Chapter 11

Jaime formulated at least half a dozen plans in the time it took her to round the cabin and find the generator. She could stay there, as though she couldn't find the switch and then club them with a tree branch when they came looking for her. But if more than one of them came at once, a tree branch was no match for a gun. If only the trees weren't being soaked by what felt like a monsoon, she'd have punched a hole in the generator and used the live wires to start a fire, carrying it further into the trees and setting one alight to alert the boats that they needed help. Could she swim for it - did she dare try? Jaime was afraid to think of what might happen to Steve, Mark and Rudy if their captors realized she was gone...but what would happen to all of them if she went back into the cabin?

Lightning flashed to the ground just inches away from her, forcing her to jump out of the way. Would it hit her in the water? Could she maybe outswim it? She wondered if she should leave the cabin in darkness, diverting at least some of the gunmen's attention away from their hostages and maybe giving Steve and the others a fighting chance...but she couldn't be sure just how badly Steve was injured - and without his help, the doctors stood virtually no chance of fighting their way out on their own. No doubt they were watching out the front windows for her...but the only window in the back of the cabin was in the kitchen and she was on the other end of the cabin's rear. Without pausing any further to try and talk herself out of it, Jaime flipped the generator's switch and took off running at top speed through the woods to the cabin on the other side where she took a deep breath...and dove into the water.

Her legs propelled her at bionic speed, kicking a huge wake through the whitecaps that threatened to engulf her as she headed into deeper water. The rain was coming down in solid sheets, fighting against her and trying to drive her back as she forced her way through the raging tides to where (she hoped) she'd find the circle of boats...and safety. She lifted her head to try and listen for the sounds of those she prayed would save them but rain pelted her face and caused her to sputter and choke when she gasped for a deeper breath of air. Jaime put her face back in the water and settled into the rhythm of a bionic-strength crawl stroke, letting her new legs do most of the work while her right arm helped pull her along. She took just short gasps of air each time her head turned to the side, careful to spit out the water she'd inhaled before putting her head down once again.

The storm seemed to be following her, with each lightning bolt aiming for the spot where she'd just been and the thunder roaring out a threat that the next one wouldn't miss.

Oscar had been on another line at home when he saw the answering machine light blinking at him. He dialed OSI-Los Angeles almost on autopilot, scarcely able to stand the thought of what might be happening to his friends on that island. Russ relayed that he'd spoken to the Chief of Interpol-Bahamas himself and they were sending their own boats into the water 'armed like tanks and a helluva lot faster'. Oscar breathed a small sigh of relief and said a silent prayer that Interpol could reach the island in time.

Jaime was beginning to struggle. The rain felt like thousands of tiny bullets stinging her skin and the lightning made her nearly leap from the water as it seemed to loom closer with every strike. She was inhaling rain when she lifted her head and swallowing water in her exhaustion when she put her head back down. Is this what it feels like, just before you drown? she wondered.

She saw Steve's face in her mind's eye, beaming at her with such pure love in his eyes...then she pictured him on the floor of the cabin with blood pooling beneath him. She had to keep going! Were the waves getting stronger...or were her legs beginning to betray her? They were still so very new, with no more than a month's adjustment time. Normally that was more than enough but Jaime could feel herself starting to sink...

She raised her head one last time - and heard the sound of powerful engines cutting through the water. They were coming straight toward her! What if they didn't see her, down among the whitecaps? With everything she had left, she threw her head back and called to them...then laid out flat on her back, floating, her strength completely depleted.

Within seconds, a beacon shone down into the water and several pairs of strong hands lifted her into the boat. She couldn't hear their voices because every last bit of adrenaline had left her and Jaime was out cold. The men laid her out on some cushions and one of them nodded. ''Fits the description the OSI sent out. Now let's go get the others.''