Salvatore held the ice pack to his shoulder that had been bruised breaking into the room. His broken finger throbbed away on its own and his mood was dark over the change of fortune. The elderly couple had been threatened not to complain and he and Dante had found the right room and searched it thoroughly, finding nothing.

Now they sat in Cavanaugh's room awaiting the delivery of another car from the rental agency. Salvatore had reported the car stolen and told the company he had nothing to add- the car was just stolen right off the street.

"Where do you think they went?" Dante twirled his gun on his finger.

"If they got their fake papers, out of the country by now. But I don't think they had them."

"Why?"

"Gut feeling. Would you stop that before you shoot one of us!"

"Does your gut tell us where to look?" Dante snarled back.

"We stake out the airport, that's his only fast way out of Peru and Jack wants fast for sure." He moved the ice pack and winced, wondering if he'd cracked his shoulder too.

********

"Thanks for bringing her home," Arny said, as Sophia shoved Gretta ahead of her into the room. "She really needs a curfew."

"Shut up and get your stuff together."

"Excuse me, but my stuff is together."

"Don't antagonize the lady, Arny. Just pack up our things like she asked."

"We taking a trip?" He stomped around like a spoiled child, throwing things from the bureau at their packs and slamming drawers. His pants and belt lay in an untidy heap along with some of Gretta's clothes.

"Who is this?" Sophia scoffed.

"Just a good friend . . . traveling companion." Gretta answered blithely.

"Well I don't really need him traveling with me." She swung the gun around and aimed at Arny."

"Wait! I- we do need him. He uh- he knows how to find Jack."

Sophia sneered. "Really! I tracked you and Cyril and Arny located Jack, didn't you, Arny?" Her eyes bounced pleadingly.

Arny sat on the bed and stared at Sophia. "You shouldn't have told her." He made his voice sound stern as he scolded Gretta.

"Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Gretta. Now she knows I know and we have no more cards to play."

"That's right," Sophia jumped in. "So where is he?"

"Let her go first."

"No way. I'll shoot her if you don't tell me."

Arny heaved his shoulders at Gretta. "That didn't work."

"Talk now, or she gets it."

"How trite. Did you hear that in a movie?"

Sophia swung the gun around to Gretta and Arny whacked it from her hand with his belt. She screamed in pain and staggered back allowing Gretta to retrieve the gun.

"That was a little fast and loose with my well being, Arny."

"Never a doubt, Gretta, never a doubt." He went to Sophia and checked her arm. "You'll be fine. Just a small welt. Sit over there."

"Actually, Arny, it would be a good idea to finish packing so we can get out of here."

"Huh?"

"Mister Mumford should be coming around about now."

"You didn't."

"He attacked me, ask her." Arny looked at Sophia who just frowned and rubbed her arm. "She knows, she's just being difficult."

"You think?"

The knock at the door froze the three of them and Gretta signaled for quiet as she looked through the spy hole.

"It's good old Cyril, and he seems to be very upset. There's blood on his face and jacket."

"They've got me in here!" Sophia yelled before Arny grabbed her and wrapped his hand over her mouth.

The door burst open and Cyril lunged into the room waving an even larger gun than Sophia's. His eye fell on Arny and he aimed and fired, knocking the lamp off the night table in a shower of pottery shards. Before he could loose another round, Gretta had his arm in a lock that forced the weapon from his hand and then surrendered to the pressure with a resounding crack. Cyril screamed in pain and collapsed once again, not only falling on his newly fractured arm but banging his swollen head.

"Ouch, that had to smart."

"Are you okay? He didn't hit you?"

"Nope, but the lamp's dead."

"Grab her and the stuff and let's go." Gretta snatched up the dead lamp's cord and lashed Cyril's hands behind his back and then around his neck and down to his ankles; if he struggled too hard he'd choke himself to death.

Several people filled the hall, muttering about the sound of gunfire and they began to raise the alarm as the trio shoved their way past and down the stairs. Sophia rode uncomfortably in the back of the jeep as Gretta stuttered her way through the potholes toward the airport.

"It's the only place we know he has to come, and at some point he will. We just have to be vigilant." She honked the horn and swerved around a slower van, missing the oncoming traffic by scant inches.

"Let's be safe first, okay?"

"What are you going to do with me?" Sophia complained from the back.

"After what you tried you're lucky I don't drag you up here and use you as an air bag." Arny snarled at her, forcing her to recoil in fright.

