Trouble on Two Legs Page 2

  “She was heading into the national forest when Heath managed to reach her on their link. He’s been trying for over an hour now, but so far nothing.”

  Everyone on the team knew about Heath’s ability, and to a certain extent Malcolm’s, to communicate telepathically with close friends and family members. Elizabeth had the ability as well, but her talent was much stronger. She could reach out to Leigh and Syd across country and maybe farther.

  “Let me grab my gear and let’s get going.”

  “Now hold on, Gid.” Malcolm held up his hand. “We’re not sure what is going on here or what direction to take.”

  “I can find her, and you know it.” Gideon was getting more frustrated by the minute.

  “I know that and so does Heath, but we want to be prepared for anything. We don’t know who we’re up against. Besides, it may be nothing.”

  “You don’t believe that or you wouldn’t have met me at the door with this.” Gideon ran his hand through his hair. He needed to shower and eat. He needed to find Elizabeth. Where the hell had that thought come from! He really must be losing it!

  “Look, we’re wasting time here. Every second she’s out there she comes closer to danger. You can stand around here if you want, Malcolm, but I’m going hunting.” Gideon made to move around Malcolm toward the door.

  “And just what do you plan on doing with her when you find her?” Malcolm asked. “You two don’t exactly get along. The last time we rescued her she got mad and threw a pitchfork at you and you dropped her in the horse trough.”

  “Whatever I do at least I’ll know that she’s safe!” Gideon stomped through the front door and was met by Heath, Carlos, and Ian.

  Heath already knew what was going through Gideon’s mind. He knew him too well not to. Heath looked tired and frustrated. His sandy-blond hair was mussed as if he had run his fingers through it many times in agitation, and there were shadows in his normally deep blue eyes.

  “Gideon, I’m sorry to hit you with this when you just got home but we need to find out what trouble my little sister has gotten herself into before something really bad happens to her.”

  “Just tell me where was she in the national forest when you made contact with her. I’ll be able to take it from there.”

  “Well, she was on the south side of Parker’s Peak in the valley. She said that she had found tire tracks and was following them to see where they led.”

  “Damn it, does she realize that she could be walking into danger? What does she think she’s doing out there all alone?” Gideon raged.

  “Her only concern is protecting her friends out there on those mountains. She’s not concerned with herself,” Heath replied. He smiled to himself, and Carlos and Ian had to turn away to keep from snickering at Gideon. They all knew that Gideon had the hots for Elizabeth and that it was just a matter of time before the two of them came to know it for themselves. Heath knew that was the reason for Gideon’s anger. He was worried for Elizabeth’s safety. Heath also wasn’t sure how he felt about a relationship between Gideon and Elizabeth, but he knew that Gideon was a strong man and a good one. He would have to be strong to take on Elizabeth. Anything less and Elizabeth would eat him alive.

  “I’ll grab my gear and head out. Have someone saddle a horse for me. The terrain is too rough for vehicles. If someone is out there doing something they shouldn’t I’ll let you know but the priority is Elizabeth.” Gideon emphasized the last words with authority.

  “Absolutely, she is priority! I’ll call down to the stables and have Tomas saddle your horse. We’ll follow behind to stay out of your way but be close enough if you need backup.”

  “Sounds good.” Gideon headed upstairs to his room. He wanted to change and get something to eat but food would have to wait. He kept some protein bars with his gear for just such occasions and that would have to do for now. Once inside his room he eyed the big comfortable looking bed. He wanted to lie in it and sleep for days. No, what he really wanted was to lie in it with Elizabeth underneath him screaming in pleasure as he buried himself to the hilt in her hot wet sheath. Just thinking about that gave him the hard on from hell. That was going to make riding a horse somewhat uncomfortable.

