was hovering overhead and men in Rainforest security uniforms were rappelling down.
“Thank God,” Harry said. “We’ll let them get deployed and then I’ll fill their team leader in. Once they’re good, we’ll hoist you up and get the hell out of this damned jungle.”
She felt relieved. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard since this sorry trip started.”
Chapter Ten
Once the security team was in place, Harry quickly briefed the Rainforest team leader as the helicopter searched the area looking for signs of Nathan. There wasn’t much chance of spotting him, but it was worth a try.
He dialed his father’s private number as soon as he finished the briefing.
“Are you on your way out?” his father asked.
“Almost. Nathan showed back up. We drove him off and we’re about to take to the air. You’ll want a total lockdown of the two sites, particularly this one.”
The line was quiet for a moment. “I’ll call my friends in the Guatemalan government. With the generous application of some bribes, I should be able to gain control of the Mayan site. At least in the short term. It will take significantly more money to extend that into the long term and I’ll need a compelling reason for doing so.”
“You’ll want to talk to Miss Cook about that as soon as she gets back to the spaceport. I believe you’ll find her reasoning and evidence compelling.”
“Speaking to her is my highest priority. There’s a chartered plane waiting for all of you at a private airport nearby. It will fly you directly to the Yucatan Spaceport as soon as the helicopter delivers you.”
Jess walked over to Harry. “Are you talking to Mister Rogers? Give me the phone.”
He handed it over. “Don’t go into any detail over an unsecured line.”
She put the phone to her ear. “Good evening, sir. Jessica Cook here. I need to meet with you as soon as possible. This information has some bearing on the project and it’s literally earthshattering.”
After a moment of listening, she continued. “Yes, sir. It’s that important. Thank you.”
Harry took the phone from her. “We’ll be there sometime tonight.” He disconnected without waiting for a response.
“You’re not looking forward to seeing him,” she said.
He allowed the corner of his mouth to quirk up. “You’re very perceptive. No. He and I haven’t seen eye to eye for a very long time. But that’s me. He’s your boss. God save you.”
“What happened? Your split with him, his split with his ex-wife and his other son, and your not-so-subtle war with your brother. That’s a bit dysfunctional.”
“It’s also a bit personal.”
“We’ve saved one another’s lives. We’re like blood brothers now. Blood siblings? Something like that. We’re supposed to bond.”
Harry laughed in spite of himself. She was a bold one.
“Let’s just say that the two of us didn’t see the world the same way. My mother is
The man supporting what looked like a teen saw them and hobbled faster. In moments, they were gone in the trees.
Rex came into the small clearing. “I found a few blood drops, so I think he took a round. You want me to chase him down?” He inclined his head toward Jess. “Good shooting.”
Harry grunted. “No. We can’t afford to let him ambush one of us alone. Help me close this off. We’ll post a guard and make sure the new people know about it. I don’t want that asshole slipping in there to blow anything up. Pardon the language.”
She smiled. “I said something like that a few minutes ago. How long before the ringing stops? That gun is loud.”
Jess cocked her head. She heard something in the distance. It was the distinctive sound of a helicopter. “We have more company.”
The two men rolled the rock back over the opening. “Rex, stay here.”
He led her back to the clearing. A helicopter was hovering overhead and men in Rainforest security uniforms were rappelling down.
“Thank God,” Harry said. “We’ll let them get deployed and then I’ll fill their team leader in. Once they’re good, we’ll hoist you up and get the hell out of this damned jungle.”
She felt relieved. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard since this sorry trip started.”
Chapter Ten
Once the security team was in place, Harry quickly briefed the Rainforest team leader as the helicopter searched the area looking for signs of Nathan. There wasn’t much chance of spotting him, but it was worth a try.
He dialed his father’s private number as soon as he finished the briefing.
“Are you on your way out?” his father asked.
“Almost. Nathan showed back up. We drove him off and we’re about to take to the air. You’ll want a total lockdown of the two sites, particularly this one.”
The line was quiet for a moment. “I’ll call my friends in the Guatemalan government. With the generous application of some bribes, I should be able to gain control of the Mayan site. At least in the short term. It will take significantly more money to extend that into the long term and I’ll need a compelling reason for doing so.”
“You’ll want to talk to Miss Cook about that as soon as she gets back to the spaceport. I believe you’ll find her reasoning and evidence compelling.”
“Speaking to her is my highest priority. There’s a chartered plane waiting for all of you at a private airport nearby. It will fly you directly to the Yucatan Spaceport as soon as the helicopter delivers you.”
Jess walked over to Harry. “Are you talking to Mister Rogers? Give me the phone.”
He handed it over. “Don’t go into any detail over an unsecured line.”
She put the phone to her ear. “Good evening, sir. Jessica Cook here. I need to meet with you as soon as possible. This information has some bearing on the project and it’s literally earthshattering.”
After a moment of listening, she continued. “Yes, sir. It’s that important. Thank you.”
Harry took the phone from her. “We’ll be there sometime tonight.” He disconnected without waiting for a response.
“You’re not looking forward to seeing him,” she said.
He allowed the corner of his mouth to quirk up. “You’re very perceptive. No. He and I haven’t seen eye to eye for a very long time. But that’s me. He’s your boss. God save you.”
“What happened? Your split with him, his split with his ex-wife and his other son, and your not-so-subtle war with your brother. That’s a bit dysfunctional.”
“It’s also a bit personal.”
“We’ve saved one another’s lives. We’re like blood brothers now. Blood siblings? Something like that. We’re supposed to bond.”
Harry laughed in spite of himself. She was a bold one.
“Let’s just say that the two of us didn’t see the world the same way. My mother is
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