Page 11 of Risks of Temptation
"No idea. Kalim has the other four folders," Axel says.
Other four? That makes six. Gustave said five. Who's the sixth?
They must have heard him wrong. There's only five of us on rescue—the four of us and Andre.
"Where's Kalim?" I ask.
"Dealing with Interpol issues," Axel replies.
"What do you mean?"
"They didn't drop equipment off until this morning. The guys all slept in the rain and ate macro bars."
Hunter grunts. "Someone at Interpol needs to get fired. Too much stuff keeps going wrong."
"Yeah, and—"
"Guys, need you to see this," Kalim shouts.
We run over to the makeshift control center created out of logs. There are four folders on an oversized piece of bark that is being used as a table. Axel and Dirk both hold their folders.
Who's the sixth woman?
"Watch this." Kalim hits the play button on his phone. A video of the woman who got kidnapped during Hunter's and my flight appears.
At first, her voice shakes, but she gets more confident as she speaks. "My name is Naomi Salazar. I am an investigative journalist and have proof that the top leaders, including Prime Minister Vasquez, Deputy Prime Minister Flowers, and every cabinet minister, have accepted funds from both the Belizean and Colombian drug cartels. If Nicolas Gómez is not returned to Colombia within forty-eight hours, I will release all the information I have."
"Who's running point on this operation?" Dirk asks.
"The U.S.," Kalim states.
Since when did the U.S. get involved in this?
What is the president up to?
Why did I not know?
"The guys said there are six women?" I ask Kalim.
He nods and opens his mouth, but another copter hovers above us. Andre lowers himself to the ground and runs over.
"Andre." I pat his back. We were both in the Marines together and have been best friends since boot camp.
He nods. "What's the situation?"
"Colombian drug kingpin, Santiago Gómez, has a Belizean investigative journalist hostage. Our sources tell us that they also are holding her sister and several other prominent women who have been missing," Hunter replies.
Her sister? She wasn't part of this.
Why is her sister involved?
"What country is running point on this?" Andre asks.
"The U.S.," I respond.
He squints. "Why?"
I shrug. Gustave gave me strict instructions to get in and get out. We don't need to waste time questioning anything right now. "Not sure. But not our job to question that."
