Page 13 of Her Faithful Protector

“We still don’t have the green light on this mission, but my gut tells me we will,” Max was saying. “I want all of you on to stay near base, and be ready at the drop of a hat.”

They all nodded.

4

Dawn in the jungle came as a blessed relief. She could finally see all of the others from the tour bus and make an assessment of their injuries. Why hadn’t that bastard let them stay in the bus instead of sleeping on the bug-infested jungle floor? She was positive that ants were literally in her pants, okay capris, but same difference. She’d squirm but that would only arouse the men’s attention, which was the last thing she wanted.

Camilla knew that Michael, Larry, and Liz were dead, but as she did a headcount, there were only eleven students instead of fifteen. Who else was missing? She kept looking around the makeshift campsite, but couldn’t see anyone else.

To hell with it, I’m getting up. So what if I wiggle?

Camilla eased away from Roxanne, working hard not to disturb her. Phyllis was on her other side. Her heart ached for the two girls. Neither of them was equipped to cope with this; hell, she wasn’t equipped to cope with this, but she didn’t have a choice but to pull up her ant-filled panties and deal.

Everyone was bunched together in a big dogpile, for comfort and safety. Mostly the girls and guys had separated with a few exceptions. Besides Phyllis and Roxanne, Pam was wedged beside Lisa.

Camilla had spotted Paul and Jan snuggled together. She’d noted that Travis was sleeping the farthest away from the group. The couple of times she’d managed to fall asleep she’d replayed Michael and Larry’s deaths and woke up muffling a scream. Camilla vacillated between ready to lunge at Travis or hug him because she knew how badly he must be hurting.

Not now.

She continued her headcount. The young men were close. She saw Brian Lane staring at her and finally found Wendy; she was a small girl and she was cuddled closely to his side. She knew that Michael and Liz were dead, so that left Haley.

“What are you doing?” a woman growled in accented English.

Camilla looked up and saw Maria advancing on her.

“I’m doing a headcount of my students.”

“Headcount?”

“I’m checking to see if all of my students are here,” Camilla clarified softly as Maria walked into her personal space.

“If they’re not here, they’re dead on the bus.”

“There’s only three people dead on the bus, and I’m missing one girl,” Camilla said.

“You’re wrong. There are two dead men and two dead women on the bus.”

Camilla’s legs turned to water. “Two women?” She grabbed Maria’s arm. “Show me!”

Maria shook off her hand and shoved her face into Camilla’s. “Don’t ever touch me again, bitch, or I’ll hurt you so bad, nobody will recognize you when you go home. Do you understand me?”

Camilla stumbled backward.

“Please, can you show me the two girls? I know Liz was killed, but I thought she, Michael, and Larry were the only ones who died. I’m begging you,” Camilla said as she pressed her palms together. She knew that there were tears in her eyes, but she didn’t care. Let the woman see that she was vulnerable. Who cared? She was. Two young girls were dead!

“Make it quick, we’re leaving as soon as the sun is up.” Maria grabbed Camilla’s arm and practically dragged her forward. Camilla was in pain from the crash but she thrust it aside and concentrated on getting to the bus. Then she tripped. Maria laughed. Camilla knew that the woman was taking pleasure in her stumble. The woman had sadistic tendencies.

When they got to the turned-over bus a man was leaning against it with his gun slung against his chest as he smoked a cigarette.

“Did you bring me a present?” he leered at Camilla as he addressed Maria in Spanish.

“Until we video them, nobody is going to rough them up, you know the drill,” Maria said drily.

“I can make sure not to mark up her face.”

“Shut up, you know the rules. Now open the door. She needs to identify the dead so we can make sure we know who to ransom.”

The man hoisted himself up on the bus wheel so that he could get up to the door that was now up top. He leaned over and held out his hand. “Who first?”