light-headed.
Hold on. She could let go soon. But it wasn’t safe yet.
She closed her eyes and waited for Dominic to wake.
“You shouldn’t have let Galen do it,” Dominic said.
“It was done before I realized what was happening.” Elena was silent for a moment. “But I won’t lie to you. I would have done it myself. I was planning on it.”
He shook his head. “You can’t take people’s choices away from them, Elena.”
“I can if it means keeping them alive. I don’t have that many people in the world that I care about. I won’t let any of you be taken from me.”
He smiled crookedly. “Even if it means taking us on one by one.”
“Chavez burned your house. He would have killed you.”
“I’m no novice at hide-and-seek. Remember all those years I spent with the guerrillas. I’m just a little out of practice.”
“Chavez wouldn’t have given you the opportunity to regain any lost skills. He would have tracked you down and butchered you. He’ll do anything to hurt me now.”
“Now?” He reached out and gently touched her cheek. “He’s already tried hard to ruin your life.”
“He didn’t care before. It didn’t mean anything to him. Iwas only an amusement.” She added bitterly, “I guarantee he’s not amused now.” She took his hand, her voice vibrating with feeling. “I know you’re thinking about not getting on that plane in Medellín. Please come with us. What would happen to Barry if I don’t get through this? We need you.”
“You have Forbes and Galen.”
“They’re strangers. They don’t care anything about him. He’s only a pawn to them.” Her grasp tightened. “Come with us for a few weeks, a month. You’ve given me six years. Just give me a little more time.”
“Elena …”
“I’m begging you,” she said unevenly. “Just until Chavez is caught.”
He sighed and then slowly nodded. “A few months. Then I have to get back.”
“Thank God.” She let her breath out in a profound sigh of relief. “And thank you, Dominic.”
“Since when do there have to be thanks between us? Now, where is Barry? I’ve got to show him I’m alive and stirring.”
She nodded at the front of the helicopter. “Galen has him.”
He flinched as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Galen seems to be taking charge in a number of ways.”
“Only until we get to the U.S. Then we’re done with him. Forbes told me he only brought him into the picture to get us out.”
“That may not be such a good thing. He seems to be a handy man to have around. You’re going to be on unfamiliar ground and you’re going to need help.”
“Forbes will take care of things. We made a deal and he’llkeep it.” She glanced out the window. “I think we’re descending. We must be landing in Medellín.”
“So she persuaded him to come along.” Forbes’s gaze was fastened on Dominic and Barry, who were hunched over a game of checkers toward the front of the jet. “I wasn’t sure she’d be able to do it.”
“She would have moved heaven and earth to see that he wasn’t left behind.” Galen’s gaze shifted to Elena, who was sitting by herself across the aisle. She was bolt upright, staring straight ahead, her muscles locked into place. “And she’s got a damn strong will. I don’t know how she’s even managing to sit up.” He stood. “But I believe it’s time to pull the plug.”
Elena stiffened warily when he crossed to stand beside her. “Yes?”
“Time to go to bed.” Galen checked his wristwatch. “It will be at least seven hours before we reach the coast. There’s a sleeping compartment and bathroom behind those curtains. Go and hit the sack until we get there.”
“I’m fine here.”
“Bullshit. You’re just afraid you’ll fall apart if you relax. Go on and lie down. I’ll get some painkillers and bring them to you.”
“I won’t have Barry worried.”
“He won’t be worried. I’ll take care of it. He’ll be more worried if you collapse.
Hold on. She could let go soon. But it wasn’t safe yet.
She closed her eyes and waited for Dominic to wake.
“You shouldn’t have let Galen do it,” Dominic said.
“It was done before I realized what was happening.” Elena was silent for a moment. “But I won’t lie to you. I would have done it myself. I was planning on it.”
He shook his head. “You can’t take people’s choices away from them, Elena.”
“I can if it means keeping them alive. I don’t have that many people in the world that I care about. I won’t let any of you be taken from me.”
He smiled crookedly. “Even if it means taking us on one by one.”
“Chavez burned your house. He would have killed you.”
“I’m no novice at hide-and-seek. Remember all those years I spent with the guerrillas. I’m just a little out of practice.”
“Chavez wouldn’t have given you the opportunity to regain any lost skills. He would have tracked you down and butchered you. He’ll do anything to hurt me now.”
“Now?” He reached out and gently touched her cheek. “He’s already tried hard to ruin your life.”
“He didn’t care before. It didn’t mean anything to him. Iwas only an amusement.” She added bitterly, “I guarantee he’s not amused now.” She took his hand, her voice vibrating with feeling. “I know you’re thinking about not getting on that plane in Medellín. Please come with us. What would happen to Barry if I don’t get through this? We need you.”
“You have Forbes and Galen.”
“They’re strangers. They don’t care anything about him. He’s only a pawn to them.” Her grasp tightened. “Come with us for a few weeks, a month. You’ve given me six years. Just give me a little more time.”
“Elena …”
“I’m begging you,” she said unevenly. “Just until Chavez is caught.”
He sighed and then slowly nodded. “A few months. Then I have to get back.”
“Thank God.” She let her breath out in a profound sigh of relief. “And thank you, Dominic.”
“Since when do there have to be thanks between us? Now, where is Barry? I’ve got to show him I’m alive and stirring.”
She nodded at the front of the helicopter. “Galen has him.”
He flinched as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Galen seems to be taking charge in a number of ways.”
“Only until we get to the U.S. Then we’re done with him. Forbes told me he only brought him into the picture to get us out.”
“That may not be such a good thing. He seems to be a handy man to have around. You’re going to be on unfamiliar ground and you’re going to need help.”
“Forbes will take care of things. We made a deal and he’llkeep it.” She glanced out the window. “I think we’re descending. We must be landing in Medellín.”
“So she persuaded him to come along.” Forbes’s gaze was fastened on Dominic and Barry, who were hunched over a game of checkers toward the front of the jet. “I wasn’t sure she’d be able to do it.”
“She would have moved heaven and earth to see that he wasn’t left behind.” Galen’s gaze shifted to Elena, who was sitting by herself across the aisle. She was bolt upright, staring straight ahead, her muscles locked into place. “And she’s got a damn strong will. I don’t know how she’s even managing to sit up.” He stood. “But I believe it’s time to pull the plug.”
Elena stiffened warily when he crossed to stand beside her. “Yes?”
“Time to go to bed.” Galen checked his wristwatch. “It will be at least seven hours before we reach the coast. There’s a sleeping compartment and bathroom behind those curtains. Go and hit the sack until we get there.”
“I’m fine here.”
“Bullshit. You’re just afraid you’ll fall apart if you relax. Go on and lie down. I’ll get some painkillers and bring them to you.”
“I won’t have Barry worried.”
“He won’t be worried. I’ll take care of it. He’ll be more worried if you collapse.
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