Isabeau was proud of him. He’d taken leadership just as his father and grandfather had always done. He’d kept them calm and hopeful.

Conner frowned as his gaze swept the children. “Where’s the boy? Mateo?”

“She took him,” Artureo said. “Last night. She came in with one of the mean ones and they dragged him out of here.” He glanced at the other children and lowered his voice. “I think she suspected he was different. I followed them over to the water tower.”

“You followed?” Conner’s eyebrows shot up.

Artureo nodded. “Did you think we were just going to sit here and wait until she killed us? Or took the girls? She and the old man are devils. We’ve dug our way out of the tool room, but hadn’t figured out how to make it to the fence without being shot.”

Conner flashed him a grin. “Let’s get out of here. Keep them together, very tight. No talking. We’re going to make for the southernmost wall. Get them into the rain forest, Isabeau. Start on the trail. Rio and the others should be close behind you or already waiting for you.” He pushed a gun into Artureo’s hands. “You know how to use this?”

Artureo nodded. “My grandfather taught me.”

“I expect you to protect them. Isabeau, I’ll lead you out, but you take over when I get to the water tower.”

“I can do it,” Isabeau assured him, feeling slightly sick.

It was difficult to keep from staring at the dead body slumped on the floor, blood pooling around his head. So like her father’s death. She realized this was exactly how her father had died, only Rio had been the shooter, and her father had tried to kill Conner. Her stomach lurched at the memory and she pressed her hand there hard.

Conner’s fingers curved around the nape of her neck. His mouth brushed her ear. “Are you all right? Are you up for this? I can take you all and come back.”

She forced a smile. “I’m good. Let’s do it.”

Conner went first, breaking the padlock on the back entrance and cautiously opening the door to peer out. The yard was in chaos. The sound of gunfire was sporadic, but men ran in all directions. The main house had turned into a wall of flames, the fire burning ferociously. Heat poured off the roiling conflagration so that it was impossible to get too close to the inferno.

Conner found a niche inside a particularly thick bushy area and he waved to Isabeau. She sent Artureo first, and the teenager held hands with the youngest. They formed a chain with Isabeau bringing up the rear, hurrying as quickly as they could while hugging the walls of the building and staying in close to the hedges until they crammed like sardines into that small spot.