Caribbean Gold

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Alicia crept carefully through the gap, knowing the gung-ho offensive would really do them no good here. Without a sound she dropped into the new sea cave and waited for the rest of the team to join her. Only Caitlyn stayed on the other side, armed with a rifle and a laser sight. Healey eyed it dubiously but Crouch gave him a pat on the shoulder.

“Gotta let her get involved sometime.”

Alicia watched Caitlyn move. There was a quiet confidence now in the girl that she liked, a growing ease of movement and competency that she recognized.

“Hey Healey,” she whispered as they waited among rocks. “Maybe your training of Caitlyn is paying off after all.”

Healey frowned, unused to compliments from the blond warrior. “Umm, thanks.”

“And how’s the other part of the training going?” Alicia wiggled her brows.

“Oh, piss off.”

Crouch and Russo soon joined them and made ready. Alicia crept among the rocks until she could retain cover no more and then ran soundlessly toward her enemy. She counted twenty in number, plus Jensen, and then the first of them caught sight of her.

“Wha—” He raised a gun.

Alicia stopped him in his tracks, putting him down in a groaning heap. Others were turning, some reacting quicker than others. Alicia sprang among them, knowing it was of the highest importance to get close and stop them using their guns for fear of hitting a comrade. She chopped a pistol away, then sent the man into his neighbor, who slipped headlong on the slippery, rocky surface. She heard Russo fire twice and Crouch just once, dropping mercs. Healey grabbed a wrist a moment before its owner pulled a trigger, deflecting the bullet a few inches past his own skull. Alicia spun a man around and used another’s bobbing ponytail to slam them together.

Dropping low, she cast around.

A boot slammed her side. She ignored the pain and caught its occupant behind the knees, pulling hard. The body came down beside her and she struck at the neck and groin and other vital areas. She wrenched a knife out of the man’s belt before he could draw it, gave it back blade first and heard him grunt in agony.

On to the next. She saw Jensen still aboard the creaking shipwreck, now surrounded by three men. She remembered him mentioning three lieutenants — or rather shipmates—but couldn’t remember their names. She saw another man spinning and then helped Healey prize one away from his neck. Russo fought hard to their right, bringing his size and strength to bear as he pushed and pulled and threw man enemy against enemy. Twice, the pop of a rifle rang out and unseen enemies fell. Caitlyn was watching their backs and picking off the worse threats.

But Jensen was no fool. Ex-SAS, he took time to evaluate the situation, the possible outcomes, and then his next move. Alicia, also ex-SAS, thought she knew how his mind would work. This location, Morgan’s penultimate treasure site, again had yielded little of importance for the self-proclaimed pirate. With only one site remaining he would see only one real option.

The treasure had to be at the end of the trail, and Jensen could always hire more men.

The man was already moving his whip-thin, brawny frame in the direction of the underwater sea exit.

Alicia would try anything once, and often had. “You work for that guy? Look! He’s already leaving you.”

Several heads swiveled. Alicia already knew she’d never turn them to her side so she took advantage of the distraction and put them to sleep with measured blows. Russo helped and so did Healey, Crouch consistently moving to watch their backs. A couple of mercenaries took steps toward Jensen, their mouths moving.

Alicia chanced another look at the Englishman.

His lieutenants had already drawn guns.

“Shit!”

Shots rang out and men collapsed. Alicia dived for cover as Jensen’s lieutenants took out those that openly questioned their boss. It was a criminal law, a mercenary law, an old pirate law. Men scattered and then regrouped. The fight fell into disarray.

Jensen’s voice boomed over all.

“To the boats!” he cried.