collecting bodies and digging graves.
Yoni peered out the helicopter door next to Jake. “These people never stood a chance.”
“No, they didn’t. So let’s make sure Laney and Jen do.” He attached a carabiner to a zip line and threw the rope out the open door. “You ready?”
Yoni mimicked Jake’s actions on a second rope. “I’m right behind you.”
Jake stepped out into the air, flying down the line. He landed lightly and disconnected himself.
Yoni dropped to the ground next to him. “I’m going to do a quick sweep.”
Jake nodded, heading for the man in the dress shirt standing next to the police jeep. The shirt was stained with dirt and blood, as were his tan pants. He doubted the man even noticed. There was a horror in the man’s eyes as he looked around him.
Jake held out his hand. “Mr. Carmichael? I’m Jake R ogan from the Chandler Group.”
James Carmichael returned the handshake. He was a small, thin man with stringy grey hair that fell over his small blue eyes. The U.S. consulate had sent him to meet with them. “You certainly know how to make an entrance.”
“Nowhere to land the helicopter, and time’s cri tical. What can you tell us?”
Carmichael pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his brow, a tremor in his hand. “I’ve never seen anything like this. They killed everyone, men, women, children, old, young. It ’s a miracle anyone survived.”
“How m any survivors have you found?”
“Not enough. Maybe thirty. The priests hid some away in the cellar.” Carmichael looked away, his eyes haunted. “They guarded the entrance to that hiding spot with their lives.”
Now it was Jake’s turn to look away, his thoughts on Patrick. More bad news to share with the priest.
Carmichael cleared his throat. “A few others were found in the woods . It’s been a rough morning.”
“I’m sorry. And I hate to rush you, but t here are still lives at risk.”
With a steadying breath, Carmichael led Jake over to a land cruiser a few feet away. He pulled a map off the driver's seat and laid it on the hood. “We’re here. Your friends were put in a truck and headed northwest."
“What’s up there?”
Carmichael shook his head. “Nothing. I can’t figure out where they would be headed. It’s almost completely undeveloped. We traced their route until here. The police refused to go further. There are reports of unfriendly indigenous people up there. If you’re going to follow your friends, I would suggest you take care.”
“Okay. Thanks. If you hear anything else, contact us through the Chandl er Group.” He turned to leave.
Carmichael grabbed Jake’s arm, his eyes intense. “Mr. Rogan, I've spent my morning digging graves. These were good people. They didn’t deserve this. I hope you find the monsters responsible for this and give them what they deserve.”
Jake looked at the fresh graves around him, his eye focused on one that was impossibly small. He looked back at Carmichael, letting some of his anger into his voice.
“Don’t worry about that. I plan on making sure they pay for what they’ve done here.”
CHAPTER 23
Laney peered through the hut’s doorway. The men who’d attacked the village and the church swarmed the grounds below them like ants.
The rope bridge in front of her swayed violently as round after round slammed into the huts. Guardians returned fire, cutting down their enemies’ number, but not enough to make them turn tail and run. Two more buildings to their right erupted in flames.
Laney glanced over at Jen. “I’m open to ideas.”
Jen gave her a determined smile. “I vote for escaping and taking out as many of those bastards as possible.”
“Sounds good to me, although I was hoping for a more detailed plan.”
Laney whirled around as flames crept over the back of their hut. She snatched the backpack
Yoni peered out the helicopter door next to Jake. “These people never stood a chance.”
“No, they didn’t. So let’s make sure Laney and Jen do.” He attached a carabiner to a zip line and threw the rope out the open door. “You ready?”
Yoni mimicked Jake’s actions on a second rope. “I’m right behind you.”
Jake stepped out into the air, flying down the line. He landed lightly and disconnected himself.
Yoni dropped to the ground next to him. “I’m going to do a quick sweep.”
Jake nodded, heading for the man in the dress shirt standing next to the police jeep. The shirt was stained with dirt and blood, as were his tan pants. He doubted the man even noticed. There was a horror in the man’s eyes as he looked around him.
Jake held out his hand. “Mr. Carmichael? I’m Jake R ogan from the Chandler Group.”
James Carmichael returned the handshake. He was a small, thin man with stringy grey hair that fell over his small blue eyes. The U.S. consulate had sent him to meet with them. “You certainly know how to make an entrance.”
“Nowhere to land the helicopter, and time’s cri tical. What can you tell us?”
Carmichael pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his brow, a tremor in his hand. “I’ve never seen anything like this. They killed everyone, men, women, children, old, young. It ’s a miracle anyone survived.”
“How m any survivors have you found?”
“Not enough. Maybe thirty. The priests hid some away in the cellar.” Carmichael looked away, his eyes haunted. “They guarded the entrance to that hiding spot with their lives.”
Now it was Jake’s turn to look away, his thoughts on Patrick. More bad news to share with the priest.
Carmichael cleared his throat. “A few others were found in the woods . It’s been a rough morning.”
“I’m sorry. And I hate to rush you, but t here are still lives at risk.”
With a steadying breath, Carmichael led Jake over to a land cruiser a few feet away. He pulled a map off the driver's seat and laid it on the hood. “We’re here. Your friends were put in a truck and headed northwest."
“What’s up there?”
Carmichael shook his head. “Nothing. I can’t figure out where they would be headed. It’s almost completely undeveloped. We traced their route until here. The police refused to go further. There are reports of unfriendly indigenous people up there. If you’re going to follow your friends, I would suggest you take care.”
“Okay. Thanks. If you hear anything else, contact us through the Chandl er Group.” He turned to leave.
Carmichael grabbed Jake’s arm, his eyes intense. “Mr. Rogan, I've spent my morning digging graves. These were good people. They didn’t deserve this. I hope you find the monsters responsible for this and give them what they deserve.”
Jake looked at the fresh graves around him, his eye focused on one that was impossibly small. He looked back at Carmichael, letting some of his anger into his voice.
“Don’t worry about that. I plan on making sure they pay for what they’ve done here.”
CHAPTER 23
Laney peered through the hut’s doorway. The men who’d attacked the village and the church swarmed the grounds below them like ants.
The rope bridge in front of her swayed violently as round after round slammed into the huts. Guardians returned fire, cutting down their enemies’ number, but not enough to make them turn tail and run. Two more buildings to their right erupted in flames.
Laney glanced over at Jen. “I’m open to ideas.”
Jen gave her a determined smile. “I vote for escaping and taking out as many of those bastards as possible.”
“Sounds good to me, although I was hoping for a more detailed plan.”
Laney whirled around as flames crept over the back of their hut. She snatched the backpack
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