JET - Sanctuary by Russell Blake Page A

back, that’ll be our first order of business. One of the buildings is sure to have water if this is a working mine.”
    “What do you make of those two?”
    “Alejandro seems to be the brains. I could do without his brother. He’s dead weight,” she said.
    “Agreed. And they seem to be up shit creek. Let’s not forget for all their assurances that they run this country that they got shot up pretty good at the hotel. If you hadn’t been there, they’d be dead. We all know that.”
    “But I was. Makes me wish I’d just stayed in bed. The brother’s right about one thing: this is a nightmare.”
    “Right, but it’s not our problem. We just need to get out of here and get clear of this pair, and then we can go on with our lives.”
    “Good plan. Of course, when the Argentine fixer’s guy shows up tomorrow, he’s going to find a hotel full of police and no client. So back to the drawing board on getting out of Chile.”
    “True.” Matt thought for a moment. “If their family really does run things here, maybe your boy Alejandro can help. I’d say he owes you big for saving his bacon, and then for coming up with a solution for the car.”
    “Good idea, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. I get the feeling they’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
    “I’m just saying, you’ve got a marker with him. Or at least, you should.”
    Jet sighed. “I couldn’t sleep back at the hotel, and now all I can think of is shutting my eyes. How upside-down is that?”
    Matt looked at where Hannah was lying, her head in Jet’s lap, slumbering as though in the womb. “Once we get some water, you can catch a little shut-eye. I’ll keep watch.”
    “You’re not just a pretty face, are you? Anyone ever tell you you’re a nice guy?”
    “Not recently. Something about being too busy running for our lives.”
    “Well, you are. And I’m lucky to have you. Even with a broken wing and the world’s worst haircut.”
    Matt leaned into her and kissed her. “Likewise. Except for the wing and hair part.”
    A gust of cold wind blew across the dirt, carrying with it grit and dust and the smell of dry grass and stagnation. Gravel crunched underfoot as Alejandro returned, shaking his head. “No phone line. But it’s definitely a working mine, or there wouldn’t be any buildings here.”
    “Doesn’t look like a very big operation,” Matt observed.
    “They’re probably just doing some kind of an assessment. I don’t see a lot of heavy processing equipment,” Alejandro agreed.
    “Could be they’re trucking the ore to a larger mine?”
    “Either way, I’d expect workers shortly after sunup.”
    Jet lifted Hannah’s slack form and handed her to Matt before looking at Alejandro. “We need to get into the buildings and find some water. My little girl needs some and so do I.”
    “I’ll show you the likeliest candidates. I don’t suppose you know how to get past locked doors, do you?” Alejandro asked.
    “You’d be surprised what a girl can do if she puts her mind to it.” She hesitated. “Where’s your brother?”
    “Nature called.”
    “Ah. Well, lead the way.”
    They got lucky at the first trailer. Jet broke a window, and Alejandro boosted her through, and she opened the door from the inside. In the faint moonlight they made out a water cooler with a twenty-liter bottle atop, half full. Jet found a plastic pitcher on one of the desks, filled it to the brim and slaked her thirst, as did Alejandro. When they were sated, she refilled it and then took the pitcher back to Matt and Hannah. Rodrigo returned shortly thereafter, and Alejandro led him to the water cooler. When they reappeared five minutes later, Rodrigo looked considerably less annoyed – a first since she’d met him. Matt lit the fire, and they gathered around it, the warmth from the flames inviting in the cold darkness, the wood crackling and popping, the smoke cloying and thick.
    “Let’s try to get some sleep. It’ll be light in an hour or two,”