Drake nodded. "Was he also an agent?"
Tori sadly shook her head. "No, it was years ago and he was in the marines."
Drake nodded, hearing the pain in her voice while thinking that the two of them had something in common. They both had lost the people they had loved who'd been marines. He was about to say something, just what he wasn't sure, when the sound of one of the boat's crewmen interrupted him.
"Cut the motor," the man called out.
For just a moment, Drake and Tori's gazes locked. Moments later they turned to look out into the night. Looming ahead in the darkness was the military ship that would carry them to their final destination.
Tori turned back and met Drake's deep stare. Adrenaline flowed through them and they both felt it. Pending danger was just as much her element as it was his and she knew he'd finally realized that. But realizing and accepting were two different things. "I can take care of myself, Drake," she said as she began nervously fiddling with the ammunition belt around her waist.
She heard his quick intake of breath and looked up. It was then that she remembered those had been the last words Sandy had spoken to him that ill-fated day moments before disobeying his order. Without saying anything, he turned and walked away.
CHAPTER 3
For the past three hours, Drake and Tori had silently made their way through the jungle when Drake swore under his breath just seconds before quickly pulling Tori beneath a bevy of large low-hanging trees. The smell of smoke was in the air and up ahead voices could be heard, which meant they had come upon a camp.
"Don't say anything, let alone breathe," Drake whispered close to her ear as he eased their bodies into the huge hollowed indention of a tree trunk to shield them from view. It was pitch-dark with very little light. The only tiling they'd had to depend on since setting foot onshore was the gear they'd brought along and the ammunition strapped around their waists.
Tori nodded, her signal that she understood the danger they'd almost walked into. Even in this life-threatening situation, she thought his voice sounded low and sensuous and instead of thinking of revolutionaries with guns, she had a momentary vision of naked bodies underneath satin sheets.
When they heard footsteps, probably from a night watchman, her thoughts were snatched back to the present. Drake pulled her closer to him and tried to ease more into the tree trunk to keep them from being discovered.
"Shh," he whispered and held her tightly to him, embracing her closely.
A shiver coursed through Tori at the feel of being pressed so close to his body. His chest was squashed against her spine and she felt the lower portion of his front compressed right up to her bottom. One of his hands was around her waist, holding her tight and the other, she knew, held up a pistol, aimed and ready to shoot at a moment's notice. She also held a Beretta 9mm, cocked, aimed and ready to fire.
Tori wondered how she could think of the sensuality of their positions when their lives were so dangerously close to coming to an end if they were discovered. Yet, she couldn't put out of her mind the feel of Drake's hot breath against her skin, and the way his hand was wrapped around her waist and the feel of the way his groin area was cradling her backside.
She tried forcing away the thoughts of how they'd once made love in the jungle when they'd been almost out of their minds with sexual need, and the only private time they could find was sneaking off from camp and finding a secluded spot under the low-hanging branches of tree limbs. Drake had captured her scream in his mouth when she had come apart while her body had responded to his deep, hard and unyielding thrusts.
The passion they'd always shared was strong, uncompromising, and profound. It was only during those times that they'd been truly unguarded and in some ways reckless. In the past, his gaze across a campfire had a tendency to be burning, seductive, hypnotic, and the lovemaking that eventually followed whenever they made eye contact would end up being scorching. They'd satisfied each other tremendously sexually; it was all those other times that he'd wanted to play leader and she his follower that would drive her crazy.
"I think the way is clear now," Drake whispered a short while later. "We need to hang east and be on the lookout for more revolutionaries mulling about."
She nodded and felt immediately lost when he dropped his hand from her waist and eased them out of the indentation of the tree trunk. Tori turned and watched as he sheathed his gun back into the holster at his waist before she did likewise with her own revolver.
"Do you think you can cover another five miles tonight?" he asked, searching her face for signs of fatigue.
Tori frowned. If he still had ideas about leaving her behind, he might as well toss them out. They had already covered a lot of ground and she knew it would be better to catch the revolutionaries off-guard at night. That meant they needed to keep pressing forward before daybreak. When dawn hit, their plan was to have gotten Robin Thomas safety onboard the military ship that was waiting offshore for them.
An hour later they continued pressing forward to their destination. Occasionally, they would crouch for cover when they heard voices. The trees, shrubs, and other natural plants served as their cover, protecting them from being seen. The route they were taking had been one the informant had given them and the same one naval intelligence had advised as the best one to use. The house where Robin Thomas was being held was reported to be the home of the head honcho in charge and was located in a clearing at the foot of a private tropic-like beach.
Parts of Drake and Tori's gear contained tracking devices so the military ship, along with several Recons stationed around the small island knew their location at all times. The moonlight was bright and they knew they worked against time if they wanted to rescue Robin before the crack of dawn.
Once they reached the fortress and got over on the other side, they would sheath their hands in gloves. They didn't want to leave behind any fingerprints that could later be identified. If things went smoothly according to plan, their informant who was planted inside the villa was to slip every guard in charge of watching Robin Thomas a drug that would render them unconscious for a while. It was the same drug that had been used on Robin Thomas, which meant the men would be getting a taste of their own medicine. The informant had also stripped some of the alarm wires to that section of the house to neutralize the alarm system for that particular floor.
The informant, a native of Costa Rica, had been planted within this group and working with the CIA for over a year, feeding the Agency valuable information. He had confirmed that the revolutionaries' activities had been funded through Al Qaeda's network. After his bold stint of drugging some of the guards, it would be time for him to leave before his true identity was revealed. His asylum in the United States had already been worked out with the State Department.
