Caribbean Gold

CHAPTER TEN

Alicia hurried through the weapons and handed the best suited to Healey and Caitlyn. The researcher of the team knew how to hold and use a handgun, and had a few combat skills since Healey decided she needed to know at least enough to keep her alive. Well done, Zack, Alicia thought. That was some fine forward thinking. Together, the three of them rushed out of the open container doors and back into the night.

The first thing Alicia felt was a welcome breeze on her face and a lifting of the cloying heat that had settled over them all despite the rudimentary air conditioning. The second thing she saw was the nearby container doors slamming open and four men rushing out. They held rifles with attached sights and camo jackets. Alicia lined them up, staying out in the open.

“First to move is target practice,” she said easily.

The four men spread out, covered now by Healey and Caitlyn too. Alicia could almost smell the fear washing off Caitlyn but a quick glance revealed no clear presence of it. Good. Alicia gave Caitlyn a reassuring nod.

Next out of the container came Crouch, a scared-looking stranger, two more thugs, and a man with the air of a leader. Not least because he still held a glass of dark liquid in one hand.

“Well, well,” he said. “There’s another one of you.”

Alicia couldn’t help but stare. Despite his well-bred accent this man had an air, an aura that reminded her of her boyfriend. And the way he carried himself, the steely blue eyes and confident gait. She was pretty sure he was military, if not the SAS. But he showed no obvious signs of recognition.

“Michael,” she said, exuding a confidence of her own. “I’m assuming the scared guy there is your contact?”

Their boss nodded quickly, giving no names away but helping Alicia decide who exactly belonged in the enemy camp.

“John Jensen,” the leader of the crew offered and raised his glass. “Good night for it, eh?”

Another bloody crackpot, Alicia thought. Is the world so full of them?

“Hand him over,” she said, “and we all live to fight another day.”

Jensen nodded agreeably. “Sure, sure. We’ll get to that. Michael here was just telling me about your little quest.”

Alicia grunted. “Well, lucky you. That’s more than he told me. I just got here.”

Jensen laughed. “Very good. But, look, I’m running out of rum here. Can we move matters along?”

“Sure. Where do you want the bullet?”

“Is Henry Morgan’s treasure worth such violence?”

Alicia considered Jensen’s actions of the night. He seemed to think so. A palpable air of tension hung over the scene, making the mercenaries itchy and sweat bleed into their eyes. It seemed there were only three people unaffected by it all: Alicia, Jensen and Crouch.

“The promise of wealth is such a great divider,” Crouch said then, “and brings out the true colors of men and women, both the bright and the dark. How much wealth do you think you can amass before you are satisfied?”

Jensen lowered his glass. “Truly? Does there have to be a limit?”

His men guffawed. Alicia took a deep breath and steadied her aim. The knife edge tension deepened.

“Did you know that in England, Henry Morgan was known as one of the country’s greatest naval tacticians? Whilst on the Spanish Main he was known as a bloodthirsty pillager and liar. How differently history and distance can judge a man. How influential the scribes and papers can be, retelling only what they need for sensationalism. For sales.” Jensen shrugged. “It’s all relative to an agenda.”

“Are you saying that you’re misunderstood?” Alicia asked.

“Just tell me what you know. Then we can get on.”

The night went silent; all breath was held. Jensen made no move but Alicia sensed the end was but a word away. She sent out a wish and then that wish was answered.

A bright red dot appeared on Jensen’s vest, just above his heart.

The military man saw it instantly, eyes narrowing. He appeared to evaluate them once more. “How odd,” he said. “I saw the appearance of a woman but missed the vanishing of a man.”

“Rum will do that to you,” Alicia said.

Jensen laughed shortly. “Not to me. I wrongly assumed he was behind a different container.”

“So hand over Crouch. And we go away to fight another day. Or…”

She shrugged, indicating the top of the containers where Russo lay cradling the rifle. Jensen didn’t hesitate, but turned to the leader of the Gold Team and bowed ever so slightly.

“Well done, Michael. This time. There will soon be another.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Crouch stepped warily past Jensen and headed for Alicia. The blonde sidestepped carefully as he came to make sure she never dropped her rifle, nor lost her aim. Jensen made a show of clicking fingers at his men.

“Back off now,” he said aloud.

Alicia followed suit slowly, with Healey and Caitlyn keeping their own sights up and Crouch leading the way. Carefully, they inched toward the deeper darkness.

“You have a car or something?” Healey whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

“Nope. Choppered in.”

“Even better,” Crouch said. “A safe, fast ride.”

“Not really,” Alicia said. “I sent the pilot back to Kingston.”

“Bollocks.”

“There’s always the cruise ship,” Caitlyn offered.

“Not if we want to stop this Jensen guy. That thing won’t dock for a week.”

“Hey, this is Montego Bay,” Crouch said quietly. “There will be someone willing to drop everything and take us to Kingston. All we need is a wad of dollars. Leno, are you all right?”

Their contact, the diver that had stolen the maps, nodded bleakly. “For now.”

“I’d take a long break, mate,” Healey said. “Maybe head over to the US.”

“Did you keep the maps?” Caitlyn asked Crouch as they continued to melt away, moving faster the further they went and presently joined by a panting Russo.

“Not a chance,” Crouch said. “Jensen never let them out of his sight.”

“What about—” Caitlyn tapped the side of her head.

“I saw all of them, remember most of them. But I need to get it all down on paper before it begins to fade.”

Alicia didn’t doubt that Crouch could remember much of what he’d seen. The man was one of the best trained military men on the planet, with one of the best Special Forces teams, and had been working at the highest level for most of his life. She’d trust his memory above almost all others.

At least, she’d always thought so until last week. Now wasn’t the time but she would have to challenge Crouch over Beau’s comments. And if the traitor was trying to cast a cloud over Crouch then the man needed to know. No telling how deep it went.

“I know a guy in Kingston,” Crouch said unsurprisingly. “Maybe he can suggest someone in Montego Bay.”

“Make it quick.” Alicia eyed the shadows that crawled between containers. As the team walked further toward the light, the blackness at their backs became only more ominous. “My guess is Jensen’s already pouring over those maps.”

“So what’s the plan?” Healey asked Crouch, already over his close ordeal.

“The plan?” Crouch smiled. “The plan never changes, my young friend. The plan will always be to locate the treasure before the other guy. So let’s get started.”

Crouch strode off in search of the nearest phone.