“I don’t know,” Juan said. “But they don’t look like they’re there willingly.”
One of the guards shouted at the lead man, who turned and threw something at him. It exploded in a gush of flame, and the guard dropped his weapon as he ran amok trying to extinguish the white-hot fire.
Two more of the people in lab coats tossed objects at the second captor. Both of the makeshift grenades exploded. The guard rolled to the ground in an attempt to put out the flames, but he still held on to his assault rifle. Despite being ablaze, he picked off one of the captives. The m
an who had thrown the first grenade snatched up the dropped gun and killed the armed guard with a sustained barrage. The remaining guard, still on fire, ran at him like a madman before being taken down.
Beth gasped at the carnage and said, “Are they trying to escape because of us?”
“They must be desperate,” Juan said and glanced at Eddie, who nodded, knowing what Juan already had in mind.
The man who’d instigated the jailbreak sprinted to one of the smaller buildings and emerged seconds later triumphantly holding an item in his hand. It had to be the keys to the last Humvee because the four other captives ran for it and got in. Soon, the Humvee was driving at high speed toward the main gate.
“We might get away,” Raven said, “but if those people run into the other Humvees, they’re going to be wiped out.”
“I know,” Juan said as he heard the rotors of the helicopter returning to direct the coming ambush. “That’s why we’re going to help them.”
19
Ocampo’s hands were shaking as they gripped the wheel of the speeding Humvee. He couldn’t see the compound entrance through the trees, but he knew it wasn’t far.
“Where did they all go?” said Maria Santos from the passenger seat, her voice trembling. The three other scientists in the back were silent with fear.
“I don’t know,” Ocampo replied, “but it looked like they were in a hurry.”
Maria choked down a sob. “Paul’s dead.”
Ocampo couldn’t shake the sight of the chemist’s lifeless body riddled with bullets. “But we’re alive.”
“For how long? If they catch us, they’ll kill us.”
“They would have killed us eventually anyway.”
“How do you know they’re not waiting for us up ahead?”
“I don’t. But this is the fastest way out.”
When they rounded the next bend, Ocampo stood on the brakes, and their vehicle skidded to a stop. Two Humvees, one with a mounted machine gun, were positioned ahead of them just outside the gate as if they were waiting for something farther up the road. Guards were crouched behind the doors, their weapons at the ready.
“What are they doing?” Maria said.
“It looks like an ambush,” Ocampo replied.
“But there should be two more Humvees. I counted five this morning.”
“We’ll have to take the chance that they’re not farther ahead.”
None of the guards seemed alarmed by their presence. One of them even waved for their Humvee to come closer.
Ocampo gunned the engine.
“What are you doing?”
“They don’t realize it’s us. They think we’re the other guards from the compound.”
“They won’t for long.”
“Right. Which is why you should all get down. We’re going to try to get by them before they recognize us.”