Massive Attack (A Guy Niava Thriller Book 1) Dana Arama (ebooks children's books free TXT) 📖

I grabbed onto Laura’s belt. I felt around with my legs. Eventually, I managed to hook my shoes on a bulge I couldn’t quite see. Only when I was well anchored did I look down. I realized that miraculously, we hadn’t fallen off the cliff into the gushing river below. Apparently, I had run too far north, past the spot from which I’d left.

“Zorro, I need you to go back carefully at least two hundred meters northbound. I am in a compromised position here. Quickly.”

I was panting as if I was holding a ton. It was because of the altitude -- the air was thin, lacking enough oxygen to feed my unaccustomed lungs. And worse, the enemy was acclimated to these heights, which gave them an advantage.

“I’m packing up here. They’re too many to take on anyway.”

Another blast of bullets, then Zorro said quietly that she was okay. “They’re shooting randomly into the forest. Go further into the thick of the forest,”

“Can’t… We’re on a slippery slope, about to fall from the cliff.”

In the earpiece I heard Laura groaning. The pain was entering into her consciousness and she was awakening. Maybe the blood flowing to her head affected that. She said that she and Zorro were both level-headed, but I thought she might need a bit of heads-up as she came to.

“Laura, I need you to wake up without panicking.” I spoke quietly and calmly to her, assuming she was going to open her eyes soon and see the abyss underneath. I didn’t want her to make any sudden moves. My other assumption was that the enemy might be on the path above us and I didn’t want them to hear us.

She opened her eyes and saw where we were and asked, “Why am I hanging over a river? Is my ankle broken? I feel dizzy...”

“I don’t think it’s broken,” I lied. “You are dizzy because of the lack of oxygen. I need you to look around you carefully and see if there is something you can hold onto.”

The blood oozing from the gunshot wound in my right arm was dripping on my goggles, blurring my sight. “See if you can hold onto something, but don’t lean on your sore foot.”

“I’m okay,” she whispered, pulling herself onto a small ledge she found between a tree trunk and the ground nearby. I felt her weight leave my arm and I steadied myself.

I suddenly saw a shadow cross over from above and whispered, “Someone is up there. Don’t move.” There was something strange about the belief that if one held their breath and didn’t move, one would merge with the thing one stood upon. The belief was based on the fact that the eyes see movement faster than a still background.

In the earpiece I heard Zorro whispering, “A unit of three is on the path towards you.”

She was right. Immediately after the first shadow, another two passed above.

“They just passed us,” I whispered back. The information was important because it gave her our position.

“How is she?” Zorro inquired.

“I’m fine.” Laura answered. “I think I may have sprained my ankle, but the boot is preventing it from swelling up.”

“You’ll need to take something for the pain. We still have a whole day’s walk ahead of us.”

“I will take what is needed. Just as long as we don’t get caught.”

“Zorro, did you see the Jeep that passed us by from your position?” I asked.

“No.” From afar I could see her making her way through the trees towards us. “I have a feeling that they are on their way to the village to get backup,” she said.

“Zorro, do you think they were expecting us?” Laura asked. It was also a thought that had crossed my mind since the first shooting.

“Everything is possible. Everyone here can be bought, or intimidated. You can trust someone today, but not necessarily tomorrow.”

“Did you tell the pilot or his son where we were aiming for?” Zorro asked.

I cut the conversation short. “Before we chit chat, we have to change positions. Laura, I’m covering you. Make your way towards Zorro.”

She did as she was told, managing to get up and off the slippery slope. She sat gingerly upon the ground. “Did you tell the pilot or his son about our target?” she asked again.

“Of course not. It is none of their business and there is no reason to endanger us if they were tempted to sell the information.”

I made my way towards the two women and sat next to them. I said, “It seems strange that they are so heavily guarded at night. Either they were waiting for us or something big is about to happen.”

“I’m betting that something big that is about to happen,” Laura stated. We both stared at her. In the wan light of the new day, she looked even paler.

“Are you saying this because you have information you are not sharing with us?” Zorro asked. “Because this is the time to prove you are a team player.”

“We received information after the big raid in New York. The cartel is preparing a huge shipment. We know that the competitors are going to try and rob them.”

“There is going to be a world war and you didn’t bother to inform us?” I looked at her with reproach.

“It doesn’t change the fact that we have to reach him to get the information we need.”

“No… It doesn’t change that fact, but it might have changed our preparation plan.”

“Speaking of preparations…” Zorro pointed to my wounded arm. “We need to bandage you up before we start on our way.”

I put my arm out in surrender and she took out a strip of gauze and bandaged my arm skillfully. “And you...” she looked at Laura, “You need to take a sedative and I want to set your ankle.”

“I will take a painkiller. But I think it is better left in the boot.”

She took out a splint and set it over the boot. “I hope it lasts. I didn’t bring an endless supply of