Page 48 of Wicked Ambition

“I thought he was, too. What’s going on?” Cal asked.

“Almost nothing,” Lurch said. There was a note of frustration in his voice. “Torres and his men are stonewalling me. I can’t even get an entry-level minion to talk. In the meantime, Vargas is getting impatient. He wants that fucking high-tech rifle and he wants it yesterday. His men are becoming more determined to round me up and issue warnings.”

“His war with his rival drug lord must be heating up again.”

Lurch drove both hands through his hair, explaining why it looked so messy. “I think Bianchi might become a problem for us, too.”

“Why?”

“Because nowhismen are trying to bring me in for a conversation. Everyone wants the M4 replacement, but Torres doesn’t want to discuss it. Figure that one out.”

Shrugging, Cal reached for the beer in front of him and took a swig. “I’ve given up trying to suss out these players. They’ve got agendas and priorities that are mysteries to me. Is it always like this?” Lurch had been working covert ops for a few years.

“No,” he shook his head, and lowered his voice further as he said, “This is different. Somehow, we ended up with enough players to field a team and then there’s that fucking treasure becoming more entangled with the arms. Everyone wants it, and that’s not an exaggeration. Just ask my Fireball.”

He nodded. Lurch’s woman had been kidnapped and used as a pawn against him. Cal had been part of the rescue team that went in and got her out. When Lurch said everyone wanted the treasure, that was no lie.

“You still think we should use the treasure to get to Torres?”

Lurch frowned. “We know he’s after it. If he’s not biting on the arms, maybe we can get him to bite on something else.”

“BD didn’t like that idea very much when you brought it up.”

“I know.” The sound of a bottle breaking stopped the conversation. The bar went silent for a moment, and they both looked until they found the source. “Fuck,” Lurch muttered.

One man held a knife, and the other merc wielded the jagged glass of his beer bottle as a weapon.

Cal was a medic. He was used to patching people up. But not only did he not have his bag, he was undercover as a mercenary who wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about two men slicing each other up. The bar’s bouncers arrived en masse and herded the combatants outside. More mercs followed. This was a spectator sport in Trujillo, and wagers would be made on who won.

“Anything else I need to pass along?” Cal asked to get his mind off of what was happening. What he wasn’t able to fix.

“Yeah. The rebel rejects are up and running in small bands. At least a pair of those groups would like to even the score with me over Ramirez.”

“At least a pair?”

Lurch gave another shrug. “I’ve had run-ins with two cells. There might be more. I guess I’ll find out eventually.”

Cal’s gaze went to the door as men filed in. The fight must be over. It was instinct to reach for his medical bag, but of course, it wasn’t there. He curled his hand into a fist and fought off the urge to go outside and check on the condition of the two combatants.

“You’re taking being hunted in stride.”

“You get used to it. It’s when it endangers others that it becomes an issue.” Lurch’s expression darkened. Cal figured he was thinking about his Fireball and how much risk she’d faced because of Lurch’s role.

The Fireball. An idea occurred to Cal. Lurch’s woman worked as a contractor for the Paladin League. “Did the Fireball ever mention someone named Fuentes?”

Lurch’s muscles tightened. “Why do you ask?”

After a hesitation, Cal gave a quick briefing on the Wizard, his Pollita, her missing twin, and the situation. He left out his personal relationship with Io. That was nobody else’s business. “Archer sent the twin to look for Fuentes. BD thinks she might have stumbled into the arms dealing. Whatever happened, the Pollita rushed down here to save her. Oz is keeping her out of trouble while I search.”

Lurch studied him. At last, his teammate relaxed. “Before my Fireball left for the States, we discussed all the different factions after the Lost Treasure of Trujillo. She wanted to remind me who to watch out for. It’s a lengthy list, but Fuentes was mentioned.”

“Did she tell you anything else about Fuentes?” Cal tried not to give away how much the answer meant to him.

“You mean beyond the fact that the man is a mystery?” Lurch’s lips curved, but there wasn’t any humor in the expression. “He operates out of Trujillo, but I don’t know how much that helps you. Archer would know the most. BD has his number.”

“Either BD doesn’t want to call him, or Archer isn’t sharing any intel. I have nothing but the name.”

There was a lull in the conversation, but Cal didn’t prod.

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