When they reached the barbwire fence that surrounded the fortress-like villa, Drake and Tori knew they had reached their mark. The informant had relayed information as to exactly where Robin was being held. Tori and Drake just hoped that she hadn't been moved for any reason.
Tori inwardly sighed. Even with drugged guards and a semi-neutralized alarm system, getting the young woman out without any trouble wouldn't be easy, but she felt confident that together she and Drake could do it. She glanced over at him, more aware of him than ever before because of the danger that surrounded them. He was busy pulling out the special clippers he needed to cut the wire. Chances were high that an alarm system was connected to it and the last thing they wanted to do was to alert anyone of their presence.
Also, there was the possibility of hidden cameras being stationed both inside and outside. If this was the home of the head man in charge, then he would take whatever measures necessary to be protected against any outside elements, especially unwanted intruders.
Silently, she watched as Drake worked quickly and methodically, cutting away at the wire. Not far away Tori could see an outline of the sea that was shimmering beneath the moonlight. Since they had been tracked, she was well aware that marine boats were somewhere out there, standing by, waiting to give them backup if they needed it. Drake had verified their location with them less than an hour ago and she'd heard the eagerness in the voice of the lieutenant he had communicated with. As usual, the marines were ready for action. Tori couldn't help but smile as she remembered those days.
"Happy thoughts, Tori?"
Tori, surprised by Drake's question, glanced at him. Although the majority of their faces were smeared with camouflage paint, she could see the intensity of his gaze. "Yes, one or two. Doesn't pay not to have them at a time like this."
"Ditto," he said going back to what he was doing, letting the job of cutting through the barbwire take his full concentration. While he was busy doing that, she decided to check their state-of-the-art night detector that could identify any areas on the grounds that was wired to the alarm system, lasers or spotlights. They would need to avoid stepping on anything in those areas. The last thing they wanted was to trip anything to set off the alarm.
"All right, that should do it," Drake whispered, and Tori saw relief wash over him as well as grim satisfaction. He had cut a sufficient section of the secured gate out to allow their passage. "Ready?"
She nodded and fed off the adrenaline that she felt flowing through him. Ever since Sandy's death, danger had become Drake's life, the full extent of his element, and she was about to see firsthand just how he toyed with it. After quickly putting on her gloves, she placed her gloved hand on his. There was a lot she wanted to say, and even more that she wished she could say, but the main thing now was the both of their safety as well as the safety of Robin Thomas. "We follow the rules, Drake. No deviations unless absolutely necessary, all right?" She watched as his dark eyes glittered before he winked at her.
"Don't worry, Tori, you'll get your piece of the action. Just stay safe."
She nodded. "You stay safe, too."
After gaining entrance inside the building through a side door the informant had left unlocked, Drake and Tori were crouched down between the crevices of a wall and had been for over twenty minutes. They had heard voices; loud, angered and raised voices being spoken in rapid Spanish, but not too rapid for Drake to decipher what was being said.
"Damn," he muttered and behind him, pressed close to him, Tori could feel his muscles tense. Being this close to him, with her face nearly plastered to his back, she felt his muscles, tight and hard. Somehow heat was penetrating through the protective vests they were both wearing. She also inhaled the manly scent of him and it made her feel warm inside, heated, and for a brief moment she was able to shift her concentration off her muscles that were aching from being in the same position for so long, to the man whose back was braced against her chest.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Even with her fluency of Spanish, she hadn't been able to fully translate what was being said.
"We've got to move fast," Drake whispered back. "Someone just called to say they think the wrong girl was taken, but orders were given for them to sit tight until they find out for sure. We need to have her out of here before they get another call."
Tori nodded. Time was not on their side. When footsteps sounded in their direction they held their breath then let it back out when the sound went away. Drake moved his body just a fraction, as much as their tight position could allow, and looked over his shoulder for his gaze to meet hers. "Let's do it."
But seconds ticked by and he didn't move as their gazes locked. He merely met her gaze. Then slowly he reached up and touched the side of her mouth with his fingers. Tori sucked in a deep breath when his gloved hand slipped away and he bent and lowered his head and whispered against her ear. At the same time she felt the casual brush of his hand against her thigh. "As much as I didn't want one, you make one hell of a partner, Tori."
She met his eyes, almost drowning in their dark depth. "Thanks."
Tori's heart stopped beating and for one earthshaking moment she wondered if he would kiss her and felt a tinge of disappointment when he pulled back and slowly stood, straightening his tall form. Tension grabbed her stomach tight when she also stood, coming to her feet beside him.
"Let's get this show on the road," he muttered low, somewhat angrily to her ears.
They moved together in well-orchestrated silence, two black-clad figures whose senses were keen, minds were alert, and sight sharp. Adrenaline flowed through their veins as they tensed for action, braced for danger. They backed up against a wall when they heard noise coming from a room at the top of the stairs that was followed by the sound of doors opening and closing. Tori knew that everything about this rescue had to be perfectly timed, especially the drugging of the men guarding Robin.
Tori couldn't help but admire Drake's outwardly calm demeanor. He had gone into his remote mode and she knew that the only thing on his mind, his total concentration was in getting the job done.
Seconds ticked by and then it was quiet again. Drake and Tori moved slowly, cautiously up the stairs. According to their information, Robin Thomas was being held in a room at the end of a hall.
Tori's nostrils flared with the scent of Drake every time she drew her breath. It was a masculine scent, robust, hot, sweaty, and she shivered in reflex to it. Her body was silently, provocatively responding to the only male it recognized as its mate. She bit down on her lips. Somehow, some way, she had to control her need for him but her body was reminding her that five years had been a long time.