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The guards checking the roofs of the trucks behind Juan and Linc werequick work of it They had only aatop the cargo section of the lead truck

Linc nudged Juan “Our escape route is blocked,” he whispered

Juan followed his gaze to the flashlights of a dozen guards scouring the jungle And stealing the truck was out of the question since they’d have to take tiuards behind them, all of ere armed with automatic rifles

Since the road ended at a rocky hill that would be iunfire, that left only one option

“Looks like we’re going for a swi at the bay He spoke quietly into his mic “We need evac, Linda What’s your ETA to the dock?”

“Three ed,” she said, “but we can be there in a minute if we surface”

“No, stay under I don’t want to tip our hand We’ll meet you two hundred yards offshore and two hundred yards west of the supply ship”

“Acknowledged See you there”

“Got your Spare Air?” Juan asked Linc as he reles from his pack and stuffed them into his front pocket for quick access The disposable tank had a h air for fifteen breaths

Linc nodded and readied his own tank and goggles

They edged closer to the truck’s cab, ready to climb down and make a dash for the sea, when the clouds parted The uncovered half-ht

They froze in place, but it was too late One of the h the trees and yelled to the others

Juan and Linc turound as bullets raked the truck, s up the side of the hood One of the rounds hit the still-hot radiator, and stearille Another asoline, gushing onto the gravel road

“Soby the hood

“It’s a long way to the water,” Linc said They were thirty feet from the seawall that had been built to buttress the road