He’d once had Phantom appear out of nowhere, Specter on another occasion. Not to complete a hit, but to get him the hell out afterward.
And if the bosses were making sure he had everything he needed for this mission …
That meant things were about to get very, very interesting.
CHAPTER 2
The luxury of the jet was soon forgotten when they touched down in Mexico. He and Raven transferred to a small prop jet and took off not more than thirty minutes after they’d landed in Mexico. The plane ride was loud and turbulent. It lacked even the basic amenities lavished on the Guardian transports, but one of the Guardian jets couldn’t land where this plane would. It touched down with the smooth precision of a pilot who had done this kind of job before. The event was silent, quick, and held zero desire for attention. When the wheels met the ground of the small, unregistered airstrip carved out of the jungle, Jinx unclipped his harness and stretched.
Beside him, Raven adjusted her duffel, eyes sharp. “We good?”
Jinx gave a slow nod, scanning their surroundings. The airstrip was just a clearing, an old CIA drop point repurposed for black-market transport. It was outside the cartel’s direct control, but they’d still have to move fast. If the wrong people saw them, questions would be asked.
They stepped onto the packed dirt, the thick, humid air hitting them instantly. No lights, no control tower. One man leaned against a rusted truck. Jinx recognized him, an old contact who made it his business not to ask questions. They exchanged nods and a handful of money before loading their gear into the truck’s bed.
Jinx slid into the driver’s seat while Raven took the passenger side, rifle casually resting against her thigh. The truck rumbled to life, rolling toward a narrow trail that blended into the jungle.
“Where’s the safe house?” Raven asked, her voice low.
Jinx glanced at her. “About thirty clicks east, near the foothills. Cartels don’t like the area. There are too many damn caves, bad terrain for their convoys. Plus, a couple of years back, someone made it a habitof making their roads disappear.” He made a gesture like an explosion.
Raven snorted. “You blew up their roads?”
“Maybe.” Jinx shrugged.
The drive was long, the road twisting through dense vegetation. Jinx watched for checkpoints, armed convoys, or out-of-place vehicles, but they encountered nothing beyond the occasional stray dog or a lone farmer leading a mule.
As they neared Maracay, a larger city known for its military presence, Jinx made a call. He hung up and pulled down a dusty dirt road. “We’re switching cars here,” he told Raven. “Can’t risk someone recognizing this truck. They could trace the truck back to my contact at the airfield and jeopardize our exfil.”
Raven nodded and blew out a long breath. “Leaving is important.”
Fifteen minutes and two wads of cash later, they were in a dusty Land Cruiser, a model common enough to blend in but sturdy enough to get them where they needed to go.
Raven tapped the window. “We’re getting close, aren’t we?”
Jinx nodded and exhaled as his fingers tightened on the wheel as they approached the outskirts of town. Memories flooded him. The town wasn’tmuch. It was an old colonial-era village surrounded by jungle and mountains. It had a small clinic, a market that ran mostly by barter and trade, and locals who knew to keep their heads down.There was nocartel presence. The location was too inconvenient for their operations.
Jinx parked behind an abandoned mechanic’s shop obscuring the Land Cruiser beneath a collapsed awning. He and Raven moved fast, taking a side route through an overgrown footpath. It used to be well-traveled. Now, vines pulled at Jinx’s boots, and he had to duck through a tangle of branches. A few minutes later, they emerged on the other side, where there was a small house, which was hidden from the main roads.
He and Raven crouched outside with a view of the house and used infrared scopes to ensure no one had taken up residence. When he was sure it was clear, he tapped his comm device. “Assets have arrived at the safe house. Transfer Raven to our frequency. You’ll be our control for this mission.”
Brando’s response was immediate. “Copy.”
Raven smiled widely. “Thank you for that. Ring really is a pain in the ass.”
“Figured you wouldn’t mind a few weeks without him.”
“Is that how long you think this will take? A few weeks?” she asked as they entered the house.
Jinx walked over to the fireplace and removed a brick from the side. He pulled a handle, and a trap door under the rug opened. He tossed the rug away before he answered her question. “If Guardian’s intel on the Ghost is correct, yes. If it isn’t, it could be longer.” He pulled the handle on the door and lifted the heavy boards.
“Well, look at that.” Raven whistled.
Jinx dropped soundlessly into the stronghold he’d built over the years in Venezuela. The fortified space was his sanctuary, hidden deep in the jungle, with everything he needed to survive and wage war. Weapons lined the interior. Rifles, handguns, and explosives were secured long before he’d made his move on Montoya’s villa. He wasn’t particular about his arsenal. If it could kill, he used it.
On the far side of the reinforced cellar, shelves held ammunition, MREs, canned fruit, soups, meats, rice, and beans. All the staples of a man who lived off-grid. He grabbed a few supplies and tossed them to Raven, who caught them effortlessly.
“Stock up,” he muttered to himself. He’d fill his stores before leaving the country again.
