Ghostwalker 09 - Ruthless Game

past him and make his way back to the base camp, he would find Carlson and the dead coyotes. “Damn it!” he said aloud. If he’d just done what he thought was best and stayed with Rose and the baby, waiting for Carlson to make his move, he would know she was safe. As it was, he had no hope of finding Fargo in the vast desert.
    The only thing left to do was to return to the base camp and hope he beat Fargo to it. Why in the hel had he ever al owed Rose to persuade him against his better judgment?
    Resolutely he turned back and began to trot across the rol ing sand. He’d have to stake out the camp. The unfortunate woman Fargo returned with would have to be dealt with after the fact; it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t prevent Fargo from grabbing her, but the man wouldn’t have a chance to use her unless he took the time to stop along the way. And was he going to force her to walk across the desert?
    Kane stopped abruptly. No way would Fargo do that. He had to have a vehicle somewhere, which meant ... He groaned and rubbed his hand over his face. What the hel was the matter with him? Of course they had someone in town. Whitney would have sent at least one, possibly two to back them up, to watch over them. He expected them to screw up. He was documenting everything in his microworld of experimentation of the human spirit. Who was watching the watchers?
    “Stupid, stupid mistake,” he hissed between his teeth and set out running back to Rose.
    He didn’t have to worry about burning himself out with running for miles. His lungs and heart were made for running. He covered the ground fast, not bothering to look for Fargo. They were in trouble, no doubt about it, and the only concern was to get out of the trap they were in.
    As he neared the subterranean house, he used telepathy. Rose! Answer me now. Are you okay? Have you been attacked?
    The lag time before he felt her stirring in his mind seemed forever. His mouth went dry and his heart pounded, not from the run, but from very real fear.
    Was he too late? Had someone already attacked the house?
    Everything’s quiet here, Kane. What’s wrong?
    Inside the kitchen I’ve been constructing a baby seat for Sebastian. It’s as good as we can get for his protection. Did you get the supplies into the Humvee like I told you?
    Of course. She was obviously on the move, he could tel by her voice and the distraction.
    Rose dragged on her jacket and a belt loaded with weapons and ammunition, put the baby in a front pack, and caught up her gun. I’m dressed and have the baby. Going into the kitchen now.
    Kane circled the house and continued on toward the back entrance where the tunnel emerged. I’m clearing the back, so don’t shoot me. Get the baby secured, put the weapons where I can easily reach them. You’re the driver. We’re going to blast out of there and hightail it away from the town back toward the border.
    We’re you able to free the woman?
    Of course she would be asking him that. She’d been a prisoner, and had he not accepted Whitney’s proposal to be paired with her, eventual y they would have forced someone on her. She didn’t want another woman to suffer at the hands of a brutal man. He couldn’t blame her, but right now, he had to think about Rose and Sebastian.
    No, Fargo had too big a head start.
    He could feel her in his mind, quiet. Thoughtful. If Fargo reached town and more than likely went to a bar to drink, that’s where he’d grab the woman.
    But how was he planning on getting her back to his camp?
    Oh yeah. That was his woman. Intel igent al the way. Fargo sure wasn’t going to be dragging a woman across the rol ing hil s for miles. He would have a vehicle, one that was more than likely stashed for them when they had to go into town for supplies. Diego Jimenez had done that very thing, keeping his truck in a garage just waiting for him.
    Kane answered her the only way he knew how, with the truth. I think Whitney has at least one man observing Fargo and Carlson. He expected them to fail. He put all their weaknesses right in front of them. Booze. Women. You. That’s what Whitney does, Rose—it’s what amuses him. He finds a man’s weakness, and he exploits it to see if he can put him in situations that force him to either succumb to the weakness or overcome it.
    Rose sucked in her breath. Kane. Does that include the two of us? Is he playing an elaborate game with us? He tracked me all this time. He had to know I was pregnant with