“I’m not going to object. I’m short of help now anyway and I don’t want to lose any more.” Davidow’s lips twisted sardonically. “I assume you’re the one who’s going to catch that devil and get him back to the stable?”

She nodded. “It will take me a little while to quiet him. Then I can start trying to persuade him that he doesn’t want to stomp on everyone in sight.” She glanced at Masenak. “It would help if you’d keep out of view. I believe he has a particular dislike for you. I wouldn’t mind if he stomped on you, but he might like it too much and get overexcited.” She started down the track to where the horse had finally come to a halt. “And we all want what’s best for Chaos, don’t we?”

Chapter 11

Chapter
11

Atlas Mountains

Korgan and Alisa had been on the road for more than four hours the next day when Korgan got a call. He glanced at the ID. “Vogel.” He punched ACCEPT and put it on speaker. “Hold on. If it’s important, I have to find a place to pull over so that I can talk to you. Some of these curves are hairpins. The higher we go, the rougher the roads.”

“I’ll wait. I believe Alisa would think it’s important.”

Alisa’s fingers clenched. Sasha. It had to be about Sasha. “Important” could mean anything. Bad. Good. Death. Life. “Find a place, Korgan,” she said through set teeth. “Right away.”

“I’m looking,” he said quietly. “Give me a minute.”

But it seemed more like an hour to her before he found a layby along that treacherous road where he could pull off and say, “Go ahead, Vogel.”

“I’m sending you a photo. We intercepted a Skype communication between Reardon and Masenak at nine seventeen this morning. We managed to get the entire message, but I thought you’d want to see the photo first.”

She heard the ping and saw Korgan accessing the photo. He glanced at it and then said, “Good judgment call.” He handed Alisa his phone. “I think you’ll agree.”

Sasha. Dirty. Torn shirt. Hair loose about her face.

But Sasha alive, her eyes staring out at the camera with all the boldness and intensity with which Alisa was so familiar.

Korgan said softly, “Nine seventeen this morning, Alisa.”

“Yes.” Her eyes were stinging, and she had to swallow to ease the tightness of her throat. “I’ve been so afraid, Korgan. All those nice, encouraging reports Vogel gave you could have been bullshit. I didn’t know. Masenak could have killed her anywhere along the way.”

“Yes, he could. But he didn’t, and at nine seventeen this morning she appeared to be healthy enough and presumably essential for Masenak to use in a plan that involves Reardon.” He spoke into the phone. “Is that right, Vogel?”