He swam harder, faster, fighting the cold. Block it out.
He had to get to the other side.
* * *
CARA WAS ALMOST TO THE TOP of the hill, Black noticed.
She was out in the open, and the moonlight shone on her like a pale spotlight.
Black could see her scrambling desperately, slipping on the rocks, falling, picking herself up, and running again. The child had more stamina than he had thought she possessed. Perhaps it was only fear that had seemed to paralyze her and made her appear less than she was.
And if Black could see her so well, then she would be clearly visible to Gallo and Eve Duncan if they were anywhere near.
“Perfect bait,” he murmured. “You’re doing well, Cara. That desperation is enough to wrench the heart. How could they resist?” He moved farther behind the huge boulders. His rifle was loaded and ready. Again, not his preference. He carried other weapons, a pistol, two knives. But a rifle would be safer with Gallo.
Was he still wary of Gallo?
Nonsense. It was just smarter to handle the kill this way. He would take his time and use one of the knives on little Cara later. It would be enough.
That idea would horrify Eve Duncan, he thought with amusement. Come save her, Eve, as you failed to save your own child. Come on, Gallo. Watch the little one struggle and fight for life.
His finger poised over the trigger as he watched the path.
But hurry, I’m getting impatient.
* * *
“OH, GOD, I SEE HER,” EVE said in agony. Poor child. Desperation and panic were in the little girl’s every movement. “But where’s Black? He has to be here.”
“Somewhere close.” Gallo’s gaze was raking the terrain. “And waiting for us. Don’t move. We have cover on the path at this point, but we’ll be wide open if we go another thirty yards.”
“Dammit, where’s Catherine? She said that she could tell us where—”
“Don’t curse the bearer of the Celltec.” Catherine had suddenly appeared out of the shrubbery to the left of the path. She was dressed in black pants and shirt and looked lean and graceful and totally competent. She caught sight of Cara and inhaled sharply. “Bait. He’s staking her out.”
“That’s obvious.” Gallo glanced at her, then looked back at the top of the hill. “You’re Catherine Ling. I’ve heard a good deal about you. Eve thinks you can work minor miracles. I suggest you start.”
“You don’t have the right to tell me what to do,” Catherine said coldly. “It’s because of you that Eve is in this mess, and that kid up there is on the verge of getting killed.”
“Catherine,” Eve said. “Can you locate Black?”
“Yes. I should be in tower range, and I’ll bet he’s close enough.” Catherine pulled out the Celltec. “Come on,” she murmured. “Find the bastard…” She pressed the button.
The beeper went off immediately, then the small screen lit up with coordinates and squared an area. “Jackpot,” Catherine whispered. “The boulders. He’s behind the boulders.”
Eve’s gaze flew to the four huge boulders blocking the path. Steep incline on one side falling to the lake, open terrain on the other, where Cara was climbing. “There’s no way to get to him!”
“There’s a way,” Catherine said slowly. “Just not for us. We have to hang tight.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Gallo said roughly. “You stay here, and I’ll go off the path in the shrubs until I run out of cover, then take off after the kid. You give me protective fire until I can grab her and get her behind that stand of trees.”
“Too risky,” Catherine said. “Hang tight. We’ll have a chance if—”
“Gallo!” It was Black shouting. “I’m tired of waiting for you. I know you’re out there. Perhaps you need a little encouragement.”
A bullet caused the rocks to splinter two feet from where Cara was climbing.
She looked back with panic and frantically tried to climb faster.
“The next bullet will hit her heel. It will probably take her foot off. Do you want to see that, Eve?”
“No,” Eve shouted. “Don’t shoot her, Black.” She turned to Gallo. “You go after her the way you said. I’ll go up the path and try to distract him.”
“Come on,” Black called. “And bring Gallo with you. I was disappointed that I was going to have to use a rifle. This will be much better.”
“I’ll go slow,” Eve said. “I’ll talk to him on the way. Get to her, John.”
Catherine was cursing. “Dammit, stall. Don’t do this.”
“No choice,” Eve said. “He meant what he said. I’m not going to let him blow off body parts while we watch. Go, John. Once she’s safe, we can go after Black.”
“Son of a bitch. You’re right, no damn choice.” John ducked into the shrubbery and was gone.
“Eve, listen to me. I know you’re frantic about the kid, but there’s another chance to—” She shook her head. “But I don’t know if it will be in time.”
“If you get a shot, take it, Catherine.” Eve started down the path. She shouted. “Hold your fire, I’m coming, Black. Gallo doesn’t think Cara is important enough, but I do. Maybe after you have me, you’ll be able to persuade him.”
“Oh, yes, I can be very persuasive with your kind of collateral.”
“Keep on talking to him, Eve,” Catherine said curtly. “Stall. Joe should be here anytime.”
“Joe.” Eve stopped on the path as shock seared through her. “What are you talking about, Catherine? Joe?”
* * *
EVE DUNCAN HAD STOPPED IN the middle of the path and was looking back over her shoulder, Black saw, annoyed. What was happening? Was Gallo trying to talk her out of coming?
“I mean it, Gallo,” he shouted. “Don’t play with me. Maybe I should blow off your lady’s foot instead of the kid’s. I’m aiming right now.”
“But you’ll never pull the trigger.”
His head jerked around to see the man who’d spoken crouched on the rock behind him. He received a wild mixture of impressions as the man jumped him. Bare-chested. Barefoot. Brown hair plastered and damp.
Then he was knocked to the ground and the attacker was on top of him and jerking the rifle out of his hand. It went off as he threw it to one side.
Black was cursing as he reached for his knife in his arm holster. “Who the hell are—” But he knew who he was. “Quinn.” His knife plunged up at Quinn’s abdomen. “Son of a bitch, how did—”
Quinn grabbed his wrist and twisted the knife to one side. “Give it up, Black. I don’t want to kill you yet. You have questions to answer.”
Black kneed him in the groin and rolled out from underneath him. “I’m not going to die, Quinn. I’m never the one who dies.” The edge of his knife tore across Quinn’s upper arm. “I’ll kill you all.”
“The hell you will.” Quinn’s knife sliced down and entered Black’s chest.
Black shrieked.
Quinn sat back on his heels, his breathing hard, harsh. His eyes were glittering wildly in his set face. “Don’t die. I was careful. That shouldn’t have been fatal. I won’t have you dead. I still have a use for you.”
* * *
EVE TORE AROUND THE BOULDER and stopped short.
Joe was sitting beside Black, covered in blood.
Joe’s blood?
“Joe?” she whispered. “My God.”
“Stay away from him,” Joe said. “He’s not dead yet, and a viper can kill you with his dying strike.”
“To hell with him.” She came forward anyway. “All that blood…”
“A lot of mine. Most of it is his.”
“Where?”
“Arm.” He bent over Black. “You stay awake. You keep alive, dammit.”
“Oh, I’m alive.” Black’s voice was hoarse, vicious. His eyes were glaring up at Joe. “She’s soft. She won’t let you kill me.”
“I will kill you. It’s only a matter of time.” Joe turned to Eve, and said fiercely, “But he can’t slip away yet. I won’t let him.”
“Joe!” Catherine had come around the rocks. Her gaze went immediately to Black. “Good job. But you should have finished him.” She glanced back at Joe. “Do you need any help?”