Matt and Zeke went to help themselves to more food as the festivities intensified around them as they approached midnight.
The end of an old year, sparking the arrival of a new one. Soon, Matt would be heading back to L.A. and home.
Cortez had left him a business card to an importing firm, but Matt knew better. That business was only a cover for what the man really did…most certainly something not so legal. His client was missing one of his women from a bordello or something similar and he was hired to find her.
Matt took the card after the man disappeared into a crowd gathered around the makeshift stage where a band performed classic rock songs from another era. Zeke bit into a fried banana and shook his head.
"Strange he dropping in on a party like that drumming up business."
Matt put the business card in his pocket and looked at Zeke thoughtfully.
"His boss must want that woman back very badly."
Zeke chuckled.
"The money he offered to find her."
Matt sighed.
"It's a price on her head."
They continued threading themselves through the throngs of partiers.
"He'll shop among the mercs here until he finds someone who'll take his money."
Matt knew it wouldn't be easy to find someone to do what Cortez wanted once there was any hint that human trafficking involved. Most of those who were holed up on the island in between assignments didn't even dabble in that world but Cortez would find someone who didn't follow that informal code.
A man who acted as persistent as he did…
Matt sipped his beer.
"After that last job we did…and we weren't able to pin down who ran that operation."
Zeke shrugged.
"The nature of this business is that those who head it are always elusive. They hide in plain sight through their legit businesses."
"I wonder what kind of legit business a man who traffics in small children would hind behind…"
"It could be anything…just something that brings in a lot of money on its own," Zeke said, "So the authorities never suspect its purpose."
Matt looked at his beer.
"We do know that the man who was procuring and selling children as cannon fodder had a partner," he said, "Somewhere in North America…"
Zeke rubbed his jawline.
"That's a big continent and besides what does it matter? We got those kids out of there and they're safe now."
Matt felt troubled.
"That leaves so many others out there still caught up in it. I just never knew that all this was happening…"
"Most people don't. It operates in the shadows after all," Zeke said, "But slavery's an old institution after all."
Matt couldn't argue with that. But what he'd just seen…he'd never forget it. Maybe when he returned home…but he knew he'd slip back into the life he left and all of this…it'd be the time he'd spent traveling the world to find himself.
Zeke slapped him on the shoulder.
"Enough talk on this. We came here to have a good time so let's party."
Matt paused and then he nodded. The old year filled with turmoil and heartache would soon be in its proper place behind him as well.
C.J. stood in the hallway with Jonathan, her hands on her hips.
"The disk?"
He nodded.
"The one that you took from them and brought with you."
She shrugged.
"It's ruined…from the time I spent in that river."
He seemed to process that.
"You sure?"
She nodded.
"I…got rid of it."
He narrowed his eyes at her.
"You did what?"
She tilted her face, studying his own. She knew her words upset him, tough he'd just have to deal.
"You heard me…it's gone. Look I tried but Andre's men took my options away from me when they forced me to jump into the river."
The swirling, icy currents had nearly swallowed her up after she'd taken the plunge off the ridge to get away from the men who'd chased her from the compound. She'd only had seconds to decide…
"I chose freedom."
Jonathan just stared at her a long moment. She knew she'd disappointed him after all he'd done to help her when she'd called him from that payphone in some town with a name that eluded her, several months ago.
Finally he nodded.
"I know but the information that it contained…"
She finished.
"Is all gone…but there's other ways to get information on his operation."
Jonathan sighed.
"It's going to take a lot longer," he said, "and in the meantime he's looking for you."
She smiled slightly.
"Nice to know you care Jonathan."
His eyes softened, somewhat.
"You know I do…C.J."
She remembered years ago when life had been simpler for both of them. For a brief period, they'd been in love after all.
"Look I know what's at stake here," she said, "Believe me I know…"
He would just have to believe in her.
Matt looked out into the ocean as the raucous celebration faded behind him. When he'd left Zeke and Brady, there had been some kind of conga line going. He'd taken another bottle of beer with him as he walked along the shore, the pebbles crunching under his shoes.
The ocean was still tonight, shimmering under the moon like a sheet of glass. A map of stars above if you knew how to read it.
Someone had lit torches leading down to where he stood now looking across the water towards what he believed to lead somewhere to his home country.
The beer tasted bitter as the chill of it faded. The night had cooled but they were in the Caribbean after all and yet despite the festivities his thoughts were of home and what waited there. No doubt Roy and Will were out celebrating on New Year's Eve which trailed that of this island by a few hours.
No doubt C.J was out celebrating too. He wondered if she were with friends, or even a boyfriend. He'd not talked to her in months, not talked with anyone just sent postcards to the offices in L.A. and Houston letting people know he was still alive and well.
That he hadn't fallen off the planet.
He sipped his beer thinking of what he'd learned about himself and what he wanted in his life. The evening spent in the sweat lodge had made it crystal clear what possible future awaited him.
Was he brave enough to go back and claim it?
He sighed, not knowing what waited back home after all. What if he got back and found out he was too late? What if that decision had been taken from him?
The sense of urgency that broke into his enjoyment of his travels woke him up in the mornings and lingered throughout the day.
He heard the footsteps approach him even before he turned around and saw who stood there.