Entangled Pt. 07

Jess looked at Ryan. "It's a mic. He's letting his partner know we're leaving." She nodded quickly as he lifted his finger to his lips.

Malcolm opened the door and slipped through the curtains. After a split second hesitation Jess followed. Ryan was right on her heels though he did stop to pull the curtains closed then slid the door shut. Malcolm had led Jess to the top of the stairs by the time he caught up to them.

When they reached the sand Jackson stepped out of the shadows to go to the rope. Jess watched wide eyed as he hoisted himself to the top of the wall, making it look like it took no effort at all, then looked along the wall, saw the space was empty, and gave the group on the ground a wave. Ryan turned back to keep an eye on the courtyard as Malcolm boosted Jess up to Jackson. The big man lifted her up to sit on the wall. She stayed there as he dropped down and Malcolm took his place. Jess swallowed a squeak as he took her hands then lowered her to Jackson's waiting arms. He dropped down next to Jackson as Ryan appeared at the top of the wall. Ryan pulled the hook free, shoved it and the rope into his bag, then dropped down to the sand.

The group hurried to the outer wall and repeated their actions. On his way down Ryan knocked the rock holding the fronds in place off the wall so the wind could take them. When he landed he slipped his night vision scope back into place and moved behind Jess. Jackson took up the rear of their little line and once Jess had placed her hand between Malcolm's shoulder blades he started moving along the wall. After a minute he changed their direction to angle away from the wall.

That part of the island wasn't as well kept as within the walls. In addition to the debris left by the storm the ground was littered with rocks, some were bigger than beach balls. Malcolm moved carefully as the person directly behind him did not have the benefit of night vision. Even with his consideration she kicked at a few rocks, the resulting clatter felt as loud as gunfire to her hypersensitive ears. Other than that little disturbance everything seemed to be going smoothly for about five minutes.

Malcolm came to an abrupt stop as the crackle of a walkie talkie snapped through the darkness. Everyone crouched down. Malcolm turned to Jess. "Stay here." He looked over her head and pointed back the way they'd come. Jackson slunk off in that direction. Ryan moved away in a line perpendicular to the wall. Malcolm went forward in the direction they'd been heading in. Jess' head swiveled as something scraped behind her, closer to the wall. She turned back, her eyes searching the darkness for Malcolm.

A beam of light stabbed through the darkness, swept left then right, swung back, and settled on Jess' still form. "What do we have here?" A strange voice murmured from behind her.

She surged to her feet and took a step forward but something caught the back of her jacket and pulled her backward. "Ryan!" she called out as she fell forward and dug her feet into the sand to yank herself away from being hauled backward.

"Oh no you don't," the voice growled. The light fell to the ground and spun away in a crazy arc as Jess' foot knocked it away. An arm grabbed her around the waist and pulled her upright.

Ryan and Malcolm both turned at her cry and were approaching the scene carefully with their guns drawn. Jess pulled at the arm holding her, unaware in her panicked state of the gun jammed into her side. Her rescuers saw the glint of metal though. "Jess," Ryan said firmly. She looked in the direction of his voice. "Stop." She froze. The man tightened his grip.

"Let her go," Malcolm said as he took a step closer.

"She's going back where she belongs." The guard pulled her back a step. Malcolm moved closer to the edge of the light cast by the dropped flashlight. Jess turned her head to look for Jackson.

"Jess," Ryan called softly as he got closer. "Eyes on me." Her gaze swung back to him and stuck.

The guard hauled her back another step. She dug her heels into the sand. "No." Her voice was oddly calm. "I'm not going back."

"Don't do anything stupid," the guard growled in her ear and pulled again.

"Ryan," she whispered.

"Let her go," Malcolm repeated as he took another step and trained his gun on the man's head. The guard turned them to face Malcolm. Jess' head turned as she kept her gaze on Ryan.

"Good girl," Ryan said with a nod. Just over the guard's shoulder he caught sight of Jackson as he rose up from behind a large rock and took aim.

Jess kept her eyes on Ryan as a small thwap echoed into the darkness, the suppressor on Jackson's gun absorbed most of the shot's sound. She flinched and her eyes went wide as blood and brain matter splattered the side of her face but she didn't take her eyes off Ryan. She stared at him while the guard's arm pulled her backwards as he fell. She stumbled but refused to look away from Ryan's calm expression.

Ryan shoved his gun into its holster as he hurried forward and grabbed her shoulders in case she was about to collapse. She stayed on her feet and just kept looking at him. "Jess," he said softly and gave her a little squeeze.