  “Come on, Gid. Snap out of it. You’ve got work to do.” He changed quickly into black jeans, a black button-down shirt, and black boots. From the closet he grabbed his small pack, which he kept ready for just such emergencies. After peeking inside to make sure that is was all in order he slung it over his shoulder and headed out the door. He moved quickly with no wasted movements, his steps sure with confidence. Looking at him you would never know that he was seething beneath his calm exterior. He was always in control of himself and those around him. He exuded that kind of aura. That was what made him such a valuable member of the team, what had drawn him to the SEALs. It took people who were cool under fire and could think on their feet to stay alive in this kind of business, and Gideon was perfect for the job.

  He reached the stable, and Tomas had just completed saddling his horse, Storm, named for his dark coat and eyes. He was large like Gideon and had been bred for strength and stamina. A little feisty, he had never let Gideon down whether they were herding cattle or chasing strays.

  Gideon approached Storm from the horse’s left and patted him on the side. “Good to see you, old friend. Been keeping the fillies in line?”

  Tomas chuckled at the comment. “He’s anxious to get out and run. He misses you when you are gone.”

  “Yeah, I miss him, too.” Gideon secured his pack to the back of his saddle and swung himself up. He took the reins from Tomas, leaned down, and whispered in Storm’s ear. “Ready to go, boy?” With a kick to the horse’s sides they were off like a shot heading north toward the last known place that Elizabeth had been.

  * * * *

  From the rear porch of the house Heath, Carlos, and Ian stood watching as Gideon rode off at top speed.

  “Shouldn’t we go with him?” Ian asked.

  “We’ll follow him just in case, but he works better if everyone stays out of his way,” Heath answered.

  “Yeah, but what happens when he gets a hold of Elizabeth?”

  “I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes when he does,” Carlos said. “He’s already been through one scare with her, and this one just may put him over the edge.”

  With a WTF expression, Malcolm looked across at Carlos.

  “What! Don’t tell me that you didn't know that Gideon has the hots for Elizabeth?” Carlos exclaimed. “You’d have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to know!”

  Malcolm growled low. “Elizabeth doesn't like Gideon. All they ever do is argue. So what makes you think that he's got the hots for her?”

  “Well, for starters, he watches her all the time, when he thinks no one is looking.” Carlos answered.

  “Why do you think that he gets so aggravated with her? If he didn't care he wouldn't get so upset when she gets herself in one mess after another.” Ian said.

  “Huh, I never would have guessed.” Malcolm stroked his chin as he pondered this new information.”

  “I hate to interrupt this oh-so-interesting commentary about my sister and Gideon,” Heath said, “but we need to move out. Gideon was riding hard, and I don’t want to be too far behind.”

  With heavy sighs they moved toward the stables where Tomas was saddling their horses for them. Heath had every confidence that Gideon would find Elizabeth. He just wasn’t sure what Gideon would do with her. She could be a wild one when her temper was riled and Gideon could do that just by breathing. He knew Gideon wouldn’t hurt her, but something told him that things between those two was about to get mighty interesting.

  Chapter Three

  Elizabeth had been following the trucks for several miles now. It wasn’t too hard to keep up since they were forced to move slowly. Lone Wolf also kept her informed of their movements. Finally, the trucks pulled into another open meadow and stopped. The men got out to look around, one headed into the trees to relieve himself and the others lit up cigarettes.

  This valley was smaller than the first and it was boarded on the northern side by a rock formation. Small scruffy brush and trees were scattered throughout. The night sky sparkled with stars, but there was only a sliver of a moon so there wasn’t much light. Joaquin kept looking around and rubbing the back of his neck as if in frustration.

  “Joaquin, relax, we’re almost done,” Esteban said.

  “I don’t like the feel of this place. Something isn’t right,” Joaquin said.

  “No one knows that we’re here. Soon we can turn this shipment over and we can go home.”

  “I’m going to take a look around. Stay alert and keep those idiots quiet!”

  Joaquin walked off toward a stand of trees. Esteban just shook his head and turned back toward the small group of men.

