Outcast (SEAL Team: Disavowed Book 2) by Laura Marie Altom Page B

gaze narrowed. “And out of all of Antarctica, you just happened to run here? Right where we were hiding?”
    “No, you don’t understand. Leo’s men have been following you. Eden, Leo told me you were with a friend. When your father escaped, they brought me here to talk with both of you. Leo wants me to try getting Eden to spill whatever she knows about this supposed treasure he believes is linked to a conspiracy theory about Hitler having constructed an underground compound. I told him that even as your father’s closest friend, I had never heard such a farfetched, outlandish claim, but Leo insists the treasure is real.”
    “Whether it is or isn’t,” Jasper said, “the bullets those guys have been shooting are very real. Let’s table this discussion, then get over that ridge.” He nodded toward the spot where he’d previously asked her to go.
    “I’ve got a better idea.” Dane left the rock’s cover, emerging with his hands up. “Gentlemen!” he called to the shooters. “Please, hold your fire! I’ve found Carl’s daughter, and she’s agreed to go with us peaceably.”
    “The hell she did,” Jasper mumbled.
    Eden elbowed him. “Hush. I’m sure Dane knows what he’s doing.”
    “Unless he’s planning to get us all killed. I don’t like it. I’m not going anywhere with those guys, and neither are you.”
    “I’m unarmed.” Dane steadily moved closer. “Please, call back the chopper and we’ll cooperate.”
    One-by-one, men emerged from their cover. Once they’d all joined together, Dane stepped closer. He said something out of earshot, then gestured for Eden and Jasper to follow.
    “Not happening!” Jasper shouted. “This is voodoo,” he said under his breath. “How do we know all of this isn’t an act? This Dane character could be one of them.”
    “Stop. I’ve known him forever—much longer than Leo. Trust me, he’s one of the kindest, most gentle men I know.”
    “Eden! Come!” Dane urged her forward.
    “How do we know we can trust you?” Jasper shouted before she’d even opened her mouth.
    “Will this help?” He pulled a menacing looking gun of the sort she’d only seen in movies out from under his coat and shot man after man in rapid-fire succession.
    Eden retched.
    Jasper held her.
    “That’s for what you did to my friends!” Dane dropped the last man standing, then crumpled to his knees. He pitched the gun a good three feet away.
    “Damn . . .” Jasper slowly exhaled.
    Eden escaped Jasper’s hold to run to her old friend. “That was either very stupid or very brave,” she said through tears. “I didn’t even know you knew how to shoot.”
    “I don’t,” Dane admitted, shaky while pushing himself to his feet. “I just put my hand on the trigger and hoped for the best. I stole this gun from them on the flight over.”
    Still a nervous wreck herself, Eden slipped her arm around his waist for a sideways hug. “Thank you. That was horrible, but now we’re all free.”
    “Free to do what?” Jasper asked. “The wind is picking up and it’s not exactly balmy. And if the helicopter comes back, what then? Do you really trust Leo’s gang to fly us to McMurdo?”
    “They never had the chance to radio the pilot,” Dane said. “But their snowcats are parked at the canyon entrance—the pilot picked them up there. I was already onboard. All we have to do is hike to them, and voila—we’re saved.”
    “Interesting . . . If you’re telling the truth.”
    “Jasper, stop. Dane is one of the good guys. He killed those men to save us.”
    “Whatever.” He picked up their dropped gear and Dane’s weapons.
    This wasn’t the Jasper she knew. He didn’t used to be so paranoid. But then how much had she really known about him?
    “Let’s get going,” he said. “We’ve got a long hike out of here and it’s not getting warmer.
    “Jovial fella,” Dane said for only her to hear. “How did you get mixed up with him?”
    “We used to date back in