Deadly Games - Cate Noble [87]
“I’m Luc Skihawtra. Travis sent me to help you!”
Maddy shook her head as if she hadn’t heard him. “Travis sent you?” She held her side as if in pain.
“Yes.” Luc straightened and pressed a finger to his lips as a new noise caught his attention. “The dogs are loose. We must get away, fast! Can you run?”
Maddy nodded. “Go. I’ll follow.”
“No! You first. That way.” Luc pointed to her left. “Twenty yards. There is a small river. We can use it to throw them off our scent.”
Maddy charged forward as the sounds of yelping dogs grew louder.
“They’re coming!” she called over her shoulder.
“Just keep going!” Luc had his phone out and pressed buttons as he ran.
The phone rang three times and went to voice mail. Travis had told him to call another number, but there wasn’t time.
He left a message. “I have the woman. She escaped, but they are after us. We are headed northwest of the compound, toward the Si Nan River.”
A growl was all the warning Luc got as a dog lunged for Maddy.
“Go!” Luc threw himself in front of the dog.
The dog twisted away but leaped again, going straight for his throat. Luc caught the dog midair, grabbing him by the jaw and ears before breaking the dog’s neck.
There were shouts ordering them to stop. More barks grew closer as the dogs outraced their handler. Clearly the guards had emptied the kennels.
Luc headed after Maddy. She had reached the river but stopped, looking uncertain.
“You can swim?” he asked.
She nodded, then doubled over as she held her abdomen.
Luc saw blood on her thighs. Not good. But to stay meant worse from the dogs. The beasts were trained to kill.
“Let’s go before they catch us.” Maddy waded into the water.
“Float,” Luc hissed. “The current will carry us without much noise.”
He crossed the river and ran up the side of the opposite bank, making a few footprints before diving back into the water. He hoped the guards would think they’d crossed to the other side.
Luc quickly caught up with Maddy and moved beside her. Behind them, the barking grew frantic as the dogs reached the riverbank. He signaled for her to remain quiet as they continued to float farther away.
Maddy continued to clutch her abdomen, clearly in pain. Luc realized she had likely suffered a miscarriage. His phone was ruined now, leaving him no way to reach help.
Had Travis gotten his message in time to redirect? Or was he back at Tran’s preparing to invade?
“We’ll get out soon,” Luc told her. “Before the river goes underground. We should be well ahead of them.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
Luc shrugged. “I’m not sure you needed help. I watched you climb that fence.”
“Where is Travis?” Her voice cracked.
“I’m not sure,” Luc answered. “I was waiting for him when I saw the dog attack you. And I’m sure I’ve ruined my phone.”
The river widened and Luc steered her toward the bank. “Easy. It’s a steep climb.”
Once they were free of the river, he noticed she’d lost her shoes.
“You won’t make it far in bare feet.” Luc knelt down in front of her. “Climb on my back.”
“I’m bleeding,” Maddy protested.
“I know. Another reason not to walk.”
Luc felt her hands grip his shoulder. He stood as soon as she leaned into him. She didn’t weigh much and she was shivering violently.
She was in even greater danger now from loss of blood and the chill from wet clothes. Which in turn would make her even more vulnerable to infection from the dog bite and the scratches on her feet. He’d seen people succumb in frighteningly short times to jungle diseases.
That Travis Franks had entrusted her well-being to Luc had him hurrying his steps.
He headed south. “I have a small motorbike hidden off the road, not too far from here.”
“Won’t it make us too visible?”
“Perhaps. But it will be faster. And if we stay in the jungle, you will die.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Mexican Jungle
October 6, 9:30 A.M.
Harry hated jungles. He smacked a mosquito but got only a moment’s respite before two more flew in to bite his flesh.
They had been hiking for four hours, stopping frequently since they had no water,