  Elizabeth made her way through the brush without making any noise. She could see all of the men except one. The “big man in charge” wasn’t in sight. She made sure to stay downwind so that they would be less likely to smell or hear her. So far not much had happened, and she still didn’t know who these men were or what they were doing here. Oh, she could guess. More than likely they were drug runners. One thing for sure, whatever they were up to was at the very least suspicious and at the worst, illegal.

  She made her way around the meadow so that she could better hear what little was being said. Where was he? She knew from her earlier observation that he was the one in charge. He was also the only one who seemed to realize that they were not alone. Now where was he?

  Just then a large, callused hand grabbed her arm and hoisted her into the air. The next thing she knew she was staring into the face of a large dark-haired man who smelled like cigarettes and alcohol. He had come up be
hind her, and she hadn’t even heard him. How stupid could she be! No time for self-recriminations now, Elizabeth began to kick and scratch for all she was worth.

  Joaquin was much larger than she was, and he used his size to get her somewhat under control. Although she continued to struggle it didn’t take him long to subdue her. Holding her by her long braided ponytail and with both arms behind her back being held by one of his large beefy hands, he force-marched her to where the trucks and his men stood waiting.

  “Looky what I found!” he yelled over to them.

  All at once there was commotion and low conversation from the group.

  “Joaquin, you lucky dog you! Only you could come out to the middle of nowhere and find a beautiful woman!” Esteban said. “What are we going to do with her?”

  “We aren’t going to do anything with her. I found her and she’s mine. Get me something to tie her up. I don’t want to lose my prize so soon after I found her!” He smiled at her, revealing tobacco-stained teeth. Elizabeth couldn’t believe that she had been caught. She was always careful but this time that wasn’t enough. She had gotten so caught up in trying to listen to them that she failed to hear the man sneaking up behind her. How could she make such a stupid mistake! Also, she hadn’t checked in when she was supposed to so she knew her brothers would be freaking out by now. The problem was they were out of range to be able to communicate telepathically. Although she could reach Leigh and Syd from almost anywhere in the country for some unexplainable reason her link with her brothers wasn’t as strong. She tried anyway, calling out to them just in case but got no answer.

  Esteban had returned with a rope and began to tie her hands behind her back.

  “I think I’ll keep her for a while, and when I’m tired of her, I’ll sell her to someone else,” Joaquin informed Esteban over Elizabeth’s shoulder.

  “You mean if there is anything left of her when you’re done. You are not exactly easy with the ladies, Joaquin.”

  “This time I will be. I want to take my time with this one. She’s got fire and spunk. It won’t be easy to break her, but she’ll learn who her master is soon enough.” Joaquin pressed his face close to Elizabeth’s “What’s you name, chica?”

  Elizabeth almost gagged at the smell of cigarettes coming from him, but she refused to answer keeping her eyes fixed on his face. She would not show fear to them. If they found out her name they could find out who her brothers were and possibly go after them as well. Elizabeth began to struggle again but to no avail.

  “Make sure you tie her good and tight. Tie her feet, too. I wouldn’t want her to wander off.”

  The next thing Elizabeth knew she was on the ground and Esteban was tying her ankles with the rope. He leered at her and ran his hands along her legs, licking his lips like he was sitting down to a feast.

  “Don’t go getting ideas, Esteban. This one is mine! Maybe after I’ve tried her out I’ll let you have a turn. After all, what are friends for?” Both men laughed as Joaquin grabbed the rope around Elizabeth’s ankles and dragged her closer to the SUV.

  “You know, chica, if you just tell me your name I might be willing to go a little easier on you.”

  She was scared and she didn’t know how she was going to get out of this one!

  Gideon reached the valley where the first meeting had occurred. He studied the tracks and saw what directions that the vehicles headed. He figured that this was some kind of drug runners operation but at the moment his only concern was for Elizabeth. Taking a deep breath he let his mind expand and reach out to her. He always knew how to find her. He didn’t understand how or why, but for some reason they had a connection. Right now he was thankful for it. He could see the meadow where the truck and SUV had stopped, and he could see the men that surrounded Elizabeth. Elizabeth! He could tell that she was tied hand and foot, and she looked scared.

