Dominic raised his brows. "I assure you that she hasn't slipped out the back door."

"But she might have passed out and hit her head. She lost some blood with that wound."

"Wound?" Dominic's smile faded. "She didn't tell me she was hurt."

"I stitched it up. She's okay. Where's the bathroom?"

"Beside Barry's room. I'll show-"

"Stay here. I'll take care of it." Galen was already halfway down the hall.

She didn't answer the first knock and he didn't wait for a second before opening the door.

She was sitting on the commode wearing nothing hut jeans, staring down at the bra in her hands. She glared balefully at him. "Get out of here."

"In a minute." He took the bra from her and slipped the straps over her arms. "I thought you might be having a problem."

She went rigid. "I don't need your help. I can do this."

"But you might break my stitches." He fastened the hooks in the back. "I hate my efforts to be wasted." He took the blue oxford shirt draped over the towel rack, put it on her, and started to button it. "Why didn't you call Dominic to help you? A little too intimate?"

"Don't be an ass. He delivered Barry. I didn't want to worry him. I suppose you told him I was hurt?"

"Guilty." He fastened the last button. "He's a nice guy. I hope you're not leading him for a fall."

"You don't know what you're talking about. I wouldn't hurt him."

"Intentionally. Is he coming with us?"

"Yes. I suppose you object to that too."

"I didn't say that."

She glanced away from him. "You talk as if Forbes has made up his mind. Is he going to take us?"

"He hasn't said. He probably will. He's a good guy, an upright, decent family man, and you've hit him right on target. Isn't that why you chose him?"

"I chose him because I hoped I could trust him. You don't have to be afraid for him. I'm not going to cheat him. He'll get what he wants."

"I'm not afraid for him. He can take care of himself. My job ends when I deliver you to the U.S." He stood up. "I'd better get you some painkillers. That wound is probably throbbing."

"When we're safe on the plane. I can't run the risk of not being able to think clearly."

He opened the bathroom door. "Have it your own way."

She looked him directly in the eye. "Oh, I will."

He was smiling as he passed Dominic in the hall. "She's fine. She was having a little connection problem."

"Connection?"

"See if you can talk her into a painkiller."

He grimaced. "She's not an easy woman to persuade."

"Really? I never would have guessed."

Forbes was not in the kitchen, and Galen found him standing outside the door looking up at the tops of the trees. "We may have a problem. There's a strong wind coming up."

"We'll work our way through it."

"I don't know how. I was talking to Dominic and there's no level ground around here for at least twenty miles."

"Then we'll go twenty miles." He looked up at the trees. Forbes was right, the wind was definitely picking up. "Maybe. There's usually a way. I've got to get on the radio and tell my guys to start their approach." He paused. "If you're sure you want to go through with this. It's pretty clear you've made up your mind."

Forbes nodded. "I believe her. Every informant who's reported to me has mentioned that Chavez is after her."

"But you can't be sure she's correctly judged the way he'll react."

"Then what have I lost? She's right: This chance is better than anything I've had so far. I've got to take it."

Galen shrugged. "Okay, then we'll get them out."

"I hope to God this wind is our biggest problem." Forbes gazed out into the darkness. "We've been lucky so far."

"Knock on wood."

"Chavez and his slimeballs can't win every game. Let me just win this one."

There was so much intensity in Forbes's words that Galen turned to look at him. "You'll never make it until your pension, Forbes. You're starting to care too much. That can be dangerous."

"You can't care too much." Forbes's voice was uneven. "Men like Chavez trample all over our lives and destroy our families, kill our children-" He stopped and then said, "Sorry. This means a great deal to me."

"You don't have to apologize." He paused. "Did I detect a personal note?"

Forbes didn't answer for a moment. "My son, Joel. He died of an overdose in his dorm room six months ago. I was so busy saving the world from drugs that I didn't even know he was experimenting. I should have known. I should have been close enough to him to explain what I knew, what I'd seen during these twenty-five years. Instead, I was chasing Chavez, saving other parents' kids." His voice roughened. "I have to take him down, Galen."

Don Quixote, tilting against the wicked world. Don Quixote, who'd received his own wounds.

"Hey, no problem." Galen turned away. "I don't like the bastard either. I'll get her and the kid out of here and you can tuck her away in a safe house."

"I'll take that as a promise."

Galen smiled at him. "Like I said, no problem."

Elena quietly closed the door of Barry's room and stood there looking at him. There was nothing more beautiful in the world than the sight of Barry sleeping. She would just take a moment to look at him and gain strength.

No, she had to move. There were things to do and not much time to do them. She went to the bureau and took out the photo album from the top drawer. Don't look at them. There were so many. Just take out some of the pictures and stuff them in the backpack. There were precious few things that she'd be able to take with her, but she couldn't leave the photos. They were too special. Barry at two with the icing of the chocolate birthday cake all over his face. Barry at three laughing as he splashed in the little plastic pool. Barry this year with the new bow and arrow set she'd bought him. How he'd loved that bow and arrow.

She moved over to the toy box. The toy bow was on top of the other toys. It was too big, she realized in disappointment. He would want to take his teddy bear, his favorite books, and the musical globe that Dominic had given him. There just wasn't room for everything.

"Mama?"

She turned to see Barry lying on his side watching her. "I didn't mean to wake you again. Go back to sleep, baby."

"What are you doing?"

"Just looking at your toys. Do you play with this bow every day?"

"Most days. I'm Robin Hood and Dominic is Friar Tuck."

"We're going on a little trip. Would you mind not taking it?"

"A trip? Is that the adventure?"

She nodded. "But it's in an airplane and we can't take much with us. I thought maybe your bear and the globe. Anything else?"

"I can't take the bow?"

"I don't think there'll be room for it."

He was silent a moment. "I guess I don't really need the bow. I can still pretend. Like you showed me, Mama. Remember? You said if you didn't have everything you wanted, you could pretend and sometimes pretending was better."

She felt a melting deep inside her. Don't cry. He mustn't think anything is wrong. It has to be an adventure. She cleared her throat. "What song is Dominic teaching you to play?"