Unlawful Chase by C.J. Schnier (new books to read .TXT) 📗

Bardales was setting up a mining operation. While that was interesting, I couldn't figure out a way to turn that information to my advantage. We needed to get out of here, and with Jaye in Bardales' clutches it would not be easy.

"There is a communication tower alongside the tent next door," I stated.

"I've seen it. Bardales uses it to communicate with his superiors in Havana and coordinate the troops he has spread over the area," said Dr. Blatt.

"Then we have to disable it somehow. And we're going to need a distraction, something to get Bardales out of his tent. Then I can rescue Jaye and we can all escape while they're distracted. But, the communications need to be down or we'll have a swarm of soldiers hunting us when he realizes we're gone."

"Hmm, let me think," Blatt said as his eyes glazed over behind his spectacles. He didn't move for a second, completely lost in thought. "There's a generator near the communications tent that powers most of the camp. If one of us can kill it, that would rob the tower of it's power, stopping both the communications and the floodlights."

"Perfect!" I said, "A power outage would be an ideal distraction too. Do you think you could disable it?"

"That shouldn't be too hard. I've used generators like that in the field many times, and they aren't exactly known for being reliable. I've learned more about them than I ever wanted to."

"Great. I'll leave you to disable the generator. When it's done, head for the back of the lead truck. It should be plenty dark to cross the open area, and they'll be too busy dealing with the generator to bother searching the trucks. I'll wait for Bardales to leave his tent, grab Jaye, and meet you there so all three of us can make a run for it."

Blatt nodded, excitement building visibly in his features. "It's a plan," he said, stuffing the last of his papers into a folder that he then jammed into a battered leather bag. "Just let me gather up the rest of my research."

I shifted my weight back and forth impatiently as the archaeologist scampered around the big tent, grabbing papers and photographs and cramming them into his bag.

Finally, after several minutes, my patience gave out. "I don't mean to rush you, Doc, but could you hurry it up a little? If one of the guards checks in on you, our little escape will be over before it starts."

"Just a few more things," he said, picking up his pace a little. "I can't leave all this research behind."

Another couple of minutes passed before he finished.

"Alright, you're sure you're ok sneaking through the camp and disabling the generator?" I asked, looking over the bookish man.

"Don't worry about me, I'm more capable than I look," he said with conviction, and then added, "It is a clever man that plays the fool."

"And it is a fool who does not recognize it," I replied, realizing that his typical outward appearance and demeanor was a farce. There was much more to Miles Blatt than I had suspected.

I had taken him at face value, thinking him nothing but a geeky academic. I was wrong. The man who stood alongside me was no meek scholar. He had transformed into something else entirely. He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet like a caffeine addict. This suddenly energetic and wiry man seemed willing and capable of any adventure.

"Let's do this then," I said, sticking my head out of the tent and looking both left and right. "It's clear," I whispered.

Blatt stuck his own head out, and after a quick glance in each direction, he shot out of the tent. Without making a sound, he crossed the narrow strip of light in a flash and disappeared into the darkness of the communication tent's shadow like a ninja. He moved with a grace and speed that I would never have thought possible. The man was full of surprises, apparently.

When he was out of sight, I slipped out of the tent and slunk my way over towards Bardales' tent to wait for my cue. I moved as quietly as I could, sticking to the shadows. I wasn't as quick as Dr. Blatt, but it didn't take me long to sneak my way alongside the big command tent.

I stopped a couple of feet shy of the corner where the entrance flaps were. Quietly, I lowered myself down to a prone position to reduce any chance of a stray soldier seeing my silhouette. Fat rain drops began to fall, making dull popping sounds on the canvas tent. But I laid still, waiting for my signal.

Being in the open was risky. Any soldier could happen upon me, but I knew I needed to be close to the tent when the lights went out. Soldiers would be moving everywhere through the camp, especially at first. I just hoped Bardales wouldn't decide to stay in his tent.

Doubts were gaining traction in my head as I waited. This whole rescue was a bad idea. If one thing went wrong we were all in trouble, and if we did escape, where would we go? Paramour was gone, Jaye's plane was shot all to hell, and I didn't speak Spanish near well enough to hide. At least not here in the countryside. I might be able to play the tourist in Havana, but getting there seemed impossible. I didn't even know what road to take.

My thoughts were cut short when I heard a loud pop and sizzle. The obnoxiously bright floodlights went dark, covering the entire camp in darkness again. I watched as the bulb's filaments faded quickly from a bright orange to dull gray and finally to black. Miles had done it.

Surprised groans and voices echoed through the now stifling darkness. One voice was instantly recognizable to me. Bardales, and he did not sound happy. Men were wandering out into the camp, their flashlight beams bouncing in all directions, some dangerously close to