the village. He counted the loaded body bags in the first truck and the number was thirty-five. Forty-five body bags were

ondering how they justified it to themselves. Probably assured themselves they were good little soldiers simply following orders, just l

ny during Hitler's attack on Poland - they just followed orders

predator. As a black ops soldier, that means he has the ability to be invisible. He has the ability to sn

d that was the place to be if he wanted answers. The M4 strap is already on his shoulder, but he hasn't touched the rifle yet. Ins

hat two uniformed men had just emerged from. Following them were two armed soldiers, and based on what he could

those body bags. Task force? Maybe not,

's l

st another U.S. Army general. Damn, the U.S. may not send of the general fo

to make out the conversation

ion the staff, see w

nd to contain th

ier

of their conversation.

tary sound, finding cover behind another tree, this one with lo

inic will

n more when he heard the gene

eds to be ha

s in Thalia Ricafort? The doctor

Her death could be

it over. "Carter was checki

ere, too. Making the

"But that's what they get for releasing Meredian this close to a damn

e word as he watched the two

ding the entrance. "If she tries to run, sho

s correct, Thalia was probably inside one

ok for her colleague. He suddenly remembered that the doctor's name was Kelvin, who worried he

The shameless ones, they even plan

o freaking way would he

our object

he mayhem and confusion of the past fourteen months was a direct result of his unit's attempt to rescue a doctor. But Dr.

ntel, he will listen to the conversations around, he will also try to see what is really inside the body bags, but first he will prio

-

isted around in the chair, trying to pinpoint where the noise h

ss

. Okay, wha

the snake. And while her heart was pounding, she looked carefully at her feet

ss

round when she noticed a

ne was cutti

a hand trying to make a hole in the tent, and when it

iftly held his index finger

even though he hadn't signaled her to be quiet,

. He is now wearing a black T-shirt that is fit to his body. Then he wears cargo pants that fit his long legs. He was also wearing boots and besides...crap...the

knife winked in the light from the ele

n she went to Valera. Dean Magallon now seems to have a different purpose in coming her

word, he suddenly

then she relaxed when she saw th

you

this. Oh God, what i

that his real job is n

lose," he murmured, his voice so low it was barely audible. "If I say move,

ed at him wit

l he help

e," he said. "They will shoot

l you too if y

vousness is getti

o just listen to this man rather t

a black handgun from his waistban

nodd

tely gave her h

n carefully part the tent to peer out. She seemed satisfied by w

everything I tell you, and we

loped them, disorienting her for a moment. She breathed in the night air, a combination of pine and decay, but then she caught a whiff of

retly. Oh God, how i

oward the trees. For some inexplicable reason, she seemed to trust the man immediately. She had every intention of following him

muscles were with every step he took. She was really focused on the man,

's warm hand clapped over her mouth to

ed the bodies, they were the guard soldiers outside her tent. She stared at their unif

k the lives of the poor soldiers.

d, Thalia." Those soft words didn't a

person she trusted in her life, but every time she looked i

g at the bodies, but she noticed a plastic wate

..maybe...

r, he'd said. Did he mean there was something

go back," sh

said, and then he gave a ster

diers. She took the water bottle from the soldier's pocket and opened the cap, pouri

hey find out you ran away," he said in

tubborn. "Not until

mmi

here is a well at the end of the village. That's

think there's some

s something in the water here when I spoke to him through the radio." Frustration seized her b

ed the water bottle from her hand. 'Come wi

e protested. "I'm not

water sample. Now,

there. "It's better if you just hide here. If I can

o'clock the man tur

ping hard, trying to ease the terror clam

ing off, she'd expected him to haul her over his shoulder and forcibly cart her away, yet he'd actually tak

on her wrist. An hour

after five minutes,

" she muttere

the man there. After all, he sacrificed his life just to es

, she shrank deeper into her hi

came his raspy v

g and immediately stared at the man's water bottle that

nough to make a sampl

too

on't know you're missing yet, but those two stupi

ou like to call it? Because those men

"What do we call saving your ass these days? Oh, right,

annot be denied that this man saved her life. Bu

to stay put, disappeared in the shadows, and returned a moment later with a black duffel bag, which he have stashed earlier, and then he slung the bag over his shoulder and signaled that they were resuming the trek. The temperature was

e couldn't bear to ask him. "

nce over his shoulder

minutes later and she laid her eyes on the white-and-brown horse standing by a cluster of trees. T

Dean. "Okay. I'm sorry," she said and shook her head. "But befo

*