Ryan picked up his satphone. Elle was keeping the line open for them. “Anything showing at your end?” he asked.
“No signal coming from their broadcast unit,” she said.
Which meant that whatever the Martinez cartel had planned for Beast and Belinda, it hadn’t started yet.
“We’ve got trouble at base,” Violet said over the satphone. “The press has arrived. We’ve got four helicopters on the hotel lawn.”
Ryan pinched the bridge of his nose with his good hand. It had been expected, but he didn’t have to like it. Mainly he was just grateful that they’d turned up later than expected.
“Get the hotel security staff to deal with them,” he said. “Secure everyone in the ballroom. Make sure you have all the Collins family where you can see them, in case one of them decides to hold a press conference.”
“It’s being done,” Violet said tersely. “I know what I’m doing. This was a courtesy call.”
Ryan let out a sigh. Just what Benson Security needed—another team member with a chip on their shoulder and a permanent bad attitude.
“Eyes on target,” Grunt said, and Ryan’s heart almost exploded from his chest.
“Report,” Lake barked.
“They’re in the centre of the camp. Bound. Wounded. Belinda is unconscious.”
Ryan knew every member of his team was wondering the same thing—had they arrived too late?
“Status on the ground?” Callum said.
“Twelve hostiles surrounding the targets,” Grunt said. “All armed. Miners in the pits nearest the river.”
“Can you get to the targets?” Lake asked.
“Negative,” Grunt said.
“I need more detail,” Lake said.
Noah said, “They’re out in the open, about a hundred feet from the treeline and surrounded by mud pools. There’s a digger dragging some equipment up from the river to the site of the targets. The brothers are focused on that and not on our people.”
“Has to be the broadcast unit,” Ryan said.
“We don’t have a clear view,” Noah replied.
“Five more hostiles joined the party over here,” Dimitri said.
“We got boats coming in fast,” Callum reported.
“No time to waste. Move in,” Lake said. “Keep it quiet.”
“Roger,” each signed off before going silent.
Ryan felt an itch under his skin that demanded action, but this was as close as he’d get to seeing any. He had to trust his team to get the job done and get their people out of there—before the Martinez brothers managed to broadcast the situation around the world.
Chapter 31
Beast felt the rope around his wrists loosen, and he could have kissed Belinda. Not one person looking at them would have guessed she was awake and working to free them. He made a silent vow that if they got out of there alive, he would never again say anything derogatory about her acting skills. The woman was extraordinary.
“To the left of us, behind the shack, there’s another hole,” he whispered, trying to hide that he was talking from their guards. “You hear me, babe?”
She patted his back to let him know she’d heard.
“When I make my move, run for the hole and jump in. Take cover. I’ll get you when it’s over.”