The rest of the trip was made in silence except for the occasional gasp from Arny as Gretta snaked through traffic.

********

Jack folded up the wad of pesos and slipped them into the blouse of the young prostitute swaying seductively in front of him. She had found and delivered a car to him for the promise of much money and now that she had it she was trying to extend the relationship into more familiar territory.

"Thanks, senorita. Good job."

"I can do other job, senor."

"I'll bet but I don't have time right now." He turned and picked up the pack, holding out his hand for the keys.

"I could ride with the senor for a while and maybe . . . " She trailed a hand up his leg.

"Keys." His voice turned cold and the look in his eyes made her blink as she quickly gave up the car keys. "Now beat it."

The young woman backed away then turned and wobbled down the street on her high platform shoes. Jack shook his head and climbed into the car, tossing the pack into the back seat. The traffic was lighter and he pushed down on the gas, hoping to arrive in Callao before the airport closed.

Phoning ahead was too risky even with the new papers he'd arranged. That had been easier than he'd expected. The hotel practically offered it as a regular service and Jack counted his lucky stars that he'd chosen that particular accommodation - maybe his luck was changing, or at least, holding.

He made a left onto the route taking him past the Archeology Museum and Zoological Garden toward Callao. From there he would head up the coast to the airport. It won't be long now, Jack, he mused.

********

Dante climbed back into the new rental car and slammed the door. "Nothin'. No Americans checking in or already booked."

"He'll come. He has to." Salvatore adjusted the makeshift sling. His shoulder had begun to ache more and more and was sure it was also fractured. He would make Cavanaugh pay dearly.

"Do we just sit here?"

"From here we can watch the arriving cars and taxis. This is the best place to wait."

"I'm hungry."

"Dante, this is the last time you come on any job with me. You are a whiner, a brute and you have fewer brains than- than that post over there." His eyes registered the post but at the same time he saw a jeep swerve into the drive and back into a spot closer to the airport entrance. He sat up and strained to see the occupants.

"What's wrong?"

"That jeep. The people look like . . . it is! Goddamnit it is!" He waved excitedly, hitting his broken finger on the window and crying out in agony. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!"

Dante looked at him incredulously. "Jesus is in the jeep?"

"Aaaargh, you- you . . . get out and check it out, and don't let them see you!" Salvatore shot him a fiery look and growled.

********

"Arny, go inside and find out if any Americans have booked flights or already checked in."

"Why me?"

"Should we send Sophia?"

"No, but you could go. Why do I have to do all the legwork?" Both women looked at him and at one another, rolling their eyes. "Oh, now you're partners." He sucked his teeth and clambered out of the jeep, slamming the door and stalking across the drive and through the revolving door.

Dante ducked down behind a small sports car and watched Arny go into the airport. He crab-walked alongside the vehicle until he was opposite the jeep and he raised his head, seeing Sophia's profile plain as day. Quickly he hurried back to Salvatore to report.

"So, who is this woman that has come to the same conclusion as we have?"

"There's also a guy, he went inside."

"Was it anyone we knew?"

"Not me. Skinny sort of guy, tall, thin."

Salvatore pulled at his chin. "Maybe they're just somebody Sophia is using. A pair of dupes."

"Here comes the guy back." They watched Arny jog back to the jeep and climb inside.

Arny made his report and Gretta smiled with satisfaction. "Good, we beat old Jack to the punch."

"Don't be too sure," Sophia said from the back. "He is no novice when it comes to slipping in and out of countries."

"No doubt. That's why we're here. I think he probably was able to make arrangements for papers and this is our best chance of catching him."

"What do you think you can do anyway, you aren't the police?"

"I can stop Jack Cavanaugh from smuggling national treasures out of the country and see that the proper authorities get to preserve them for the people of Peru."

"How noble." Sophia made a rude noise and sat back folding her arms.

"Considering what your husband and Jack did, and which you obviously didn't object to, I wouldn't toss any stones."

"Jack had nothing to do with that, it was Anton . . . " Sophia bit her tongue and made a hateful face at Gretta.

"I suspected as much, thanks for the confirmation. Still, old Jack didn't stop it either. Guess you and he thought it was a perfect reason to join up and hit the road. Doesn't look like he was going to spend too much time waiting for you though, does it?"

She glared at the back of Gretta's head and chewed on the truth of her words. Jack had to run but he didn't have to leave without her. She almost hoped he would turn up so she could slap him silly.