The tactical flashlight beam sliced through the darkness of the Andes valley like a silver dagger, ready to pierce a heart. Mateo Rossi froze behind a twisted piece of airplane wing, his breath coming out in thin, ragged puffs of white vapor.
In his hand, his combat knife felt ice-cold, fused to his numbing fingers. Before him, the once-pristine blanket of snow had transformed into a lethal hunting ground.
"Damn it, they're fast," Mateo growled under his breath, the words barely a vibration in his throat.
He glanced toward Elena, who was huddled behind the ruins of a cabin seat. She looked terribly fragile beneath the silver thermal blanket that reflected the dim light. Her deathly pale face stared at Mateo with wide eyes, filled with wordless terror. Her leg, braced with a makeshift s
