Page 50 of Heat Force

The elder added something else, his voice solemn. Edmond’s expression darkened.

“What?” Hawk asked sharply.

“The rebels have followed them.” Edmond’s tone was grim. “They know the boy is hurt.”

Hawk glanced at the others. That was to be expected. The clock was ticking, they had to get to Lexi and Moyo before those bastard rebels did. “We’re moving out. Edmond, lead the way. Phoenix, Viper, watch our six. Eyes on the ridges—we’re vulnerable climbing these hills.”

He wasn’t telling the seasoned operatives anything they didn’t already know. The team moved as one, their boots crunching over gravel as they followed the faint trail into the mountains.

The air grew thinner as they ascended, the humid jungle giving way to rocky slopes and sparse vegetation. Hawk’s muscles burned with the effort, but he didn’t slow down. Each step took him closer to Lexi. She was out here, somewhere in this unforgiving wilderness, scared, exhausted, and possibly hurt. She needed him. Moyo needed him.

He only prayed they weren’t too late.

CHAPTER 23

Lexi felt like collapsing. Her legs trembled with every step, her chest burned, and her blistered feet screamed with agony with every step. Blood pooled in her left boot, sticky and warm, but she didn’t dare take it off. If she removed the boot, she wouldn’t be able to get it back on again, and she couldn’t risk falling behind.

“Not long now, then we’ll stop for a break,” Patrick said, his eyes scanning the path ahead. He’d been a godsend, and she thanked her lucky stars he’d escaped with her and Moyo. Without him, they would never have gotten this far.

The climb was relentless, each step felt like scaling a staircase carved from uneven stones and loose gravel. The jungle had all but disappeared, and now their path wound through sparse, rocky terrain. The air grew thinner and colder the higher they climbed, but it was a relief from the stifling humidity below.

“Okay, let’s take a break.”

Lexi heaved a silent sigh of relief. Patrick knelt and laid a pale and drawn Moyo on the hard ground. Lexi scurried over to him and took his hand. “You’re doing great,” she told him, giving it a warm squeeze. “You’re such a brave boy.”

Braver than any child should ever have to be.

A flicker of a smile, but then it was gone. He didn’t have the energy to respond anymore. Lexi flashed Patrick a worried glance. They were running out of time. “How much further to the village?” she asked.

Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, but his expression remained calm. “The elder said a day’s walk. We must be close now.”

Shit. Would they make it?

They were both exhausted, and Moyo was fading fast. Not to mention the rebels who she had to believe were still hot on their tail, even though they couldn’t see or hear them.

They couldn’t afford to stop for long.

She looked around at their environment, assessing it for hiding places in case of an ambush. Nothing but rocks, crumbling earth, and patches of scrubby grass. Reaching into her backpack, she took out her water bottle. It was nearly empty, since s he’d not had a chance to refill it before they’d fled the village. Her hands shook as she unscrewed the cap and held it to Moyo’s lips.

“Drink,” she urged him gently, her voice hoarse. Moyo took a few tentative sips, then rested his head back down on the ground. Lexi sat beside him.

“Why are they still after us?” she asked Patrick. “I wouldn’t have thought we were worth the trouble.”

“You are a valuable asset to them,” the veterinarian told her. “A foreigner, an outsider, someone they could use as leverage.”

Or worse.

Imagine if they knew who she really was. A senator’s daughter. The ransom they could demand would be astronomical.

She cringed. Not even Patrick knew about that.

If they got caught, maybe she’d use it as a bargaining chip. Her life, along with Moyo’s and Patrick’s, for a larger sum. Ifthey didn’t kill them first. She pushed the thought down, locking it away with all the other horrors she refused to acknowledge. She couldn’t afford to let fear paralyze her now.

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the cool mountain air wash over her. Somewhere above them, birds sang sweet, sharp notes that echoed through the hills. For a fleeting moment, it was almost possible to believe they were safe.

Almost.

“You ready to move?” Patrick asked, a short while later.