She blinked a couple of times. "I'm not going back," she said in a voice that didn't waver.

Ryan smiled. "Hell no, you're not."

She nodded. "Okay." She wiped at the side of her face with her sleeve then moved back to her spot behind Malcolm. Ryan shook his head then moved behind Jackson. The big man had flipped the flashlight off and thrown the guard over his shoulder.

Once they got away from the perimeter of the compound it was easier to move quickly. They reached the outrigger without any further incidents.

Jess wrapped her arms around her middle as she watched Jackson load the body into the boat. When he reached for her she didn't say a word, just settled herself onto the seat in front of the dead man and looked straight ahead. Ryan and Malcolm helped push it into the water then one by one they climbed in.

It didn't take long till they were speeding away from the island and Jess was able to relax her grip on the seat slightly. After about twenty minutes of paddling Malcolm called a halt over his mic. He moved forward to grab the guard with Jackson. The two of them wrangled the body over the side of the boat. Jess kept her eyes forward as it disappeared beneath the water.

"Jess," Ryan called softly from the front of the boat. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I want to go home."

"Just a little while longer, I promise." He looked past her at Malcolm then, with a nod, he turned back and picked up his paddle. It was another twenty minutes till they reached their destination. Malcolm steered them to the beach near the dock and then helped Jess out once they'd pulled the boat ashore.

She gripped his hand before he could turn away. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Almost there," he said as he squeezed her fingers and smiled. She fell in line behind him as he led the way to the car Blake had left for them near the outbuilding at the entrance to the dock. No one questioned it when she walked around to the driver's side and got in the backseat behind Malcolm.

"I like a woman that follows orders," Jackson said to Ryan as he headed for the passenger side door.

"I didn't think she was so docile," Ryan said to himself then got into the backseat next to her.

"Where are we going?" Jess asked Ryan.

"There's an airstrip a mile from here," he answered. Her eyebrows went up. "We're taking you home. All the way." Jess' lips trembled as she smiled.

"You're free little lady," Jackson said as he turned his head and grinned at her.

"Thank you," Jess said softly.

The car pulled onto a paved driveway that led out to the tarmac and stopped next to a private jet. Ryan was out of the car first. He came around to open the door for Jess. "There's something I need to tell you." She looked up at him but he didn't get a chance to continue. There was a pounding of heavy footsteps on the plane's short set of stairs behind her. She turned to see what the commotion was and froze. Eric was rushing towards her, a look of concern on his handsome face. "He was supposed to wait until I'd told you."

"It's okay," she murmured with a little wave of her hand.

Eric reached them and came to a stop. He hesitated for a moment as his gaze ran over her features. Her hands reached for him at the same time his reached for her. He pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her lowered head. After a moment he looked up at Ryan. "Did everything go okay?"

"Not quite but we should have a few hours till they realize she's gone," Ryan said. "We need to get going soon." He patted Jess' back. "I'll let the pilot know." He turned to follow Jackson and Malcolm as they filed onto the plane.

"I'm so sorry," Jess whispered.

He pulled back to look at her. "I wasn't giving up on you. Especially after Blake told me what happened."

"He called you back after I made him lie to you."

Eric smiled. "I think he wanted you back almost as much as I did." He pressed his lips against her forehead.

"God I missed you," she said through a voice thick with tears then looked up at him. His lips curved in a gentle smile then he dipped his head to kiss her softly.

A minute later Ryan popped his head out of the cabin door. "Come on you two, Row will have my ass if I'm late for dinner."

Jess smiled as Eric lifted his head. "Will you take me home please?"

"I've been waiting months to hear you say that." He released her then followed her up the stairs.

She got a few steps inside the cabin then spotted Blake. She cried his name then, after a split second hesitation, launched herself at him. Eric watched with a grin as his brother wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into a hug. "Man, is it good to see you," Blake said quietly.

She pulled back suddenly. "You lied to me."

"But you're going to forgive me?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

She looked over her shoulder at Eric and smiled. "Just this once."

Blake gave her a quick squeeze then let her go as Eric grabbed her hand. He stepped aside as his brother led her to one of the deep bench seats at the rear of the plane. Ryan caught his eye and gave him a sympathetic look then took a seat at the table in the midsection of the plane. He accepted a coffee from the steward and watched as Jess disappeared into the washroom and Eric sank down onto a bench. Ryan's gaze shifted to Malcolm as he sat across the table from him. His ruggedly handsome face was set in a satisfied expression that wasn't reflected in his eyes. Ryan knew what he was thinking because the same thoughts were in his own mind.

The hard part was just beginning for the reunited lovers.