Catalyst (Breakthrough Book 3)(93)

Once Juan located the broken wire, he retrieved a butane-fueled soldering iron and began repairing it.

DeeAnn watched curiously, while also keeping an eye on Dulce, who was sitting nearby munching on a head of kale.

Further below, Corso emerged from the trees and climbed uphill with heavy steps. When he reached Caesare, he turned around and pointed. “There’s another ascent a few hundred yards straight out. Less cover but enough for a crossfire. The road passes closer to that side then heads north, toward what looks to be an open patch. But not big enough for more than one or two choppers. I can see why they didn’t airlift in. Nowhere else to land.”

Caesare nodded. “That and they don’t want to be noticed any more than we do.” He pulled his phone out from his pant leg pocket and turned it on. After dialing Borger’s number, he waited, listening. Instead of an answer, he got a busy signal. He tried again. Still busy. Caesare said nothing and dropped it back into his pocket.

Caesare watched as Tiewater retrieved four HK416 assault rifles and handed one to him. He took it, appreciating the familiar feel of hard, cool metal in his hands.

He turned to Juan. “How much longer?”

“Should be just a few minutes. It’s pretty minor.” Juan kept his eyes on the tip of the iron as wisps of smoke rose from inside the belt. “I do have more batteries in my bag that need to be charged.”

Caesare nodded and smoothly slung the 416 over his shoulder. He unzipped the padded canvas where he found the batteries and pulled them out, along with a large solar panel. After placing the batteries on a nearby rock, he unfolded the panel into thirds and positioned them toward the sun. Finally, he attached each piece of hardware to a small charge controller and turned it on.

“That should hold it.” Juan glanced at DeeAnn and stood up, resecuring the neoprene belt. “But it’s not as strong as the original so we need to be careful.”

“Okay.” She took the vest from Juan and slipped it back over her white T-shirt, settling the belt over the top of her hips. She flipped it on and waited for it to initialize.

“Can you hear me, Dulce?”

Yes, me hear.

DeeAnn turned to Caesare. “Are we ready?”

“Yep.” Caesare slid a backpack over his wide shoulders. On his hip was a holstered camouflage-colored Sig Sauer 9mm. The extra weight of another gun and its ammo was less than ideal, but carrying a second weapon had saved his life more than once. “We’re about a quarter mile now from where we last saw Dexter. Once there, it’s all up to you, Dee.”

Anderson stepped forward, handing both DeeAnn and Juan a padded Camelbak with straps, and a long clear hose fastened to the front.

“What’s this?” Juan asked.

“Water.”

DeeAnn took one and slid it on her back, amused. “Juan, you and Lee really need to get out more.”

His reply was sarcastic. “We’re on top of a mountain, Dee. I’m pretty sure this counts.”

She laughed and turned back to Caesare.

“We need to hightail it. We don’t have much time before Otero and his men arrive. Stay behind Anderson and me. Tiewater and Corso will bring up the rear. Stay on our heels and do not step anywhere outside of our footsteps. We don’t have time for any injuries or surprises. If you need us to slow down for any reason, tell us but keep your voice down. We don’t know who else is up here. Questions?”

Both shook their heads. Dulce merely grinned at him from the ground with a hand inside DeeAnn’s.

DeeAnn jumped suddenly at the sound of Corso slapping a magazine into his rifle. When she turned around, he peered at her with his usual stone face.





They reached their location within twenty minutes, where the smell of smoke was thick in the air, reminding both DeeAnn and Caesare of the grim circumstances of their last visit. When they reached an opening in the brush, they could see the devastation still spread out before them.

A huge swath of the forest had been wiped clean. Destroyed. With the only remnants of vegetation burnt beyond recognition. Farther away and uphill, a sheer cliff wall, hundreds of feet high, towered above them and the blackened earth.

“Jesus Christ,” whistled Tiewater. “What the hell happened here?”

“Destroyed,” Caesare answered.

“Why?”

“To keep something quiet.”

Tiewater stepped onto the burnt field and scuffed at it with his boot. “Like what?”

“You don’t want to know.”

Behind him, DeeAnn held up an arm, covering her mouth and coughing into her sleeve.

“I’m guessing this has to do with the monkey we’re looking for.”

“That’s right.” Caesare surveyed the area then spoke in a low voice, “The bodies are gone.”