Virgo's Vice Read Online Free Page B

to cut the bracelet off and split. Plenty of places to cross over the border by foot in Arizona. The illegals cut the fences all the time. I was lucky to have had the cash to get the plastic surgery, and it wasn’t hard to reinvent myself here in Africa. No one really cares about your past here. Sure I know the marshalls’ll always be searching for me, but Lexie’s probably the only person in the world who knows I’m here, now, and she’s already proved she’s too shit scared to talk.
    He chuckled to himself. I sure put the fear of God into her. He forced his thoughts back to the present situation. Once we have the backpacks and our rations I’ll back off and observe from the distance. I don’t know what’s with the producer. Lexie and the other camera operator don’t seem to have been briefed and she didn’t know she was expected to jump. She did well to land the way she did, but what’s gonna happen to that Mexican with the injured ankle? It’s good there’s one less to compete against, but hell, I’ve been living in Africa for three years now. That’s more than enough of an advantage.
    Camera operator Mark Proveaux was wondering what they would find in the cargo bags. He had an idea some of the contestants thought there would be water in them, but anyone with half a brain would know it would be too heavy to pack into those bags on top of each contestant’s backpack. The other camera equipment would be there, including the solar battery chargers, and there would probably be tents and food for him and Lexie. And the satellite phone. That was the single most important item in those bags. Maybe he could call the Old Man and get some directions from him. He’d also call home and find out how Suze was doing. He missed her already, but she had been real understanding about this gig and him being away from home. Thoughts of his wife brought a smile to his lips. Then he frowned. Should he and Lexie make a camp a little ways away from the others? It seemed more prudent to stick together at night and build a big fire to keep any wild animals away. He was annoyed at the Old Man for dropping them in the crap like this. They should have had at least one other crew person for support. Lexie had done well so far, but what would have happened if she had broken some bones? He knew the Old Man was crazy, but this was pushing it. He hoped the nurse was right when she said the Mexican’s ankle wasn’t broken.
    And what was going on between Lexie and the khaki dude, Trip? Did he say something inappropriate to her?
    The cowboy was yelling. He must have found one of the bags.
    Mark turned and headed back toward him.
    Henry Stretch Grant, ex-NBA player rubbed his temple. His head throbbed. He tried to remember the details of the landing that had caused him to fall and bump it, but came up with a blank. He must have blacked out. Didn’t that mean he had a concussion? It wouldn’t be the first time, and he had never had any problems after getting a bump on his head in the past. Just as well they had a nurse with them. She should be able to patch him up and worst-case scenario she said she could stitch it if she had to. He wished he could see the wound. It felt big. He touched it lightly and brought his hand back down to stare at the blood on his fingers. He couldn’t let this get in his way. He had to win. Henry Junior’s life depended on it. On him. If he didn’t win this, Henry would die. He wrung his hands and sighed heavily, and glanced around at the other competitors. He was so much older than them and some of them looked fit.
    He wriggled his toes in the new Merrells he had bought for hiking in Africa, and wondered if it would have been better to have worn shorts rather than the cargo pants that were getting hot. He was glad he’d been smart enough to figure out they might leave directly from the party, though.
    Jared Harner pushed his glasses up on his nose and watched the other dudes as they headed away to the east.