  “Elizabeth, can you hear me?”

  No response.

  “Elizabeth, answer me! Damn it!”

  “I can hear you. Where are you?”

  “At the valley where you first found the vehicles. Are you hurt?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll be there as fast as I can, but you are some distance from me. Keep your mind open so we can communicate.”

  “Will do. Gideon, I think these guys are some kind of drug runners. They seem to be waiting on someone to meet them. I don’t know how long before they head out.”

  Her voice was steady but he could hear the thread of fear in it. “Doesn’t matter where they take you. I’ll find you. Just stay alive. Do whatever you have to, just stay alive!”

  Gideon moved back to Storm and mounted. “Come on, boy, we’ve got to make tracks.” Once again he and Storm lit out. Gideon relayed the message to Heath who informed Carlos and Ethan of the situation. They picked up their pace in case Gideon needed them. And it looked like he was going to need them. Heath couldn’t help thinking that if he got his sister out of this mess he just might let Gideon give her that spanking that she so justly deserved. Hell, he’d even supply the paddle!

  Chapter Four

  Just as the sun began to rise in the east, Elizabeth heard a vehicle coming toward the meadow. Joaquin had sat in the front passenger seat of the SUV watching her all night while they waited. He didn’t speak much to her, which was okay with her, but lying on the ground for hours had left her stiff and cold. She had heard Lone Wolf off in the distance a few times telling her that everything was quiet around the mountains, but she knew that if she tried to answer him it would draw unwanted attention to her. Something she’d rather not do. Lone Wolf was intelligent, and he would know that her silence meant there was trouble.

  Just then a dark-colored SUV pulled into the meadow. It was covered with dirt as if it had traveled through streams and mud to get here. Four men dressed casually in jeans and muscle shirts stepped out. All of them were armed. Joaquin walked over to greet them.

  “Hola! We’ve been expecting you!” The men did not respond, just looked around. Joaquin continued. “The truck is ready for you. The keys are in it. Would you like to inspect the shipment?”

  One man, who appeared to be the leader, answered, “That won’t be necessary. If it’s not right you know what will happen.”

  “Oh, it’s right. You can trust me and my men.”

  The man just looked at him but said nothing. These men were dangerous. They had a take no prisoner attitude. That was how they did business. That was how they stayed alive.

  One of the men from the SUV noticed Elizabeth tied and lying on the ground. He leaned into the leader of the new group and whispered something. Both men now looked at her. She could see them, but in the early-morning light it was hard to make out features.

  “Who is the woman?” asked the leader.

  Joaquin fidgeted. “I found her in the woods hiding. I thought that I would keep her for a while and then sell her.”

  For a moment there was silence, but then the man responded, “Get rid of her.”

  There was a hard coldness to the man’s voice, as if he was talking about nothing important. Elizabeth’s heart rate jumped into overdrive. She knew that her time was up and there was still no sign of Gideon or her brothers coming to rescue her. Her mouth was so dry she couldn’t even swallow.

  “But, señor,” Joaquin stammered.

  “Get rid of her or I will, and then I’ll get rid you.” The man stared at Joaquin with cold, dead eyes.

  “Si, señor.” Giving a heavy sigh Joaquin hung his head. It wasn’t that he had a problem killing the girl. It was the fact that he wouldn’t have the chance to enjoy her first. He slowly made his way toward her, taking out his gun as he went.

  “I’m sorry, chica. It wasn’t meant to be.”

  Just as he brought the gun around to take aim, a shot rang out. Joaquin looked startled and then his eyes became vacant as he slumped to the ground with a perfectly round hole in his forehead. There was a brief moment before all hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted from everywhere. Elizabeth tried to scoot to cover but with her hands and feet tied, it was difficult. Suddenly she felt a hand grab her around the ankles and pull her underneath the SUV. She started to kick before she heard Gideon.